if you could rename your club

[Dreadnought]

Yeah the name Sam Maguire needs to go.... Sure look at the crimes of the Catholic Church we shouldnt have any clubs named after saints either...

What exactly did Maguire do then, in your words? And get out with that one, someone already said that above. You can't really be equating saints from 1500 years ago with the current Catholic Church, can you? We're on about individuals on their own here, not what an organisation may have done many many years later. An illogical argument

He shot a good few Brits did he not?

Did he? Honestly went looking, and can't see anything attributed to him. Does say he was on that side alright, but can't see anything confirmed. If you could enlighten me, that would be great

[Itchy]

Error of his ways? I dont see any error of his ways in say a man taking up arms for his country. This whole thing about changing names is a total pile of bollox. Leave it be and just get on with it.

It's not really a pile of bollox though, is it? There are club names out there which are a problem...

No there are not except to people who are going around looking for a problem. Do you think people who are offended by Kevin Lynch's name being on GAA club will suddenly start respecting the GAA if it is moved? Like I said a pile of complete bollox. Go up to Dublin and see the amount of streets named after people like Cromwell and I dont see lines of people expressing their outrage about it.

[general_lee]

It's amazing people think that memorialising fascists, racists and bigots isn't an issue

[whitey]

It's amazing people think that memorialising fascists, racists and bigots isn't an issue

It's amazing people think that historical figures who lived 100-200 years ago weren't as evolved on issues of race and morality as people are today

[BennyCake]

Error of his ways? I dont see any error of his ways in say a man taking up arms for his country. This whole thing about changing names is a total pile of bollox. Leave it be and just get on with it.

It's not really a pile of bollox though, is it? There are club names out there which are a problem...

No there are not except to people who are going around looking for a problem. Do you think people who are offended by Kevin Lynch's name being on GAA club will suddenly start respecting the GAA if it is moved? Like I said a pile of complete bollox. Go up to Dublin and see the amount of streets named after people like Cromwell and I dont see lines of people expressing their outrage about it.

Maybe not, but it is baffling why names like that still exist a century after the Brits left

[general_lee]

It's amazing people think that memorialising fascists, racists and bigots isn't an issue

It's amazing people think that historical figures who lived 100-200 years ago weren't as evolved on issues of race and morality as people are today

That's the sort of justification I hear from tories when they w**k over Churchill

[whitey]

It's amazing people think that memorialising fascists, racists and bigots isn't an issue

It's amazing people think that historical figures who lived 100-200 years ago weren't as evolved on issues of race and morality as people are today

That's the sort of justification I hear from tories when they w**k over Churchill

Nothing to do with Churchill

Viewing the actions of historical figures through the lens of what's commonly acceptable today is flat out dumb.

[Dreadnought]

Error of his ways? I dont see any error of his ways in say a man taking up arms for his country. This whole thing about changing names is a total pile of bollox. Leave it be and just get on with it.

It's not really a pile of bollox though, is it? There are club names out there which are a problem...

No there are not except to people who are going around looking for a problem. Do you think people who are offended by Kevin Lynch's name being on GAA club will suddenly start respecting the GAA if it is moved? Like I said a pile of complete bollox. Go up to Dublin and see the amount of streets named after people like Cromwell and I dont see lines of people expressing their outrage about it.

Uh, yes? I live in the North. There are many people in the middle ground who don't like the way many names and such relate to the Troubles. These are not the hardcore Unionists or Loyalists, but secular everyday people not in either community just going about their lives, vote Green or Alliance, and would love the opportunity for their kids to play different sports. Their wider family may also have been impacted by the Troubles (like many families here). They might play football and rugby, but usually not GAA due to being uncomfortable as it's exclusive. They see the way the names are venerated in that the GAA is stuck in that and not moving on. I can't disagree with that personally either...

I literally know these people and I work with and are friends with some of them. They've told me this. If the GAA did take a stance to move past these names, they absolutely would respect the sport more. The same like many respected the GAA when we got rid of Rules 27 and 42 in the past. The GAA has moved forward before, and needs to do so again on this. Heads in the sand doesn't work here, change is needed.

It's really not bollox, especially if we want to grow the sport in the North. It is stuck at current levels otherwise and won't grow into the middle ground. Rugby has changed. For example it has got rid of certain flags, Northern Ireland flags are not waved at Ulster matches any more and you won't hear GSTQ. They now accept a very much more varied crowd in recent years, with around 30% of fans now from a Catholic background. That would be unheard of the other way round in GAA...

