A United Ireland. Opening up the discussion.

[under the bar]

Wonder how many clubs are actively supporting the Irish language or traditional music, song etc?
Time for the basic aim to be the promotion of the Gaelic games of football, hurling....etc.
Leave politics to the politicians,  Traditional music to Comhaltas, The language to Conradh and so on.

Agreed. No need for the GAA to act like it's the sporting equivilent of the Wolfe Tones (not a bad auld group, but not exactly agents of cross-community understanding). The one positive of the new age corporate GAA bean counters is that they will likely shy away from the jingoism over the next few decades and try to appeal to other ethnic groups in the country. Money tends to be a powerful motivation.

So in your beady-eye view promoting Irish Traditional Music and the Irish Language is equivalent to the GAA being like the Wolfetones?  Have you ever heard of the CLG 🙄🙄

[under the bar]

Wonder how many clubs are actively supporting the Irish language or traditional music, song etc?
Time for the basic aim to be the promotion of the Gaelic games of football, hurling....etc.
Leave politics to the politicians,  Traditional music to Comhaltas, The language to Conradh and so on.

Agreed. No need for the GAA to act like it's the sporting equivilent of the Wolfe Tones (not a bad auld group, but not exactly agents of cross-community understanding). The one positive of the new age corporate GAA bean counters is that they will likely shy away from the jingoism over the next few decades and try to appeal to other ethnic groups in the country. Money tends to be a powerful motivation.

The club I'm from promotes all of the above. I would imagine they will continue to do so. If this puts people from a different background from joining our club then I'm sorry about that but this is what we are. Take it or leave it.

Fine. Don't make any effort to make Protestants feel welcome.

What has the GAA or Irish music and Language got to to do with religion?   Try reading the history of the GAA and CLG stop assuming what Gregory Campbell, Arlene Foster and  Ruth Dudley Edwards says is true you complete  knob.

[BennyCake]

The naming of clubs/pitches after IRA men was of it's time. But you could find a problem with any naming.

Kevin the local butcher was a great clubman. We named the u12 tournament after him. Then we find out later, he was involved in selling that horse meat. Right that's it, time to rename the u-12 cup! Frank, great clubman, we named the pitch after him, turns out he was against gay marriage. That's it, pitch will be renamed. Tony the minor manager was spotted in the local paper giving two fingers to the Orangemen marching past the club. There'll be no car park named after Tony.

[general_lee]

Wonder how many clubs are actively supporting the Irish language or traditional music, song etc?
Time for the basic aim to be the promotion of the Gaelic games of football, hurling....etc.
Leave politics to the politicians,  Traditional music to Comhaltas, The language to Conradh and so on.

Agreed. No need for the GAA to act like it's the sporting equivilent of the Wolfe Tones (not a bad auld group, but not exactly agents of cross-community understanding). The one positive of the new age corporate GAA bean counters is that they will likely shy away from the jingoism over the next few decades and try to appeal to other ethnic groups in the country. Money tends to be a powerful motivation.

The club I'm from promotes all of the above. I would imagine they will continue to do so. If this puts people from a different background from joining our club then I'm sorry about that but this is what we are. Take it or leave it.

Fine. Don't make any effort to make Protestants feel welcome. Don't try to grow your club by recruiting from an under-represented demographic. Stick to your little clique and shun all outsiders, newcomers, and everyone who doesn't look like you. But don't come crying to me when unionists keep attacking Irish culture because they think it's alien or threatening to them.

Unionists who attack Irish culture are morons. They're the type of Unionist I don't want anywhere near the GAA. No amount of outreach will change their attitudes in any case. The Protestants/Unionists that I want to welcome into the GAA are the ones that are indifferent to it (like the thousands of nationalists that are also indifferent) - this is where the GAA needs to target and not the extremists.

[longballin]

The naming of clubs/pitches after IRA men was of it's time. But you could find a problem with any naming.

Kevin the local butcher was a great clubman. We named the u12 tournament after him. Then we find out later, he was involved in selling that horse meat. Right that's it, time to rename the u-12 cup! Frank, great clubman, we named the pitch after him, turns out he was against gay marriage. That's it, pitch will be renamed. Tony the minor manager was spotted in the local paper giving two fingers to the Orangemen marching past the club. There'll be no car park named after Tony.

