Read this and weep (either tears of sadness or laughter)

[T Fearon]

In to-day's Irish News, in a report listing the various condemnations of the alleged sectarian abuse of Darren Graham, the Fermanagh footballer and hurler, the Sport agianst Racism in Ireland group has the following advice for all Gaels, and I quote directly:

"We would encourage the Ulster Council of the GAA to examine the anti sectarian programme of the Irish Football Association with a view to the development of a  sports wide response to the curse of sectarianism and racism"

In other news, the BNP is on hand to advise about community relations, the Free Presbyterian Church has just released a policy document supporting Gay Rights, and the Klu Klux Klan's combatting colour prejudice template will be available shortly.

[nifan]

Tony, good work has been done, and if your wishing to put the boot into NI surpasses your desire to see something positive happen within your sport that says a lot about you.

[T Fearon]

My desire is to see this ridiculous FFA sham placed in its proper perspective, Hundreds of soccer players get sectarian abuse in the 6 counties, week in week out, at all levels of the game and there are many teams with players/supporters exclusively from one or other background. Now contrast this with one GAA getting sectarian abuse and place it in perspective

Whatever lessons the GAA has to learn, the IFA is certainly not the body to teach them

[Chrisowc]

"We would encourage the Ulster Council of the GAA to examine the anti sectarian programme of the Irish Football Association with a view to the development of a  sports wide response to the curse of sectarianism and racism"

Is this your weekend press spectacular we have all been waiting for

[T Fearon]

No. It is a logical argument calling to an end of the partition of Irish soccer, based on a report in last week's Sunday Times indicating that the IFA and FAI were to launch a joint bid for the UEFA Y21 Finals in 2011. Like whats the point in joing up for ad hoc projects when the can simply merge permanently for the betterment of football across this small island?

[nifan]

My desire is to see this ridiculous FFA sham placed in its proper perspective,

It is not a sham, it is a work in progress, and obviously this body, which seems in a better place to judge than you, feels there is something that the GAA could learn from it. Why shouldnt the GAA try to take good bits of such a scheme that might work for them.

Hundreds of soccer players get sectarian abuse in the 6 counties, week in week out, at all levels of the game and there are many teams with players/supporters exclusively from one or other background.

Thats because the numbers of players is more mixed in football. I dont know how youd know hundreds every week, but whatever. It is disgusting and should be condemned.
I had to laugh at you complaining about teams with players/supporters of one or other background - most teams in GAA are one side. I dont see what FFA can do about that - should they enforce a quota of supporters, in teams from communities that are of one background?

Now contrast this with one GAA getting sectarian abuse and place it in perspective

One thats known of tony, there could be many getting abused in the gaa or it could just be this one guy - whose tto say. The fact that there are less protestants in the sport would tend to minimise the abuse, and i doubt protestants involved in GAA would be up for casting around sectarian abuse.

[T Fearon]

Fact. There is a long and shameful history of sectarianism in Northern Irish soccer at club and international level.

Fact. There is no significant history of sectarianism within the GAA.

Fact. IFA or its allies are the last people to lecture anyone in sectarianism

[Chrisowc]

Fact. There is a long and shameful history of sectarianism in Northern Irish soccer at club and international level.

Fact. There is no significant history of sectarianism within the GAA.

Fact. IFA or its allies are the last people to lecture anyone in sectarianism

What year is it in Cuckoo Land?

[nifan]

Fact. IFA or its allies are the last people to lecture anyone in sectarianism

whatever about the rest of your points - let my try and put this in a context you can understand - see the person at weight watchers who tells you how to do it, they are doing that as they have the experience of going through it.

NI football has done terrific work to get rid of much of the past baggage.

[heganboy]

so Tony, what you're saying is that instead of trying to do something worthwhile- the IFA should do nothing?

[Gnevin]

Tony if as you say the IFA FFA is a shame  then surely the GAA can look at it and learn what not to do? You can learn more from your own and others mistakes than success .

[Evil Genius]

In to-day's Irish News, in a report listing the various condemnations of the alleged sectarian abuse of Darren Graham, the Fermanagh footballer and hurler, the Sport agianst Racism in Ireland group has the following advice for all Gaels, and I quote directly:

"We would encourage the Ulster Council of the GAA to examine the anti sectarian programme of the Irish Football Association with a view to the development of a  sports wide response to the curse of sectarianism and racism"

In other news, the BNP is on hand to advise about community relations, the Free Presbyterian Church has just released a policy document supporting Gay Rights, and the Klu Klux Klan's combatting colour prejudice template will be available shortly.

Why don't you write to Sport Against Racism Ireland to advise them that they are idiots/dupes/Castle Catholics etc for having been taken in by the IFA and their Football For All activities. I'm sure people like Brian Kerr - a leading figure behind SARI and a frequent and welcome visitor to the IFA - would welcome your input.

