The GAA in Ulster

I was reading something in the Belfast Telegraph about some unionist politian having a pop at a supermarket for allowing a ladies football team to collect money at their tills in return for packing the groceries. Apparently some locals were upset that it was a GAA club and that they were allowed to collect money. I looked up some websites but the discussion boards that I read all seem to degenerates into nasty Holly Wilaboobie-for-tat, we and them, republican, unionist, etc. It's was a very depressing experience and I learnt nothing. Anyway, my question is, do those with unionist leanings play gaa or is it just those with a nationalist bent? I'm just curious as this never crossed my mind before as I was totally unaware that there were issues. I've always seen the gaa, all sports in fact, as just sport, but apparently this is not the case in Ulster.

Aye moda, I heard about that too. I think this is the story you're talking about-
http://hoganstand.com/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=153864

Unfortunately, as far as I can see, there is a polarisation in Ulster. I'm sure there are moderate unionists out there who want to get involved but quite a few on that side of the political divide want nothing to do with it. The uup/dup etc politicians are terrible for it, recently the unionist rep for mid-ulster said he was glad that tyrone were beaten to keep celebrations out his constituency and last year one in co Down threw a fit because a couple of Down GAA flags were outside a pub or something. It seems its GAA is not the only sport in Ulster that it stops at, I've heard some nationalists won't follow rugby as they see it as a "protestant game" while some unionists are upset because Ireland don't play GSTQ like the NI soccer team.

There a lot of bumholes (damn swear filter) out there but I'm sure a lot of sensible people don't share those view points. On the GAA there is a scheme were shinty gets used to bring more unionists into gaelic games too. Personally I'm not particularly bothered about any comments made these hypocritical braindeads, though they do provide a good laugh sometimes- about all they are good for really.

just like when the statues in strabane were decorated with the tyrone shirts with the names of the local players the unionist politications gave out claiming it was offensive.

how is a gaa shirt or flag offensive some people sadley cant move on.

This is a story I found round about Christmas time- http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-11976057

Good god, one of the best laughs I had over the festive period! Just goes to show how paranoid and pathetic some people are!

That is just sad. Some people will take every half chance they get to moan or to "be offended" by anything and everything.

I suppose the Italian Flag looks like its green white and gold/orange as well

although that is mainley politicaly motivated people who get offended people who see it as sport which is all it is dont in any way get offended.

when we won our first all-ireland the unionst chairman of omagh council was part of the welcoming party and then the flip side in 08 ulster bank sponcers of the gaa football championship decorated in red and white for tyrone were asked to remove the red and white decorations as it was seen as being basis towards one side and offending the other.

[quote="patrick91"]although that is mainley politicaly motivated people who get offended people who see it as sport which is all it is dont in any way get offended.

when we won our first all-ireland the unionst chairman of omagh council was part of the welcoming party [/quote]

If only everyone was like that

I had an argument online recently with someone from the Unionist tradition.
I am happy to say I beat his bum hands down in the argument but I am concerned that he had such preconceptions. It certainly gave me food for thought but in the end my attitude was a great big F you.

He argued so badly that I had to invent arguments on his behalf and had argue the converse.

From a Unionist perspective the GAA is;

Overtly nationalist- flags, anthem.
Sectarian- Darren Graham
Supporters of terrorism- names of clubs, particularly Kevin Lynch's.

Against that backdrop, we have some questions to answer. I am absolutely happy with my arguments as to why these assertions are either false or irrelevant, but I am interested if anyone could put forward an argument for me to reconsider. In this discussion, a GAA supporter tried to compare the association and the loyal orange ludge(from not too far from you Patrick), so I know there are some out there without the balls or brains to question this received wisdom.

This discussion takes place in an environment where any sensible or reasonable proposition isn't going to be enough to placate the vast majority (or vocal minority, I am genuinely not sure which) of Unionists have a burning desire to have an equal and opposite to their own peculiar vices.

Irish Curry wrote:
If only everyone was like that

If only.... but they ain't.

[quote="RebelBhoy"][quote="Irish Curry"]
If only everyone was like that [/quote]

If only.... but they ain't.[/quote]

So true

kevin lynch i thought was a member of that club so as a gesture he was named in memory and i think he played minor for derry hurlers so he has links to the gaa unionists are adament he is named as a sole reason because of the hunger strike which is untrue.

anyway names i think are irelevant my own club is pearse og and protestants have played at under age leval without any probelms with the name.

to compare the orange order to the gaa from as you say a gaa supporter hard to understand his/her wisdom and thought behind it i think the main reason why the statement is utter cr@p the gaa is open to anyone of any religon race political backround etc the orange order is only open to protestants.

