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Results out at 9.30am tomorrow morning for statistics including:

- Country of birth
- National identity
- Passports held
- Current religion
- Religion/religion of upbringing
- Language skills (including knowledge of Irish & Ulster-Scots)

Any predictions?

Tyrone hurling legend Damian Casey has died tragically following an accident in a pool in Spain, just four weeks after scoring 14 points in the Nicky Rackard Final. In a football mad county, Damian stood out as someone everyone in the county knew about, even those who never watched a game of hurling. He was just that good. Hard to explain to those outside Tyrone just how good he was but this article from before the Nicky Rackard final gives a sense of it:

Step aside Patrick Horgan: Damian Casey is the most prolific hurler (you've never heard of)
https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/arid-40875941.html

Statement from Tyrone County Board:
Anocht Is Uaigneach Tír Eoghain | Tonight Tyrone Is Lonely
Heartbreak and grief can come in many forms but are especially cruel when brought about by the sudden death of someone young, talented, outgoing and in the prime of life.
Accordingly, Gaelic Tyrone is totally shaken by the news of the tragic death of Damian Casey, a supreme hurler just now at the peak of his powers.
"This breaking news is beyond belief," a shocked Tyrone County Chair Michael Kerr commented.
"Someone who brought honour, delight and simple, straightforward gladness to our whole County, and far beyond, is gone and it's so hard to take in."
"There are very difficult days ahead for Sean, Susan, Louise and Catherine, for Damian's wider family circle and many friends and associates, for his team-mates and for the Gaels of Dungannon and Tyrone."
"Our deepest sympathy goes to them, and our focus must now be on providing the support and comfort that will be so badly needed."
Damian Casey was a special gift to Tyrone and to hurling. We were the richer for his presence and are the poorer for his passing.
'D'imigh tú i mbláth na hóige, ar Sholas na bhFlaitheas go raibh d'anam | You departed in the bloom of youth, may your soul be granted the Light of Heaven.'

Election nerds ASSEMBLY ASSEMBLE!!

Sounds like it will be imminent. Which I find surprising as I'd have thought Leo would want to afford himself as long a period as possible between the Black and Tans/RIC controversy and having to face the electorate.

Some burning questions though. Will this controversy affect their chances? Will their record on health and homelessness come back to bite them? Will the equally objectionable partitionist Micheal Martin be the first FF leader to never become Taoiseach? Will SF's slide continue or is their recent decent showing in the by-elections a sign of an up turn in fortunes?

Thoughts?

(Poll above - lets see how smart we are with our predictions)

A thread especially for TheBigDog and southtyronegael (and anyone else interested). Knock yourselves out here lads, and maybe let the other thread be about football. No offence but the pair of you would absolutely sicken one's shite. Ye have the other thread absolutely ruined with childish insults and rumour mongering about individuals in Garvaghey.

So any chance all the bitching and yapping about cartels and fuhrers etc could take place in here instead? For what it's worth - I have no issue with anybody talking about matters related to the county board/management etc and wouldn't necessarily be a fan of a lot of what goes on in Garvaghey - but references to Mickey Harte as 'Furher' etc are beyond just childish, but should be regarded by anyone with a half a braincell in their head, as totally unacceptable.

And no harm lads, but yis have had an absolutely poisonous impact on the thread for other reasons. The constant bitching about Harte etc has led to a broadening of targets to the extent that others are being totally unfairly attacked. I'm thinking in particular of Teamtalk, who provide a service - free of charge - to Tyrone Gaels that is the envy of every county in Ireland. And this attack initiated by one individual in particular who despite telling us all of how Tyrone football 'is his life', didn't even know that the Teamtalk Awards were all about honouring club players - yet he still felt qualified to anonymously attack the organisers. And of course the other target in recent days - Kieran Kennedy of O'Neills - who has been roundly attacked for having the temerity to appear in a photos of jersey sponsorship announcement when his company made the jerseys and sponsors vast sums to Tyrone at county and club level; and for having the temerity to wish have Tyrone jerseys on sale before Christmas (no doubt if they appeared in Jan or Feb - the same toerags would be on here spouting about them not being made available in time for Christmas), and this without a shred of evidence that he had any say whatsoever in the timing of the sponsorship deal. Kennedy has been torn to shreds and portrayed as some sort of greedy fat cat, when in reality, he is generous to a fault to the GAA in Tyrone.

So when the poisonous atmosphere that is polluting the thread, and men like Noel McGinn & the Teamtalk crew, and men like Kieran Kennedy are seen as free reign to take swipes at by posters who hide behind anonymity and proclaim themselves as 'heros' who are playing their part by 'not going to matches or buying jerseys', then you have to wonder who's next unfortunate Gael that will find themselves in their firing line.

So here yis go lads. Go mad....here's a thread for all of you that are into that dung. Let those of us who want to talk/read about football, do so in peace over on the other thread.