The Flag and the Anthem..

[5 Sams]

Cant see another thread about this..

http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaa-must-reconsider-stance-on-national-anthem-and-flag-in-event-of-political-realignment-in-ireland-aogn-fearghail-35253249.html

Not sure where Aoghán is going with this one lads..no matter what happens as regards political realignments....why would we drop our anthem and our flag??? Bhur mbarúileacha??

[seafoid]

Cant see another thread about this..

http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaa-must-reconsider-stance-on-national-anthem-and-flag-in-event-of-political-realignment-in-ireland-aogn-fearghail-35253249.html

Not sure where Aoghán is going with this one lads..no matter what happens as regards political realignments....why would we drop our anthem and our flag??? Bhur mbarúileacha??

It would be in the context of a United Ireland
Surely the flag already accommodates the unionists .

The song would have to be half Gaeilge half bearla ....

the RTE piece on this said Amhran na bnhFiann is out of date "because people don't understand it"
Ní fhágfar faoin tíorán ná faoin tráill

And the US has just elected a tíorán FFS

[NetNitrate]

Cant see another thread about this..

http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaa-must-reconsider-stance-on-national-anthem-and-flag-in-event-of-political-realignment-in-ireland-aogn-fearghail-35253249.html

Not sure where Aoghán is going with this one lads..no matter what happens as regards political realignments....why would we drop our anthem and our flag??? Bhur mbarúileacha??

It would be in the context of a United Ireland
Surely the flag already accommodates the unionists .

That's like saying the Union Jack accommodates Irish nationalists because it's got the St. Patrick's Cross, or that the outlawed Stormont flag accommodates Irish nationalists because it integrates elements of the original Ulster flag, or that the Royal Coat of Arms accommodates Irish nationalists because it's got the harp, or that the IFA soccer jersey accommodates Irish nationalists because it's got a Celtic Cross. The reality is all these symbols connotate something else for Irish nationalists and mostly provoke, as does the Irish tri-colour for Unionists, even if it's got orange and the original intentions were good. Symbols take on new meanings often because of misappropriation and indeed the Celtic Cross is a racist symbol for many around the world given that the Ku Klux Klan adopted it for their sinister motives.

[Eamonnca1]

If a team with no Irish players plays in a  country that isn't Ireland, it'd be a bit silly to make them stand for the national anthem of a country most of them have probably never even been to. It'd be like having baseball players in Japan stand for the Star Spangled Banner, or Cricketers in Bangladesh stand for God Save the Queen.

As for the north, if you want more people from a prod background playing Gaelic games then what harm can it do to make it more accessible by dropping a few symbols? If you could double the number of hurlers in Ulster just by making this one small change then I'd be all in favour of it. After a year or two you wouldn't even notice it's gone. What's more important, the growth of the game or making a political point for a minute before each match?

Sure why should the anthem be played before every match anyway? Save it for the big ones, at least. You can dilute its value if you over-use it.

[BennyCake]

If a team with no Irish players plays in a  country that isn't Ireland, it'd be a bit silly to make them stand for the national anthem of a country most of them have probably never even been to. It'd be like having baseball players in Japan stand for the Star Spangled Banner, or Cricketers in Bangladesh stand for God Save the Queen.

As for the north, if you want more people from a prod background playing Gaelic games then what harm can it do to make it more accessible by dropping a few symbols? If you could double the number of hurlers in Ulster just by making this one small change then I'd be all in favour of it. After a year or two you wouldn't even notice it's gone. What's more important, the growth of the game or making a political point for a minute before each match?

Sure why should the anthem be played before every match anyway? Save it for the big ones, at least. You can dilute its value if you over-use it.

Yeah spot on with last bit.

I just don't see the need for anthem at every game. It nearly seems like we are insecure about our identity and feel the need to proclaim how patriotic we are before every match, whether it's county final day or u16 shield. Just no need for it.

As for the flag, why not fly the GAA flag at every game?

This isn't to placate Protestants. Most of them don't want to have anything to do with the GAA no matter what changes.

