Scurrilous attack on all Gaels and Nationalists by O'Reilly's rag

[Yer Ma]

I would describe myself as a regular Telegraph reader but if you care to read what I posted you will see I referred to the pandering towards its Unionist readership, the clear inference being that this was done at the expense of its nationalist readership.

Why do you think it has a nationalist readership if it has a serious credibility problem with that populace as you inferred in the initial post?

My own thought is that the Tele has been quite smart in bringing more moderate nationalist content and input into the paper in the last while, without alienating its long time Unionist core followers.

[nifan]

that comment alone is outrageous as it infers that if protestants did become involved en masse they would be subject to sectarian abuse which is an insult to all gaels

Of course there would be more abuse tony, it stands to reason.
Not all "gaels" would be involved or accept it, not all protestants would recieve it, but it would surely happen.

its NI for goodness sake.

[T Fearon]

I am 100% certain they would be no escalation in sectarian abuse if more protestants were involved and to suggest such a thing is an insult to the vast vast majority of gaels.

As far as the Telegraph becoming more appealing to catholic/ nationalists you're having a laugh. GAA to my knowledge has featured once on the back page and the paper has no cutting edge nationalist commentator etc and its viewpoint is invariably unionist, it never criticised the DUP the way it did Sinn Fein, nor the Orange Order and always brushed sectarianism in local soccer under the carpet.

[nifan]

It seems that some guys where happy to abuse the one guy available to them - you think these guys wouldnt abuse another protestant if there was one availbale, or 5 or 10.

I dont see how you can be 100% certain there would be no escalation - previously you had said you where 100% certain that no protestant in the gaa would have any problems.

There are bigots in every facet of life in NI - the GAA is no different

[Yer Ma]

As far as the Telegraph becoming more appealing to catholic/ nationalists you're having a laugh. GAA to my knowledge has featured once on the back page and the paper has no cutting edge nationalist commentator etc and its viewpoint is invariably unionist, it never criticised the DUP the way it did Sinn Fein, nor the Orange Order and always brushed sectarianism in local soccer under the carpet.

Why do you read it?

[ONeill]

Exactly. I've been telling Tony that for years. It's like Sammy Wilson complaining about an article in An Phoblacht.

[Star Spangler]

Is it not time to admit that sectariansim and bigotry is endemic in N.Ireland society and even with the best will in the world it will remain because of our political institutions are based on it.

I look forward to the day when we have a "normal" society but I don't believe I will see, perhaps my children will.

I couldn't agree more with this point.  NI is the only place on the planet where sectarianism is given political acceptance.  How would anyone seriously expect NI society to be any different?

[Jim_Murphy_74]

To be honest I wouldn't see much wrong with that article.  The main point that the GAA must seize on this incident is correct.  As I have said in other threads this is for two reasons:

1)  Darren Graham and his like are the key to making the GAA welcoming to Northern Ireland Protestants.  He and others like him, who have an genuine interest in the game should be made welcome.  Barriers such as this kind of sledging (or others) he may point out have to be removed.   He and not the internet warriors picking through the GAA rule book are the key to a more inclusive GAA.

2) It will be one less thing for the knockers to knock us on.

Of course incidents of this nature go on in other sports (possibly more unchecked than some would have you believed) but that's their business.  This is a chance for the GAA to be proactive (and seen to be proactive) and the chance must be seized.

Tony, you are being hyper-sensitive.

/Jim.

[T Fearon]

Jim

I am not being hypersensitive at all. This rag styles itself as the "National Newspaper of N Ireland" implying that it serves both communities but I have yet to see an article criticising sectarianism in local soccer, Earlier this year the Glentoran Assistant Manager offered sectarian abuse to Pat Fenlon during a sectarian game between Derry and Glentoran. This issue wasn't even mentioned in this rag far less the subject of an Opinion Column. I am angered also that the IFA's laughable FFA campaign is held up as some sort of template for the GAA to adopt. Also you never ever see the GAA featuring as the lead subject on the sports back page, not even the AI Final between Armagh and Tyrone yet the most ibscure local sports are featured

Oh and sectarianism is indeed inevitable in the six counties due simply to the fact that the artificial statelet was set up on the basis of a crude sectarian headcount, and from that foundation, the rest as they say is our history

[SammyG]

Jim

I am not being hypersensitive at all. This rag styles itself as the "National Newspaper of N Ireland" implying that it serves both communities but I have yet to see an article criticising sectarianism in local soccer,

You obviously don't read it very often then.

Earlier this year the Glentoran Assistant Manager offered sectarian abuse to Pat Fenlon during a sectarian game between Derry and Glentoran. This issue wasn't even mentioned in this rag far less the subject of an Opinion Column.

As you were obviously there and know what was said, would you like to tell the rest of us?

