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Like the Israelis who brand any critics anti-semitic, the Are We A Country brigade label any critics bigots (which is the ultimate irony, if they knew what irony was), defectors or traitors. I don't hate the statelet, as hate involves feeling, and I feel nothing for the statelet.

Who exactly are the "Are we a Country brigade"?

Hazard a wild guess

OK....... all NI football fans?

Like the Israelis who brand any critics anti-semitic, the Are We A Country brigade label any critics bigots (which is the ultimate irony, if they knew what irony was), defectors or traitors. I don't hate the statelet, as hate involves feeling, and I feel nothing for the statelet.

Who exactly are the "Are we a Country brigade"?

The current climate to which I refer is the political and social climate that sees our society still divided over symbols, anthems etc.I choose to support the ROI because they represent my identity, NI doesn't.

You appear to assume that a unified team would be "unacceptable to NI fans" because of the symbols and anthems   . This pre-supposes that any unified team will adopt those presently used  by the Republic.

Not at all, any unified team by virtue of its existence would be an unacceptable symbol to many NI fans, in the same way many catholic/nationalists find the NI team unacceptable.

What ? A team as a symbol?? Flags, emblems maybe, but a team?

The current climate to which I refer is the political and social climate that sees our society still divided over symbols, anthems etc.I choose to support the ROI because they represent my identity, NI doesn't.

You appear to assume that a unified team would be "unacceptable to NI fans" because of the symbols and anthems   . This pre-supposes that any unified team will adopt those presently used  by the Republic.

You can't actually prove that, being Uncle Tom's they would'nt want to offend their British colleagues.

I cant prove what? Im not the one who claimed that a load of other people must be lying. Ive no idea what every catholic who plays for NI thinks - you seem to reckon you've a handle on their thoughts but i doubt its based on much.

No I don't but you can't prove McClean is lying, given the background of a lot of these players it is a sure bet he is right in most cases and they won't want to upset anyone as they see it as part of career development. The vast majority of Catholics in NI would support the ROI and at best would be uncaring or marginally interested in NI but more likely would like to see them hammered every time. So I reckon McClean is closer to the truth than you want to believe. For me personally it wouldn't matter what NI do as I would not support a team representing the six counties, I see my self as an Irish citizen and support the ROI. It is good to see fellow Northerners getting a chance with the National team. An d I respect your right to support NI. A unified team would be great but in the current claimate unacceptable to a lot of NI fans.

What climate is that? Is it the climate created by the FAI by reason of their approaches to players who have represented NI at under-age level and who were born in Northern Ireland ?

IMO the FAI have made the creation  of an all Ireland team by virtue of an amalgamation of NI and ROI teams  at this stage almost nigh impossible.

You won't support the NI football team because ....well......put simply.... they are Northern Ireland . That is what I glean from your post. Looks like the IFA , no matter what they do , are fighting a losing battle with you.

You respect the right of NIfan to support the team. I suspect that he supports the team because he was born and probably brought up in NI.

[I believe they conversation would have been along the lines of 'OWC is great/We don't need those Catholics']

In my eyes they most certainly did follow the NI soccer team, as I pointed out at the end, I believe they were only offering these suggestions as their team had been beaten well the night before. Had NI drew or won the game, I believe they conversation would have been along the lines of 'OWC is great/We don't need those Catholics'.

Would it now? Because we sure could have done without Jennings, O'Neill, Armstrong, Donaghy, , Doherty, (to name but a few) in days gone by when we qualified for a few Finals.

For those that are too polite to ask the answer is,

Craig Gilroy, Paddy McAllister, Tommy Bowe and possibly Stephen Ferris.  Also as the previous poster has pointed out Tuohy & Fitzpatrick by way of England.

What's the question?

What Ulster players are avid readers of the Ireland's Own?

Ah ......but surely the correct answer is ................................Who Cares?
Not that it matters one jot to this particular  poster and thousands of Ulster fans over the years... but the original poster was wrong re - McAllister and Ferris.

For those that are too polite to ask the answer is,

Craig Gilroy, Paddy McAllister, Tommy Bowe and possibly Stephen Ferris.  Also as the previous poster has pointed out Tuohy & Fitzpatrick by way of England.

What's the question?

I have ....though it is not they who are playing tomorrow I believe.

You say with awful certainty that the Ulster team playing tomorrow is not the same thing as the rugby province of Ulster. I would presume you have some evidence to back this up?