There's a lot of loose cannons in your club!!

[Eamonnca1]

Wonder how many clubs are actively supporting the Irish language or traditional music, song etc?
Time for the basic aim to be the promotion of the Gaelic games of football, hurling....etc.
Leave politics to the politicians,  Traditional music to Comhaltas, The language to Conradh and so on.

Agreed. No need for the GAA to act like it's the sporting equivilent of the Wolfe Tones (not a bad auld group, but not exactly agents of cross-community understanding). The one positive of the new age corporate GAA bean counters is that they will likely shy away from the jingoism over the next few decades and try to appeal to other ethnic groups in the country. Money tends to be a powerful motivation.

The club I'm from promotes all of the above. I would imagine they will continue to do so. If this puts people from a different background from joining our club then I'm sorry about that but this is what we are. Take it or leave it.

Fine. Don't make any effort to make Protestants feel welcome. Don't try to grow your club by recruiting from an under-represented demographic. Stick to your little clique and shun all outsiders, newcomers, and everyone who doesn't look like you. But don't come crying to me when unionists keep attacking Irish culture because they think it's alien or threatening to them.

So you think our club should stop the Irish language evening classes?  We should stop teaching kids how to play Irish music so they can enter Scor?

Where did I say anything remotely close to that? If I had my way there'd be a lot more protestants attending said Irish language evening classes, learning Irish music, and participating in Scór. But it's not going to happen in your club if it's named after an INLA man.

[BennyCake]

The naming of clubs/pitches after IRA men was of it's time. But you could find a problem with any naming.

Kevin the local butcher was a great clubman. We named the u12 tournament after him. Then we find out later, he was involved in selling that horse meat. Right that's it, time to rename the u-12 cup! Frank, great clubman, we named the pitch after him, turns out he was against gay marriage. That's it, pitch will be renamed. Tony the minor manager was spotted in the local paper giving two fingers to the Orangemen marching past the club. There'll be no car park named after Tony.

There's a lot of loose cannons in your club!!

That ain't the half of it 

[Therealdonald]

Wonder how many clubs are actively supporting the Irish language or traditional music, song etc?
Time for the basic aim to be the promotion of the Gaelic games of football, hurling....etc.
Leave politics to the politicians,  Traditional music to Comhaltas, The language to Conradh and so on.

Agreed. No need for the GAA to act like it's the sporting equivilent of the Wolfe Tones (not a bad auld group, but not exactly agents of cross-community understanding). The one positive of the new age corporate GAA bean counters is that they will likely shy away from the jingoism over the next few decades and try to appeal to other ethnic groups in the country. Money tends to be a powerful motivation.

The club I'm from promotes all of the above. I would imagine they will continue to do so. If this puts people from a different background from joining our club then I'm sorry about that but this is what we are. Take it or leave it.

Fine. Don't make any effort to make Protestants feel welcome. Don't try to grow your club by recruiting from an under-represented demographic. Stick to your little clique and shun all outsiders, newcomers, and everyone who doesn't look like you. But don't come crying to me when unionists keep attacking Irish culture because they think it's alien or threatening to them.

So you think our club should stop the Irish language evening classes?  We should stop teaching kids how to play Irish music so they can enter Scor?

Where did I say anything remotely close to that? If I had my way there'd be a lot more protestants attending said Irish language evening classes, learning Irish music, and participating in Scór. But it's not going to happen in your club if it's named after an INLA man.

I'm sorry but I don't see why the club should have to change its name to suit a handful of Protestants? Kevin Lynch means more to the people of Dungiven and the rest of the North than what it would mean to have a few Protestants join the club. Leave the clubs as they are. If anyone new wants to join, then come ahead. If not, then stay away. You take away names, take away the anthem, take away the flag. Jesus men, have some pride in yourselves.

[BennyCake]

A lot of Protestant want nothing to do with the gaa, Irish language etc, but how many northern Catholics are interested in playing hockey or cricket or wish to learn the Ulster Scots "language"? Should Protestant culture be doing more to recruit northern Catholics?