I am angered also that the IFA's laughable FFA campaign is held up as some sort of template for the GAA to adopt.

So you don't think taking highly successful 'best practice' initiatives is a good idea. Says more about you than it does about the Tele.

Also you never ever see the GAA featuring as the lead subject on the sports back page, not even the AI Final between Armagh and Tyrone yet the most ibscure local sports are featured

Again are you taking the piss, GAA gets by far the lions share of sports coverage in the Tele

Oh and sectarianism is indeed inevitable in the six counties due simply to the fact that the artificial statelet was set up on the basis of a crude sectarian headcount, and from that foundation, the rest as they say is our history

Truely truely pathetic even for you.

[Donagh]

Go on Tony, you know you want to:

08459555678

or
text

81771

[T Fearon]

So Sammy, you think that a state founded solely on the basis of a sectarian headcount is going to be anything other than sectarian in nature, particularly since gthe tribe that win's the sectarian headcount is going to pull out all the stops to secure its advantage and the losing tribe inevitably feels hard done by and permanently aggrieved?

Its a no brainer as far as I am concerned.

As for Darren Graham maybe he should ask Anton Rogan and Neil Lennon and countless others how to develop a thick skin in the face of sectarian abuse...especially when it comes from one's own supporters, and also Pat Fenlon should follow Darren's example and come clean revealing exactly what the Glentoran Assistant Manager said to him at the Brandywell during the course of the game.

As for the IFA's FFA campaign and its alleged sucess, how many additional catholics now go to Windsor Park as a result?

[Jim_Murphy_74]

Jim

I am not being hypersensitive at all. This rag styles itself as the "National Newspaper of N Ireland" implying that it serves both communities but I have yet to see an article criticising sectarianism in local soccer, Earlier this year the Glentoran Assistant Manager offered sectarian abuse to Pat Fenlon during a sectarian game between Derry and Glentoran. This issue wasn't even mentioned in this rag far less the subject of an Opinion Column. I am angered also that the IFA's laughable FFA campaign is held up as some sort of template for the GAA to adopt. Also you never ever see the GAA featuring as the lead subject on the sports back page, not even the AI Final between Armagh and Tyrone yet the most ibscure local sports are featured

Oh and sectarianism is indeed inevitable in the six counties due simply to the fact that the artificial statelet was set up on the basis of a crude sectarian headcount, and from that foundation, the rest as they say is our history

Tony,

I am not familiar with general trends in the specific paper.  The article itself, standing alone, seems reasonable.   As a GAA member I want the issue tackled so I agree with the sentiments of the article.

As for other sports, I agree there maybe issues of an equal (or greater) magnitude going on.  Certainly when Linfield came to Dublin last year, the phrase "Fenian Baxtard" was clearly audible.  Of course this was because the neanderthals were trying to get within earshot of the keeper and there was a boom mike behind his goal.  I'd presume some players as well as supporters indulge in such behaviour.

That said, what other sports do is of indifference to me, the GAA should take a lead as the article states.

/Jim.

[Yer Ma]

As for the IFA's FFA campaign and its alleged sucess, how many additional catholics now go to Windsor Park as a result?

Last time they flew the sectarian 'headcountometer' over the stadium at a match, I think they arrived at a figure of 403.5 - some bugger in a mixed marriage making the 0.5.

[SammyG]

So Sammy, you think that a state founded solely on the basis of a sectarian headcount is going to be anything other than sectarian in nature, particularly since gthe tribe that win's the sectarian headcount is going to pull out all the stops to secure its advantage and the losing tribe inevitably feels hard done by and permanently aggrieved?

More nonsensical double speak.

Its a no brainer as far as I am concerned.

Well you certainly didn't use your brian, that's for sure.

As for Darren Graham maybe he should ask Anton Rogan and Neil Lennon and countless others how to develop a thick skin in the face of sectarian abuse...especially when it comes from one's own supporters,

Can you tell us what sectarian abuse you think either Rogan or Lennon received AT NI MATCHES and when this occurred?

o Pat Fenlon should follow Darren's example and come clean revealing exactly what the Glentoran Assistant Manager said to him at the Brandywell during the course of the game.

As per my previous post, you obviously know so why don't you tell the rest of us?

As for the IFA's FFA campaign and its alleged sucess, how many additional catholics now go to Windsor Park as a result?

1) FFA has nothing to do with attracting anybody (Protestant, Catholic or other) to matches, as they are already completely sold out. The campaign is to remove sectarianism and politicsfrom NI football and this has been hugely successful (as seen by the commenttfrom FIFA/UEFA, SARI, Brian Kerr etc)
2) There is no headcount on the way into matches so I've no idea how many Catholics attend and whether this has increased. It would be a bit like asking how many Catholics where at the Snow Patrol concert, and would get the same answer, no idea.