A Leitrim GAA club has slammed AIB after a recent announcement that 70 of their branches would be going cashless.
And the club also called on the GAA to end their sponsorship with the bank if there is not a reversal of their decision.
Ballinamore Sean O'Heslins released a statement on Wednesday saying they were 'deeply shocked' at the decision by the bank and called on the association to 'cease all partnerships with an organisation that clearly does not have the best interests of our communities at the forefront of its thinking'.
READ MORE: Check out our GAA section here
Taking to social media, Ballinamore Sean O'Heslins posted: "Ballinamore Sean O'Heslins were deeply shocked at yesterday's announcement from AIB that they are to remove banking services from our community and from many other communities across the length and breadth of our country.
"Again, it appears that rural and small communities will be impacted by a decision from an organisation that calls itself a 'GAA supporter' and sponsor. In AIB's latest advert for the GAA Club Championships 'Tough Can't Quit' they use the following tag line
"'Why do we go on? Why do we get up when we fall? Why do we keep going when we have no shot? We carry on, we can't stop, it's who we are, these are our people, this is our club, we can't walk away, it's in our blood.'
"Clearly the marketing people within AIB have a rose-tinted view of their own organisation that they can attempt to stand behind the words above and at the same time to go against the very ethos of those statements with this decision."
AIB has confirmed that 70 of their 170 nationwide branches are to 'cashless' by the end of 2022.
The move will mean that the affected branches will not have notes, coins, cheques, foreign exchange, bank drafts; and will remove any drop safes, night safes and ATMs outside.
The bank have said that the decision has been made as part of an overall programme to increase their relationship with An Post - with customers able to access their cash at their nearest Post Office instead of the branch.
The statement from the Leitrim club adds: "It's clear from the decision made by AIB to close 70 branches, a decision which will impact communities with upwards of 350 GAA clubs that operate in those very towns, villages, communities, and environs, that we are clearly not their people and its clear they can just walk away and intend to do that."
And they called on the GAA to end their sponsorship with the bank, they said: "Ballinamore Sean O'Heslins calls on AIB to stand by their words 'Tough can't quit' to reverse their decision and to stand with our communities.
"If AIB fails to reverse their decision we call on GAA Central Council to immediately remove AIB from the sponsorship of the GAA Club championships 2022 and to cease all partnerships with an organisation that clearly does not have the best interests of our communities at the forefront of its thinking and goes against the very ethos of the GAA."
READ NEXT:
'I don’t mind where a fella comes from once he’s good enough at his job' - Kerry boss Jack O'Connor
Gary Murphy column: Consistency is overrated in golf - the Open will hurt Rory
Tough night for Shamrock Rovers as Champions League hopes suffer in Bulgaria
Nate Diaz to fight Khamzat Chimaev in final bout of UFC legend's contract
Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email alerts