[seafoid]

Cant see another thread about this..

http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaa-must-reconsider-stance-on-national-anthem-and-flag-in-event-of-political-realignment-in-ireland-aogn-fearghail-35253249.html

Not sure where Aoghán is going with this one lads..no matter what happens as regards political realignments....why would we drop our anthem and our flag??? Bhur mbarúileacha??

It would be in the context of a United Ireland
Surely the flag already accommodates the unionists .

That's like saying the Union Jack accommodates Irish nationalists because it's got the St. Patrick's Cross, or that the outlawed Stormont flag accommodates Irish nationalists because it integrates elements of the original Ulster flag, or that the Royal Coat of Arms accommodates Irish nationalists because it's got the harp, or that the IFA soccer jersey accommodates Irish nationalists because it's got a Celtic Cross. The reality is all these symbols connotate something else for Irish nationalists and mostly provoke, as does the Irish tri-colour for Unionists, even if it's got orange and the original intentions were good. Symbols take on new meanings often because of misappropriation and indeed the Celtic Cross is a racist symbol for many around the world given that the Ku Klux Klan adopted it for their sinister motives.

Re the tricolour the history goes back to 1798 when catholics And dissenters fought together. The Act of Union brought dissenters into the tent leaving the catholics outside.

The orange in the flag is a pretty big concession to people who since 1921 have been dissing it  .

And the Offaly colours are wrong as well.

I would expect unionists to catch themselves awn on this 

[seafoid]

There could be a seriously loose federation like Switzerland where there is very little day to day contact between ordinary people but interaction on a higher level to keep the machine moving. In that sort of situation symbols do not matter.  One of the problems in Ireland since 1921  has always been excessive centralisation.

TheRe would need to be serious change down South..The Media are ultra partitionist. The Indo would have to be sent to a re-education camp.  Fianna Fail would have to redefine itself

[illdecide]

I don't see why the GAA are bending over backwards trying to get Protestant people playing GAA games, as Benny says 99% of them would rather die than have anything to do with GAA as the 99% of them believe we're all IRA men anyway. The way i see it is if a Protestant lad wants to play for our GAA club then he's more than welcome and he'd be treated like everyone else but that's highly unlikely.

As for the flags and anthems i believe County Final day and Inter County matches (possibly Province and All Ireland finals only) should be the only time they're played and displayed. The GAA flag at all matches is not a bad idea

[Rossfan]

There's nothing worse than a lip service scratchy vinyl recording of Amhràn Na bhFiann over a half baked loudspeaker at a cowld wet FBD or NFL game.
Also why do the eejits in the crowd insist on looing before it finishes?
Aodhgàn was talking about if/when new political arrangements occur in All Ireland.

Anyway thousands of games take place without flags or anthems every year and they're grand.

[magpie seanie]

A pretty embarrassing speech from a pretty embarrassing President.

[BennyCake]

X factor-wannabe youngsters butchering the anthem is another reason for dropping the anthem.

[Jinxy]

The anthem should only be played before a final, whether it's a club final, provincial final or All-Ireland final.
This isn't the USA, I don't need to be reminded what country I live in every Sunday.

[muppet]

The anthem should only be played before a final, whether it's a club final, provincial final or All-Ireland final.
This isn't the USA, I don't need to be reminded what country I live in every Sunday.

Agree completely.

[snoopdog]

The anthem should only be played before a final, whether it's a club final, provincial final or All-Ireland final.
This isn't the USA, I don't need to be reminded what country I live in every Sunday.

Agree completely.

Totally agree. No call for.it at a national league game.

[seafoid]

The anthem should only be played before a final, whether it's a club final, provincial final or All-Ireland final.
This isn't the USA, I don't need to be reminded what country I live in every Sunday.

is driving around suburbia not enough?
The anthem in GAA is the prelude to the action.
I think it's a  nice touch.

Amhrán na bhFiann is a good tune for the situation. I suppose Black Betty would also do the job

I always wondered why they played the anthem at the end of discos before the chips.

Séantír âr sinséar fasta is a bit heavy for 2 am when you are focused on urges of the flesh.