Who do we like the least?

[Mayo4Sam]

You've lost me 

[rosnarun]

you were getting too close , my club is a largely inactive part of deel rovers a cookie if you can name it

[Evil Genius]

Plus I questioned some facts in your posts too rather than "attack the messenger" such as your point that 1 million people consider themselves British.
This is not true. Funny you never retracted that!

The population of NI in the 2001 Census was given at 1,685,267. One million would constitute 59.3% of that figure. In the last NI election (2004 Westminster), 56.1% of the voters chose to vote for pro-Union parties.
Therefore, I shall indeed retract my "one million" claim.

P.S. Does it make any difference to the validity of my argument if only 946,000 Irish people consider themselves British, without the extra 54,000 I so disingenuously, nay deceitfully, claimed? 

P.P.S. I've just checked my original post in this thread (a reply to Guillem2, on Page 2); in that, the figure I cited was "around a million". So on the basis that you misrepresented me, I now retract my retraction!   

[Evil Genius]

I hate tossers who waste space on community message boards suffering from delusions that they are being victiimised. Not being part of the GAA, they obviously do not understand the parachocial sense of humour and camaradery that goes with the organisation.

If you're referring to me, BWT, then I do not suffer from any "delusions that I am being victimised" (though I'll leave it for you to guess whether that is because I am not delusional, or not being victimised!)
As for your second point (not being "part of the GAA"), I am not American, either, but I manage to understand the humour of, eg, the Simpsons.
Is the GAA really so "parochial", metaphorically as well as literally, that outsiders cannot understand it? That all sounds a bit "masonic", even Orange Order to me! (I am neither a Mason, nor an Orangeman, btw).
It's all a bit of a shame, really, since in the spirit of Trevor Ringland's "One Small Step", I took to reading this part of the Board specifically to try to understand better the thinking of GAA fans, but perhaps that simply won't work.
Of course, I could join the GAA in order to further my education, but if the reaction of this Board of, ahem, GAA people is anything to go by, I'm not sure I could expect much of a welcome. Or is "hatred" for the Brits actually some form of GAA-argot which really means "love"? 

[pintsofguinness]

Of course, I could join the GAA in order to further my education, but if the reaction of this Board of, ahem, GAA people is anything to go by, I'm not sure I could expect much of a welcome.

Why what bad reaction did you get?

[Evil Genius]

Of course, I could join the GAA in order to further my education, but if the reaction of this Board of, ahem, GAA people is anything to go by, I'm not sure I could expect much of a welcome.

Why what bad reaction did you get?

"Dont give him too much attention or he wont go away.
Trust me, one of the plagues of the non GAA site, only here to stir things up.
Strictly anti-gaa agenda." [This one was presumably inspired by my desription of Hurling as being a "wonderfully skillful and athletic game"]

"When calculating your stats please modify them to include the significant majority who don't bother their holes with infantile shit like this before making sweeping generalisations"

"You are taking this poll way to seriously Evil Genius, it was a bit of fun for members of the board.
Not shit stirrers"

"I do however take issue with a non GAA fans like Evil Genius joining up to stir things up specifically.
This is the ONLY reason he is here.
I would say he would be delighted to see us argueing amongst ourselves.
A kind of "mission accomplished" for him."

"I hate tossers who waste space on community message boards suffering from delusions that they are being victiimised."

The above are only the reactions I've received on this thread. When I attempted a humourous reply to another thread comparing Gaelic Football with Soccer, many of the replies were vituperative out of all proportion (imo). And that's before we get to some of the comments in response to my posts in the non-GAA section!

Don't get me wrong, I am not in the least upset by this response; and though I half expected it, I appreciate that it may not accurately the feelings of  members generally, some of whom may actually understand my stance, even if the majority are entirely indifferent. Besides, I'm a big boy now, so I ought to be able to look after myself when a bit of stick comes my way without running home to Mammy in tears.

I guess the point I am making is that if this Board's membership is anything to go by, perhaps the GAA doesn't altogether go out of its way to welcome those Irish people like me who may be interested in sport, but who are in some way "disqualified" from joining in, or even having an opinion, by virtue of having a different political outlook from the norm.

Or does a return of 40% on a sports website hating "The Brits", rather than some sporting rival, or the Officials etc, suggest something different?   

Anyhow, here's a question for you and the rest of the Board: How would you feel if the category of "The Brits" in this Poll were replaced with "Foreigners", "Immigrants", "Travellers" or even "Blacks" or "Jews"? 

[BallyhaiseMan]

Jaysus Evil Genius is taking this poll horrid serious.... 

[dubnut]

Anyone got a tiny little violin? 

[Evil Genius]

Do you know why the GAA was established and its aims, evil g?
Maybe the answer to this question will answer your questions

I do, indeed, know the GAA's origins and aims BWT, not least from having read up about it on the GAA's official website. I found the various accounts and stories to be fascinating and illuminating and I can see how they may be inspiring for many people (if not for me personally).

But one consequence of my research is that I also know that the GAA and its aims were established not in this century, nor even the last century, but the one before that.

As a fan of many other sports, including e.g. soccer, rugby, cricket, athletics and boxing, I am grateful that those sports, at least, manage to confine some of the more antiquated and contentious aspects of their history to an appropriate place, namely museums and history books, without at the same time either forgetting them, nor allowing them to inform every aspect of their modern-day thinking.  

[Mayo4Sam]

Of course, I could join the GAA in order to further my education, but if the reaction of this Board of, ahem, GAA people is anything to go by, I'm not sure I could expect much of a welcome.

Why what bad reaction did you get?

I would think on this thread and on other threads he/she has got quiet a bad reception, in the main due to the fact that there has been no attempt to hide the fact that this is not a gaa supporter but someone "just in for a look".
Bad form IMHO

[charlie linkbox]

I'm not going to comment either way on the content of this debate but I have to say that for "quality of argument", Evil Genius wins hands down.
Very articulate, rational and not one personal insult.
Impressive.

[BallyhaiseMan]

Agreed Charlie,He does come across very well and makes valid points...... He obviously doesnt understand GAAesque humour though......if he did he would know the poll was done Tongue in cheek,and that the vast majority of those who voted for the Brits,in reality hold no real illfeeling towards  normal ordinary British People.
(PS...i voted for my nearest neighbours...Redhills and Drumalee      Hatred there is serious as Brick or Boojangles will tell ya  )

[pintsofguinness]

Jesus EG if you think those things amount to a bad reaction you've lived a very sheltered life.  I have had a lot worse said to me (and it's not as if I bring it on myself)  and so has a lot of others.
I think you'll also find when nationalists (for the want of a better word) refer to the "brits" they aren't talking about the protesant/unionist people in the north nor are they talking about ordinary English people  or the scots or the welsh, they are refering the British army and British rule in Ireland.  But I suspect you already knew that.

[armaghniac]

Is the GAA really so "parochial", metaphorically as well as literally

the GAA is somewhat "parochial" in the best sense of the word. The GAA is based on people who have pride in their place. This doesn't fit well people who don't identify with the place they are associated with. Irish people who regard themselves as British, French or whatever, despite having no particular connection to Britain or France, have a rather different attitude than GAA members generally. You can criticise the GAA for its devotion to its founding values, although in fact the GAA evolves all of the time.  However a community who think of themselves as British because their ancestors came from Britain 400 years ago can hardly throw stones in regard to concern with outmoded values.

[ziggysego]

As Montgomery Brewster said, "None of the Above"