GAA must 'reach out' to unionism

[weareros]

The poppy is clearly a political symbol and an offensive symbol  IMO in Irish context and FIFA should not have caved in to the British associations. I think all sports including GAA should have strong rules keeping it clear of politics and anything military. That does not mean sport can't take a stand against racism, human rights abuses. Of course the fact that World Cup is in a country where you can be sentenced to death for being Gay shows FIFA won't take a stand where money is to be made, and I suspect that's why they caved on poppy too. Unionists can't have a go at GAA while they celebrate murder by British army, who let's not forget murdered GAA players too - and the poppy celebrates that murder, as did Republican paramilitaries I should add.

[Milltown Row2]

The poppy is clearly a political symbol and an offensive symbol  IMO in Irish context and FIFA should not have caved in to the British associations. I think all sports including GAA should have strong rules keeping it clear of politics and anything military. That does not mean sport can't take a stand against racism, human rights abuses. Of course the fact that World Cup is in a country where you can be sentenced to death for being Gay shows FIFA won't take a stand where money is to be made, and I suspect that's why they caved on poppy too. Unionists can't have a go at GAA while they celebrate murder by British army, who let's not forget murdered GAA players too - and the poppy celebrates that murder, as did Republican paramilitaries I should add.

Hold on, are you saying the poppy celebrates the murdering of people? Seriously that's some stretch!

Honestly lad that's just bizarre, it's been politicised I get that but it doesn't promote murder, that's like saying the Lilly promoted murder as well!

War is wrong on every level, but it happens/happened and depending on what side of the street you were born on then you'll view it differently. Do you support wars elsewhere in the world?

[weareros]

The poppy is clearly a political symbol and an offensive symbol  IMO in Irish context and FIFA should not have caved in to the British associations. I think all sports including GAA should have strong rules keeping it clear of politics and anything military. That does not mean sport can't take a stand against racism, human rights abuses. Of course the fact that World Cup is in a country where you can be sentenced to death for being Gay shows FIFA won't take a stand where money is to be made, and I suspect that's why they caved on poppy too. Unionists can't have a go at GAA while they celebrate murder by British army, who let's not forget murdered GAA players too - and the poppy celebrates that murder, as did Republican paramilitaries I should add.

Hold on, are you saying the poppy celebrates the murdering of people? Seriously that's some stretch!

Honestly lad that's just bizarre, it's been politicised I get that but it doesn't promote murder, that's like saying the Lilly promoted murder as well!

War is wrong on every level, but it happens/happened and depending on what side of the street you were born on then you'll view it differently. Do you support wars elsewhere in the world?

If it honours British soldiers, then is Derry, Ballymurphy,, Croke Park exempted? When I see Unionists rushing to get selfies with the soldier who shot a young man -John Pat Cunningham - with special needs in the back, then I can't help thinking all that is included in poppy celebrations. Particularly when soldier is given a state funeral. If so, yes it celebrates murder.

[Milltown Row2]

If people shot people it wasn't because of the poppy! Jesus ! The Brit's have been engaged in war here long before the poppy, if the poppy annoys you I get it but f**k! It means celebrating murder you are on glue.

All that other rubbish you've posted has no relevance to the poppy. Blame the people who murdered them, they didn't do it because of the poppy! Weird

[weareros]

If people shot people it wasn't because of the poppy! Jesus ! The Brit's have been engaged in war here long before the poppy, if the poppy annoys you I get it but f**k! It means celebrating murder you are on glue.

All that other rubbish you've posted has no relevance to the poppy. Blame the people who murdered them, they didn't do it because of the poppy! Weird

The poppy is a remembrance of the deeds.  I find it distasteful on football shirts, given the lack of acknowledgement that many of these deeds were murder. That's all.

[Milltown Row2]

If people shot people it wasn't because of the poppy! Jesus ! The Brit's have been engaged in war here long before the poppy, if the poppy annoys you I get it but f**k! It means celebrating murder you are on glue.

All that other rubbish you've posted has no relevance to the poppy. Blame the people who murdered them, they didn't do it because of the poppy! Weird

The poppy is a remembrance of the deeds.  I find it distasteful on football shirts, given the lack of acknowledgement that many of these deeds were murder. That's all.

I've consistently said it's been exploited but it's origin has never been about celebrating murder. In fact it's about remembering and supporting the lives lost in the First World War.

What's happened after that is basically a charity that's exploited and used British media for their own gains.

If you are annoyed about poppies then you can understand how people would be annoyed about GAA clubs being used by political parties to celebrate things that went against their tradition? Not hard to understand that, like I said accident of birth. You'd have a different view had you been born in another part of town.

[weareros]

If people shot people it wasn't because of the poppy! Jesus ! The Brit's have been engaged in war here long before the poppy, if the poppy annoys you I get it but f**k! It means celebrating murder you are on glue.

All that other rubbish you've posted has no relevance to the poppy. Blame the people who murdered them, they didn't do it because of the poppy! Weird

The poppy is a remembrance of the deeds.  I find it distasteful on football shirts, given the lack of acknowledgement that many of these deeds were murder. That's all.

I've consistently said it's been exploited but it's origin has never been about celebrating murder. In fact it's about remembering and supporting the lives lost in the First World War.

What's happened after that is basically a charity that's exploited and used British media for their own gains.

If you are annoyed about poppies then you can understand how people would be annoyed about GAA clubs being used by political parties to celebrate things that went against their tradition? Not hard to understand that, like I said accident of birth. You'd have a different view had you been born in another part of town.

I'm against both, I thought I was clear. A club colleague, a friend, was murdered by Republican paramilitaries. These celebrations should never be associated with the GAA. There's a time and place, and it's not the GAA. It annoys me that both GAA and soccer - be it FIFA, IFA, FA, etc, don't clamp down on this.

