A United Ireland. Opening up the discussion.

[Syferus]

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?

The comedy no one in the north truly recognises is these are two white, Christian groups of people speaking the same language and from the exact same corner of a small island off the coast of Europe. The gaps culturally between unionists and republicans are minuscule compared to that between just about any other opposing set of groups you could name.

It's a division constructed on the lie that there is much of a division to begin with. Truly moderate republicans and unionists are nearly the same people.

[Therealdonald]

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.

If they wanted to come in and had no problems with what the club stood for and it's traditions (name etc)yeah. But I wouldn't go changing anything just to improve recruitment

[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.

Shankill Rd?

*traditional catchment area

[Farrandeelin]

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?

The comedy no one in the north truly recognises is these are two white, Christian groups of people speaking the same language and from the exact same corner of a small island off the coast of Europe. The gaps culturally between unionists and republicans are minuscule compared to that between just about any other opposing set of groups you could name.

It's a division constructed on the lie that there is much of a division to begin with. Truly moderate republicans and unionists are nearly the same people.

Could the same not be said of us all Syf? I mean us people living down in Connacht and those up in NI.

[LooseCannon]

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!!

Say what!!

[Jim_Murphy_74]

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.

Brilliant!  Hosting Sinn Féin events, commemorating IRA members won't harm the perception of the GAA are all. We can point to some Ulster Council delegate giving a talk a few miles down the road, explain that it's a myth to link association with republicanism.

/Jim.

[AQMP]

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.

Eamonn, when did you stop beating your wife?

[AQMP]

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?

What colour is the sky where you are??

[AQMP]

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.

To be fair Tony shouldn't have done that!

[MoChara]

I think people here are far to eager to give up who we are in the hope of getting more people involved.

Perhaps our clubs should give up any and all signs of Irishness to attract others, we might as well go the whole way turn ourselves into Soccer clubs sure that way no-one would be offended by who we are, have a side team of Rugby so the more refined would want to join too, Bland FC could be the new name.

I can understand the thought behind it and of course I'm using hyperbole, and some measures to promote the inclusiveness of the GAA  but we could quickly go down the route of being everything to everyone and ending up being nothing. The word that is always used about the GAA is community, if you stop reflecting your community what are we left with.

[AQMP]

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?

Not into hockey but cricket is a great game.  I already can speak Ulster Scots.

[AQMP]

My club?

Yes sir your club and the club of the man whose image you wear here. Simple yes/no "Was Glavey a terrorist"?

The " Bomber Harris Hurling and Football Club"  is a grand name if Dungiven feel like a change is needed

I'd bet my house if they renamed the club with that, there'd still be no Unionists joining.

[Milltown Row2]

Davitts And Gortnamona, would be the closest to the Shankill along with Ardoyne, be some boost to their ranks were they to recruit from the Shankill, though I remember many a time heading over the Shankill in the car or Minibus to play Ardoyne and stopping at the lights on the Glencairn estate area, if you had your tops showing there was usually a groups of lads ready for you!

Ah the days!!

[Keyser soze]

A lot of people on here commenting who obviously have not the faintest idea what they are talking about and have obviously had very few dealings with unionists. To give an example of the type of people you are dealing with I will refer to last night's Nolan show. A unionist commentator, whose name I cannot remember but I think he was a former chairman of the Ulster Unionist party, (thats the reasonable unionist party for those of you not in the know 😉) in the course of a discussion on the Irish language, demanded that the Irish government set up a public enquiry to establish the extent of the ethnic cleansing of protestants in the 26 counties since 1921.

How can you deal reasonably with people such as these. Syferus opines that we all have much more in common than we have to divide us. I would contend that people such as this have commonality only with oddities such as Syferus and his ilk. There is no reasoning or bargaining or working together for the greater good with dyed in the wool unionists or loyalists.  These people are interested only in division and supremacy.

[Rossfan]

We all know that dyed in the wool " loyalist unionists" won't go near the GAA or the Irish Language or anything that might mildly snack if being distinctly Irish.
However that's still no reason for GAA clubs allowing their premises to be used by 1 political party.
Again there's no need in 2018 for GAA Cubs to be flying the Tricolour compulsorily or for murdering the Anthem before every half baked game.
"Outreaching" to moderate or apolitical Protestants or other pro union people should be encouraged.