[Armagh18]

Yeah the name Sam Maguire needs to go.... Sure look at the crimes of the Catholic Church we shouldnt have any clubs named after saints either...

What exactly did Maguire do then, in your words? And get out with that one, someone already said that above. You can't really be equating saints from 1500 years ago with the current Catholic Church, can you? We're on about individuals on their own here, not what an organisation may have done many many years later. An illogical argument

He shot a good few Brits did he not?

Did he? Honestly went looking, and can't see anything attributed to him. Does say he was on that side alright, but can't see anything confirmed. If you could enlighten me, that would be great

Well he was high enough up and was meant to be the man who recruited Michael Collins so I'd say he was involved in a bit. Is it not more or less accepted that he was the man who shot Henry Wilson the Antrim MP at the time?

[Keyser soze]

Error of his ways? I dont see any error of his ways in say a man taking up arms for his country. This whole thing about changing names is a total pile of bollox. Leave it be and just get on with it.

It's not really a pile of bollox though, is it? There are club names out there which are a problem...

No there are not except to people who are going around looking for a problem. Do you think people who are offended by Kevin Lynch's name being on GAA club will suddenly start respecting the GAA if it is moved? Like I said a pile of complete bollox. Go up to Dublin and see the amount of streets named after people like Cromwell and I dont see lines of people expressing their outrage about it.

Uh, yes? I live in the North. There are many people in the middle ground who don't like the way many names and such relate to the Troubles. These are not the hardcore Unionists or Loyalists, but secular everyday people not in either community just going about their lives, vote Green or Alliance, and would love the opportunity for their kids to play different sports. Their wider family may also have been impacted by the Troubles (like many families here). They might play football and rugby, but usually not GAA due to being uncomfortable as it's exclusive. They see the way the names are venerated in that the GAA is stuck in that and not moving on. I can't disagree with that personally either...

I literally know these people and I work with and are friends with some of them. They've told me this. If the GAA did take a stance to move past these names, they absolutely would respect the sport more. The same like many respected the GAA when we got rid of Rules 27 and 42 in the past. The GAA has moved forward before, and needs to do so again on this. Heads in the sand doesn't work here, change is needed.

It's really not bollox, especially if we want to grow the sport in the North. It is stuck at current levels otherwise and won't grow into the middle ground. Rugby has changed. For example it has got rid of certain flags, Northern Ireland flags are not waved at Ulster matches any more and you won't hear GSTQ. They now accept a very much more varied crowd in recent years, with around 30% of fans now from a Catholic background. That would be unheard of the other way round in GAA...

Rugby?  Is this the same rugby that has a British war memorial as part of its newly built main stadium?

[Keyboard Warrior]

Error of his ways? I dont see any error of his ways in say a man taking up arms for his country. This whole thing about changing names is a total pile of bollox. Leave it be and just get on with it.

It's not really a pile of bollox though, is it? There are club names out there which are a problem...

No there are not except to people who are going around looking for a problem. Do you think people who are offended by Kevin Lynch's name being on GAA club will suddenly start respecting the GAA if it is moved? Like I said a pile of complete bollox. Go up to Dublin and see the amount of streets named after people like Cromwell and I dont see lines of people expressing their outrage about it.

Uh, yes? I live in the North. There are many people in the middle ground who don't like the way many names and such relate to the Troubles. These are not the hardcore Unionists or Loyalists, but secular everyday people not in either community just going about their lives, vote Green or Alliance, and would love the opportunity for their kids to play different sports. Their wider family may also have been impacted by the Troubles (like many families here). They might play football and rugby, but usually not GAA due to being uncomfortable as it's exclusive. They see the way the names are venerated in that the GAA is stuck in that and not moving on. I can't disagree with that personally either...

I literally know these people and I work with and are friends with some of them. They've told me this. If the GAA did take a stance to move past these names, they absolutely would respect the sport more. The same like many respected the GAA when we got rid of Rules 27 and 42 in the past. The GAA has moved forward before, and needs to do so again on this. Heads in the sand doesn't work here, change is needed.

It's really not bollox, especially if we want to grow the sport in the North. It is stuck at current levels otherwise and won't grow into the middle ground. Rugby has changed. For example it has got rid of certain flags, Northern Ireland flags are not waved at Ulster matches any more and you won't hear GSTQ. They now accept a very much more varied crowd in recent years, with around 30% of fans now from a Catholic background. That would be unheard of the other way round in GAA...