Then when you've sorted them out, you might try the following individuals and bodies [highlighted]:

The Irish Football Association's Community Relations Department has taken a lead role in the formation of a new UK and Ireland wide group called Football Without Frontiers. This new group brings together expert knowledge from the following established groups:

1. Kickitout (London)

2. Football Unites Racism Divides (FURD) (Sheffield)

3. Sport Against Racism Ireland (SARI) (Dublin)

4. Show Racism The Red Card (SRTRC) (UK and Ireland)

5. Football For All (Scotland)

6. The Northern Ireland Community Relations Council (CRC – NI)

7. The Institute for Conflict Research (ICR) (Belfast)

8. The Irish Football Association's Football For All Community Relations Department (IFA) (NI)

With support from Alliance MLA, Anna Lo, this new group of Community Relations experts who work in football had their inaugural meeting at Parliament Buildings, Stormont, on Wednesday 6th June.

IFA Head of Community Relations, Michael Boyd, summarised the progress the group made in Belfast:

"This is the beginning of something special. Each individual group represented has made a valuable contribution to the sport of football over the last ten years making the sport more inclusive and family orientated. Established groups like Kickitout, FURD, SARI and SRTRC have led the way in Europe, the UK and Ireland challenging racism and sectarianism in football. This new Football Without Frontiers group brings this wealth of knowledge together so we can share learning and make more of a strategic impact in the future. We are delighted the first meeting was in Belfast and it has been an honour to help start this group up. We hope this partnership work will help us in Northern Ireland to build on the progress we have made at international level working in partnership with Fans eradicating sectarianism and support development of a more inclusive, fun, safe and family orientated culture in the Irish League".

The following people took part in the inaugural Football Without Frontiers meeting at Parliament Buildings, Stormont, on the 6th June:


Michael Boyd, IFA Head of Community Relations

Colleen Macauley, IFA Community Relations Officer

Howard Holmes, Director of FURD

Frank Buckley, SARI

Ken McCue, SARI

Miriam McCue, SARI

Eamonn O'Shea, SARI

Dr Neil Jarman, Director of ICR

Leon Mann, Media and Communications Manager, Kickitout

Robin Wilson, Community Relations Consultant

David White, Community Relations Consultant

Jim Dennison, Director- European Programme, CRC



The next FWF meeting is scheduled for 28 June in Dublin.

www.sari.ie
http://www.irishfa.com/grassroots/football-for-all/football-for-all-campaign/


P.S. I note that the abuse suffered by Graham is now only "alleged" - at least according to you...

[Evil Genius]

Tony if as you say the IFA FFA is a shame  then surely the GAA can look at it and learn what not to do? You can learn more from your own and others mistakes than success .

In his efforts to castigate every initiative which gives the lie to his whole, bigoted "Everyone and Everything to do with NI Football is completely Sectarian" Agenda,  Fearon can't even see the inherent contradiction in his rants.

On the one hand, he claims that NI soccer either can't or won't admit to any sectarianism, or doesn't care that it is.

On the other hand, they have a "Football For All" Programme, with numerous anti-sectarianism programmes etc.

But why would an organisation which is unrepentently sectarian have an anti-sectarian programme in the first place?

Therefore, his only response is to claim that the FFA programme is all a "sham". Which presumably is news to all the thousands of people of all backgrounds in NI who regularly take part, as well as the many, many other observers and participants from the rest of Ireland, indeed the rest of the world, who regularly commend the IFA for the work it is doing in this field:
http://www.irishfa.com/grassroots/

Unless, of course, it is the fat bigot Fearon who is spreading lies and propaganda...

[Main Street]

whatever about the rest of your points - let my try and put this in a context you can understand - see the person at weight watchers who tells you how to do it, they are doing that as they have the experience of going through it.
NI football has done terrific work to get rid of much of the past baggage.

Nice analogy, according to reports

[Datsun Donaghy]

Why don't you write to Sport Against Racism Ireland to advise them that they are idiots/dupes/Castle Catholics etc for having been taken in by the IFA and their Football For All activities. I'm sure people like Brian Kerr - a leading figure behind SARI and a frequent and welcome visitor to the IFA - would welcome your input.

Then when you've sorted them out, you might try the following individuals and bodies [highlighted]:

The Irish Football Association's Community Relations Department has taken a lead role in the formation of a new UK and Ireland wide group called Football Without Frontiers. This new group brings together expert knowledge from the following established groups:

It is beyond me that anyone would try to defend sectarianism within the GAA - it is logical that given the huge imbalance in Catholics / Protestants playing gaelic games, incidents of abuse will be low - the acid test is in how the first incident is dealt with. Fair play to the lad from Fermanagh for publicising the issue and highlighting that refs turned a blind eye as well as officials - this needs to be sorted now!

I also find it laughable that people are defending the IFA for their efforts to stamp out sectarianism - anyone can develop Policies and  gather information from all sorts of reputable sources, but they are not worth the paper they are written on when the same IFA and their affiliate organisations eg. Mid-Ulster (FA / Committee) or whatever, turn a blind eye at every opportunity. Any of you who have played away from home in the IFA Junior Cup against teams from Protestant strongholds will know exactly what I mean! Does anyone expect it to change in 2007/08 - I think not!

There is no room for sectarianism / racism in any sport - the GAA now have an opportunity (rather a Duty) to show the IFA how such issues should be addressed!

ps  Don't hold your breath!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!