I'm with you all the way, which is a rarity it seems, but these are the perceptions that we are up against.

I sometimes wonder if it is worth the fight as the arguments are so stupid. There is a kernel of truth in there, so I suppose there is a point to rebuffing them.

a rarity indeed

but its a mater of principle protestants have a secret passion for gaa as bbc viewing figures prove and the influnce of others prevents them attending or even playing gaa which is a shame.

it is worth the fight imo.

If the gaa stopped playing the Irish anthem and flying the tricolour at all gaa games in the North and stop naming clubs after old rebels and IRA members make any difference? Would this make a difference or is the breach unbearachable. Or is it just the very sight of Irish culture, gaa, music, dance and our language that is in itself offensive.



I remember reading about the newly elected UUP leader stating that he would never attend a gaa match. So much for being a community representitive.



Funnily enough, I'm offended that anyone is offended by Irish culture.

bluemoda wrote:If the gaa stopped playing the Irish anthem and flying the tricolour at all gaa games in the North and stop naming clubs after old rebels and IRA members make any difference? Would this make a difference or is the breach unbearachable. Or is it just the very sight of Irish culture, gaa, music, dance and our language that is in itself offensive.

I don't think so bluemoda, the GAA is an Irish organisation and therefore I see nothing wrong in playing the anthem and flying the flag at games. Even if it was changed these people will find something else in it to moan about. The loyalist bigots of the north and even where I am in the west of Scotland still live in the 17th century and don't want to move on, seeing any compromise as a threat to their perceived dominant social status. If someone is offended by someone elses flag or culture they need their head seen to.

Here Rebel, was that debate on not606? If so I think you'd be wasting your time trying to educate people on there from what I've seen. I don't know what walloper compared the GAA to the orange order, how bloody stupid can you get!? The GAA is a sporting and cultural organisation open to all people, the OO is a fraternity of religious fundamentalists who ban catholics, other protestants that don't agree with them or who mix with catholics. The OO interfere with politics, from 1922 until the 1960's the NI assembly was dominated by orangemen, with one of them saying that "it was a protestant parliament for a protestant people" "we are an orange state" etc. The GAA do nothing of the sort (sure, sam maguire himself was protestant) and british security forces are no longer excluded. Put it this way, you wont see a nationalist version of this at GAA grounds- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Coagh8.jpg
Lazy and stupid comparison.

As for the club names, so what. The GAA are hardly sending ammo to paramilitaries. They don't say anything about former loyalist terrorists that go to NI soccer games. Thankfully people with these viewpoints seem to be in decline, I don't really take anything these pathetic idiots say seriously. That goes for their Demonic Unionist party too.

It was indeed not 606. where else!!

i just can't help myself over there. I genuinely don't argue that much in the real world. I can normally let stuff I disagree with slide but the internet does something to me! If I see something I disagree with I have to say something.

I've had a couple of swatches at the site. I think I made 3 or 4 posts ages ago and haven't logged in since. Its alright I suppose but it could do with a bit of a population transplant, too many people on there remind me of the Kumquat round here. With people that stupid and belligerent you may as well just wind them right up for the gas.

I start by using fact and reason and end up dragged into the mire

Probably as that's the only defence those Muppet have. If they can't handle the facts then they'll just come up with some Poopie and drag it way off topic.

I am arguing today about the veracity of the sheriff's decision to convict that young lad of racist offences from edinburgh uni. The thread goes a bit like this.

That is the most obvious example of racism i have ever seen.

On mounting an argument the response;

Rebel has ginger pubes

Evidence of the continuing high-standards of the UK's education system.

I think I am probably a bit older than most of the posters on here. Unless I am told differently.
Both my view of the GAA in Ulster as I have experienced it and I believe the GAA in Ulster itself has changed over the years. I should say that the GAA is a broad church and ranges in its membership in Ulster from a conservative nationalism to deep republicanism. This stretch is mirrored in the make up of individual clubs across the province and what they allow to happen within their own club grounds.
My starting point with the GAA in the 70s and 80sand it is that it was a quiet affirmation of my Irish cultural identity and my right to describe myself as Irish. In my view this was against a background of the state functions declaring that my identity was outside the norm.
As the nationalist identity became more confident visible attacks upon the GAA becme more evident. GAA Members gunned down and premises attacked.
The change in the North is reflected by the GAA in that the confidence in our own identity means we no longer have to ringfence what is ours and go out and proclaim it. Its my view that we are now secure and confident enough that we are willing to share whats best in us safe in the knowledge that if other traditions and groups want to play our games it doesnt deminish who we are.
Unfortunately or maybe perversly people like Jim Wells MLA appear to be so unsure about their own identity that girls asking for volunatry contribution while bag packing groceries are seen as a threat.
The GAA to me will always be more than a great sport amongst other sports.
There endeth the sermon

I am not one for posting

"good post mate"

but that is an extremely good post.