No , but my understanding is that since the advent of professionalism Ulster became a professional rugby club. Prior to that the players on the team represented the province of Ulster and therefore came from  the  province. It is a Club in the same way as other Club participating in the ERC. This view is bolstered by the fact that back in the 80s when Ulster were doing particularly well in the inter-pros you wouldn't have seen a Saffa/foreign import/ about the place and the team was picked from clubs controlled by the Ulster Branch. In fact IIRC the players would have worn their club socks when playing for Ulster.

You could have stopped at 'No'. The rest is just guess work.

What exactly do you mean by the "rugby province of Ulster" and , whatever this means,  how can it be  compared with a team? The question posed is mighty hard to understand

I have ....though it is not they who are playing tomorrow I believe.

You say with awful certainty that the Ulster team playing tomorrow is not the same thing as the rugby province of Ulster. I would presume you have some evidence to back this up?

No , but my understanding is that since the advent of professionalism Ulster became a professional rugby club. Prior to that the players on the team represented the province of Ulster and therefore came from  the  province. It is a Club in the same way as other Club participating in the ERC. This view is bolstered by the fact that back in the 80s when Ulster were doing particularly well in the inter-pros you wouldn't have seen a Saffa/foreign import/ about the place and the team was picked from clubs controlled by the Ulster Branch. In fact IIRC the players would have worn their club socks when playing for Ulster.

[official status]

And a lot do, especially nationalist supporters, the Yellow backgrounded Ulster flag at least has official status and is used not only in Rugby but also in Hockey and some other sports organised on an all island basis. It represents all the 9 Counties and as someone pointed out Tommy Bowe of Monaghan was and will be a fans favourite. There are a lot more Ulster Rugby flags than either Ulster Flag which in my opinion is good and something you tend to see in both Leinster and Munster.

Ulster rugby is now  a  club in the same way as other European teams are constituted. The provincial connection , whilst not lost ,has been diluted even since 1999. The yellow flag is as relevant/irrelevant as the NI flag and therefore has no "official status".

Take a look at the Ulster Branch Badge then.
[/quote]

I have ....though it is not they who are playing tomorrow I believe.

[official status]

And a lot do, especially nationalist supporters, the Yellow backgrounded Ulster flag at least has official status and is used not only in Rugby but also in Hockey and some other sports organised on an all island basis. It represents all the 9 Counties and as someone pointed out Tommy Bowe of Monaghan was and will be a fans favourite. There are a lot more Ulster Rugby flags than either Ulster Flag which in my opinion is good and something you tend to see in both Leinster and Munster.
[/quote]

Ulster rugby is now  a  club in the same way as other European teams are constituted. The provincial connection , whilst not lost ,has been diluted even since 1999. The yellow flag is as relevant/irrelevant as the NI flag and therefore has no "official status".

[there are strict protocols around anthems and flags in rugby which see]

You should know then that there are strict protocols around anthems and flags in rugby which see no Irish NA abroad and GSTQ in Belfast and The Irish NA in Dublin. The Presidential Salute is a courtesy to the President. Ulster is also represented by the 9 County Flag being flown.

Stop making things up. No such protocol exists or existed.

Wally.

You are the Wally, the whole row over the Italy match at Ravenhill was because this agreed protocol was gone back on.

The whole row at the Italy match was because people like you made up some nonsense about an agreed protocol.

Where is the evidence of this protocol?
Stop making things up.

When you get a chance, you could read this link.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2007/feb/27/comment.gdnsport3

The only (unwritten) protocol that seems to have been broken was staging the game at Ravenhill in the first place.

...and I thought that rugby on this island has united everybody on the island over the years

The IRFU panicked and made an insulting  mess of it.

Jim, gone give it a rest re James. You've already posted the same bit twice, we all seen it the first time. I know the fella. He's a decent spud who's game as buck when it comes to playing and training. A spokesman and a political speaker he is not. However, when a young man is constantly asked the same questions re opting out of the North etc  and when there are media and folk like yourself dissecting  every word he says, well, with the right amount of spin, a little salt and paper and a smigeon of angst, certain agenda's can always be enhanced.   He'll be a joy to watch @ the Euro's.

Canny wait

JOG,

Point taken.  I was just making the point to Main Street that I wasn't interpreting what a journalist said but was reading a direct (at least attributed) quote.


/Jim.

It is certainly reasonable to interprete the quote as stating that McClean had played at Windsor. Most if not all folk would place that interpretation on it.

He's more of a loss to NI than Gibson . He's gone and I hope that is the last we hear from him on that issue.

.....and the Republic by a tri-colour. The protocols are a mess and not all embracing to all players and supporters.  Unionist Ulster fans and players have not  seen this as a  barrier to them wanting to play for/support the the team.