The modern GAA is the most popular it has ever been. You will never win over a certain section of northern society because the GAA isn't solely a sporting organisition - it is a cultural one too that has implicit ambitions of a reunified Ireland. To remove that cultural aspect is to lobotomise what the GAA is and, in doing so, alienate the core support that it already has. And for what? To win over a few thousand (secular alliance party/green party voters as you have described above) people who love a spin to Dublin on the pints no matter what the sport happens to be (the types that spend €100 on a ticket to an autumn international rugby match but wouldn't attend a club rugby match).

In short, if you actually think the GAA should change, get involved and make the case for change from within. What I suspect you want to do is the opposite - hurl from the ditch and complain but invest no effort yourself in bringing such change about.

[Keyboard Warrior]

Error of his ways? I dont see any error of his ways in say a man taking up arms for his country. This whole thing about changing names is a total pile of bollox. Leave it be and just get on with it.

It's not really a pile of bollox though, is it? There are club names out there which are a problem...

No there are not except to people who are going around looking for a problem. Do you think people who are offended by Kevin Lynch's name being on GAA club will suddenly start respecting the GAA if it is moved? Like I said a pile of complete bollox. Go up to Dublin and see the amount of streets named after people like Cromwell and I dont see lines of people expressing their outrage about it.

Uh, yes? I live in the North. There are many people in the middle ground who don't like the way many names and such relate to the Troubles. These are not the hardcore Unionists or Loyalists, but secular everyday people not in either community just going about their lives, vote Green or Alliance, and would love the opportunity for their kids to play different sports. Their wider family may also have been impacted by the Troubles (like many families here). They might play football and rugby, but usually not GAA due to being uncomfortable as it's exclusive. They see the way the names are venerated in that the GAA is stuck in that and not moving on. I can't disagree with that personally either...

I literally know these people and I work with and are friends with some of them. They've told me this. If the GAA did take a stance to move past these names, they absolutely would respect the sport more. The same like many respected the GAA when we got rid of Rules 27 and 42 in the past. The GAA has moved forward before, and needs to do so again on this. Heads in the sand doesn't work here, change is needed.

It's really not bollox, especially if we want to grow the sport in the North. It is stuck at current levels otherwise and won't grow into the middle ground. Rugby has changed. For example it has got rid of certain flags, Northern Ireland flags are not waved at Ulster matches any more and you won't hear GSTQ. They now accept a very much more varied crowd in recent years, with around 30% of fans now from a Catholic background. That would be unheard of the other way round in GAA...

The Dungiven Sir Terry Wogan's has a much better ring to it.

[Milltown Row2]

I think we are progressing well, the great thing about the GAA is, it hasn't stood still, things take time to change, and those that used the term ' the GAA is the IRA at play'  have lessened over the years, coverage and exposure of our games, not just here but on the likes of SKY have made the game so much more accessible to new people.

You'll never win over cnuts, and to be honest there is no point in trying, just continue as we have and its will modernize and evolve naturally, there are some own goals at times and that's going to happen.

Headquarters should always look at including as many people as possible, the more people on this island playing our unique sports the better, I'm not for the association being political and we should always steer away from that, our grounds should be sporting grounds and not used by political parties or agendas.

Not fussed on political GAA tops either tbh, there are some about with the GAA logo on them, if we can keep it more cultural less political then we reduce the own goals, and give less ammunition to those cnuts who wish to bring the sport down

[seafoid]

The nationalist community in the North was traumatised after partition. You can tell because Cavan won 5 all Irelands during that period
and none after Down won their first.
The GAA was an important part in the recovery. So was nationalism. I think that explains some of the club names.
Maybe now things are different

[Rossfan]

I think we are progressing well, the great thing about the GAA is, it hasn't stood still, things take time to change, and those that used the term ' the GAA is the IRA at play'  have lessened over the years, coverage and exposure of our games, not just here but on the likes of SKY have made the game so much more accessible to new people.

You'll never win over cnuts, and to be honest there is no point in trying, just continue as we have and its will modernize and evolve naturally, there are some own goals at times and that's going to happen.

Headquarters should always look at including as many people as possible, the more people on this island playing our unique sports the better, I'm not for the association being political and we should always steer away from that, our grounds should be sporting grounds and not used by political parties or agendas.

Not fussed on political GAA tops either tbh, there are some about with the GAA logo on them, if we can keep it more cultural less political then we reduce the own goals, and give less ammunition to those cnuts who wish to bring the sport down

Excellent post if I may say so.