I saw that the MP said the GAA is rich enough and shouldn't be collecting, and a year ago a GAA club in Antrim town, under 13 team was collecting by packing bags, and had to go home and change their tops as people complained that the tops were causing offence, ( I felt sorry for tesco in this one, as people complained about the tops, and others complained that there were made remove their tops)but no one had a problem with the kids rugby team the week before.

My experience is there are more Unionists playing GAA games than Nationalists supporting Northern Ireland.

In the small Village I grew up, (and in countless small towns and villages across the North as well), the majority of the people were Catholic but the kids all played together (as there is only a small number of children in the area) and as such the Protestant children would go to the GAA training with their friends, as it's a community thing, just kids playing in the local sports team together. I've even seen Rangers tops in GAA under age teams training and theres no poblems with it.

In this way there are plenty of people with a Unionist background that have played GAA games in their youth.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-14699251


club in antrim attacked

strange not much condemnation but if that happened to a certain hall it would be condemed.

How many ships would we need to take all these bigots back to Scotland?

What!? There's far too many of them over here all ready, I don't bloody well want any more!

akaredtop wrote:How many ships would we need to take all these bigots back to Scotland?

Would the boat be full of donegal men on the return journey.

I'd prefer to have it empty on the return journey. We don't want any Celtic bigots either.

what is a Celtic bigot?

RebelBhoy wrote:what is a Celtic bigot?

Probably someone who would do something like protest about foreign sports at Croke Park whilst wearing a celtic top.

That makes them an idiot, not a bigot.

Could be worse someone in a Man Utd shirt protesting about the british Queen visiting Dublin

Ar aghaidh le cheile wrote:Could be worse someone in a Man Utd shirt protesting about the british Queen visiting Dublin

so true

attend anti-british events then walk happily down the street in british footballs most succesful clubs.

RebelBhoy wrote:what is a Celtic bigot?

It might come as a surprise to you Rebel but there are bigots on both sides of the divide. I have met many Celtic fans when after five minutes I just want to walk away because of their rantings and ravings. However I also know Celtic fans who are salt of the earth. I was just making the point that we have enough bigots in the North already without having to import them from Glasgow.

It doesn't surprise me in the slightest but it does surprise me that you would suggest that there is a greater prevalence of intolerance amongst the support of Celtic than any other club.

RebelBhoy wrote:it does surprise me that you would suggest that there is a greater prevalence of intolerance amongst the support of Celtic than any other club.

He didn't say that Rebel.

akaredtop wrote:I'd prefer to have it empty on the return journey. We don't want any Celtic bigots either.

This is what he said.

That is akin to saying that all roads out of Kerry should be bricked up to make sure the stupid people don't escape and then denying that you meant all Kerry people are stupid.

Nothing stupid about Kerry football.

RebelBhoy wrote:

akaredtop wrote:I'd prefer to have it empty on the return journey. We don't want any Celtic bigots either.

This is what he said.

That is akin to saying that all roads out of Kerry should be bricked up to make sure the stupid people don't escape and then denying that you meant all Kerry people are stupid.

Can see where you're coming from Rebel but take his comments into context. His original comment was to take the kind of bigots that attacked the GAA club back over here on a ship (not that we haven't got enough already) but to make sure that no Celtic bigots were picked up either. He also said-

"However I also know Celtic fans who are salt of the earth."

He's basically acknowledging that there are both Celtic and ragers supporting bigots on both sides of the Irish sea. Don't really think he needs to go out his way specially to make sure his comment is 100% balanced anyway- we all know the score.

I didn't see the point in referencing Celtic in the first place.

Nobody really being series at that point. Just a bit of banter.

He was.

Aye, only when acknowledging that there were bigots supporting Celtic. The rest was nothing more than a flippant take on how to make the 6 counties bigot free.

As posts diverted onto boats and the north, two different takes on the most famous boat/ship ever to leave here the Titanic.

From the Unionist
It was OK when it left here.

My Favourite Tommy Tiernan
If we had built it would have eat the iceberg