[BennyCake]

Donald, I believe the anthem and flag should be removed but not to placate unionists. I just don't think it has a place in the gaa

[Jim_Murphy_74]

Wonder how many clubs are actively supporting the Irish language or traditional music, song etc?
Time for the basic aim to be the promotion of the Gaelic games of football, hurling....etc.
Leave politics to the politicians,  Traditional music to Comhaltas, The language to Conradh and so on.

Agreed. No need for the GAA to act like it's the sporting equivilent of the Wolfe Tones (not a bad auld group, but not exactly agents of cross-community understanding). The one positive of the new age corporate GAA bean counters is that they will likely shy away from the jingoism over the next few decades and try to appeal to other ethnic groups in the country. Money tends to be a powerful motivation.

The club I'm from promotes all of the above. I would imagine they will continue to do so. If this puts people from a different background from joining our club then I'm sorry about that but this is what we are. Take it or leave it.

Fine. Don't make any effort to make Protestants feel welcome. Don't try to grow your club by recruiting from an under-represented demographic. Stick to your little clique and shun all outsiders, newcomers, and everyone who doesn't look like you. But don't come crying to me when unionists keep attacking Irish culture because they think it's alien or threatening to them.

So you think our club should stop the Irish language evening classes?  We should stop teaching kids how to play Irish music so they can enter Scor?

I would say keep doing all those things. I would hope they are open to anyone curious about them.

Now what I would say is that Ulster GAA could save a bit of money on glossy brochures and travel expenses for outreach officers to give "myth busting" talks about the GAA and republicanism. It's money down the drain when a member club can host a Sinn Féin film and talk commemoration night for Gibraltar 3.

No need for the onslaught of justifications, I have heard them before. But don't kid ourselves that it's compatible with the program which Ulster GAA launched and publicised.

Neither can you gripe about those who say it's not for them when such an event is advertised or bemoan their ignorance of our organization and sports.

We continue on as we are and drop the pretence and the money saved from the outreach program can go somewhere else.

/Jim.

[Eamonnca1]

A lot of Protestant want nothing to do with the gaa, Irish language etc, but how many northern Catholics are interested in playing hockey or cricket or wish to learn the Ulster Scots "language"? Should Protestant culture be doing more to recruit northern Catholics?

Of course. When I was primary school age there was a summer scheme at the school where the local education authority dropped off a big box of games and sports equipment and got some volunteers to supervise us during the day. There was all sorts of stuff in there. Frisbees, badminton racquets, cricket bats, tennis racquets, chess boards, draughts boards and so on. We got stuck into all of it. We tried all of those activities and had a great time.

Kids in Catholic schools get to play all sorts of non-Gaelic sports as part of PE, I loved playing hockey at the time. I see no reason why sports like rugby and cricket shouldn't be something all youngsters are exposed to, just like hurling or Gaelic football. Children will gravitate to whatever sports they enjoy, and they shouldn't be limited in their access to sports by artificial sectarian barriers.

[Eamonnca1]

I'm sorry but I don't see why the club should have to change its name to suit a handful of Protestants? Kevin Lynch means more to the people of Dungiven and the rest of the North than what it would mean to have a few Protestants join the club. Leave the clubs as they are. If anyone new wants to join, then come ahead. If not, then stay away. You take away names, take away the anthem, take away the flag. Jesus men, have some pride in yourselves.

If you could double the size of your club by recruiting more protestants, would you do it? Serious question.

[general_lee]

Davitts are on the falls road. Not sure there are many Protestants living in their catchment area..

Clubs in towns like Limavady, Portstewart, Lurgan, Portadown, Banbridge, Ballymena, Cookstown, Omagh etc should have resources directed their way when it comes to Unionist outreach.

[Eamonnca1]

Davitts are on the falls road. Not sure there are many Protestants living in their catchment area..

Clubs in towns like Limavady, Portstewart, Lurgan, Portadown, Banbridge, Ballymena, Cookstown, Omagh etc should have resources directed their way when it comes to Unionist outreach.

Shankill Rd?