[Snapchap]

Personally I don't agree with the sentiment that the GAA 'must reach out to Unionism'..

And that is fine. But Croke Park and the Ulster Council are committed to that goal and take funding to achieve it.

That to me is the issue - can't play both sides here. If the 6c GAA want to be a nationalist sport for a nationalist people, crack on. Do things like this. If the GAA as a whole are singing kumbya then these things need to stop or be stopped.

The IFA say they are committed to reaching out across the divide too, but you keep make excuses for them promoting the Poppy and playing gstq etc and the norths games in windsor park etc. Double standards.

[Snapchap]

I'm arguing that for right or wrong, social convention is to wear the poppy.  This monument is an outlier

What a load of absolute and utter bull. The poppy is not a social convention. It is exclusive to one community in a divided society. That makes it a contentious and divisive symbol which makes many nationalists uncomfortable. Either you are opposed to any politically uncomfortable symbols in sport, or you are not. Your attempts to pick and choose are so bloody transparently grounded in your own bias, it's laughable.

[Snapchap]

If you think I am describing poppies as not being contentious you are deliberately being obtuse.

Well you are the inevitable saying the issue with the Clonoe memorial is that it goes against the cross community ethos of sport and shouldn't be in a sports ground. You are on tbe other hand defending the right if another sports body to promote what you seem to accept also goes acquaint a cross community ethos. Ridiculous.

Clubs with a nationalist or mixed fanbase don't troop the colour or wear poppies. Those with unionist fanbases do. Don't like it myself, but that's the reality. So claiming 6 county soccer = poppies is incorrect.

And? Not all GAA clubs have memorials to IRA Volunteers either. The north's soccer team, and their home ground, is promoted by the IFA as being for everyone. Cross community. Politically neutral. You say Clonoe are breaching their claims to be cross community woth the memorial, bit somehow don't have an issue with the IFA doing the exact same: making their home ground a potentially politically one sided environment.

If nationalists refuse to go and see Norn Iron or Glentoran because of their poppies those are the consequences for those clubs of taking that stance. Consequences that Clonoe apparantly shouldn't have to face.

Lol what?? You're complaining about the perception that people believe Clonoe shouldnt face consequences but soccer should? You're the one saying the Clonoe should face sanctions but are actively defending the IFA'S right to promote a politically divisive symbol in Wondsor Park.

Don't like poppies at a soccer club? Play for or support another one. What option does someone in Clonoe who objects have GAA wise?

What of those who would go to support the north but are uncomfortable with the propotion in the grounds of politically uncomfortable symbols? Or is it only those who might be uncomfortable to attend Clonoe that we should be concerned about? Besides, if you are worried about the sensitivities of Clonoe's unionist community, you really don't know Clonoe.

It's not a GAA v soccer thing. It's a what one club did thing.

And we'll just agree not to mention British War memorials being promoted by the "cross community" team in Windsor Park?

[michaelg]

I'm arguing that for right or wrong, social convention is to wear the poppy.  This monument is an outlier

What a load of absolute and utter bull. The poppy is not a social convention. It is exclusive to one community in a divided society. That makes it a contentious and divisive symbol which makes many nationalists uncomfortable. Either you are opposed to any politically uncomfortable symbols in sport, or you are not. Your attempts to pick and choose are so bloody transparently grounded in your own bias, it's laughable.

What are your views on the Soldiers Song being played at the Aviva for Ireland rugby matches?  As it does not represent all of the island of Ireland, surely that makes it contentious and divisive too?

[Snapchap]

I'm arguing that for right or wrong, social convention is to wear the poppy.  This monument is an outlier

What a load of absolute and utter bull. The poppy is not a social convention. It is exclusive to one community in a divided society. That makes it a contentious and divisive symbol which makes many nationalists uncomfortable. Either you are opposed to any politically uncomfortable symbols in sport, or you are not. Your attempts to pick and choose are so bloody transparently grounded in your own bias, it's laughable.

What are your views on the Soldiers Song being played at the Aviva for Ireland rugby matches?  As it does not represent all of the island of Ireland, surely that makes it contentious and divisive too?

LMAO yesterday you didn't want to discuss the poppy. Are you prepared to discuss it today?

[Baile Brigín 2]

I'm arguing that for right or wrong, social convention is to wear the poppy.  This monument is an outlier

What a load of absolute and utter bull. The poppy is not a social convention. It is exclusive to one community in a divided society. That makes it a contentious and divisive symbol which makes many nationalists uncomfortable. Either you are opposed to any politically uncomfortable symbols in sport, or you are not. Your attempts to pick and choose are so bloody transparently grounded in your own bias, it's laughable.

My bias? Look at the words I used to describe the poppy you nut.

The problem here is you are ignoring what I am actually saying because it doesn't fit in your pre concieved/pre written rant.

That means you are either as thick as shit or not on the level. Or both.

Either engage with what I wrote or ask my rope.

[tonto1888]

I'm arguing that for right or wrong, social convention is to wear the poppy.  This monument is an outlier

What a load of absolute and utter bull. The poppy is not a social convention. It is exclusive to one community in a divided society. That makes it a contentious and divisive symbol which makes many nationalists uncomfortable. Either you are opposed to any politically uncomfortable symbols in sport, or you are not. Your attempts to pick and choose are so bloody transparently grounded in your own bias, it's laughable.

What are your views on the Soldiers Song being played at the Aviva for Ireland rugby matches?  As it does not represent all of the island of Ireland, surely that makes it contentious and divisive too?

It's the Irish national anthem.

Should GSTQ be played before (NI) games?

[tonto1888]

The poppy should be nowhere near any sporting event or on shirts. That said IRA commemorative stones or whatever should not be in GAA grounds