Belfast hotel sued over All-Ireland coverage

[Leo]

While I think they should have shown the game, it being a an affront to his dignity and national identity, ah now thats a f**king joke, yer man sounds like an arse.
I wonder could I sue all the pubs Birmingham that wont show GAA, if I was half indian could I sue them for not showing the Kabbadi as well?

I'm thinking of suing Meagher's in Dublin as a few years ago when Armagh-Tyrone were filling nearby Croke Park a group of charming Dublin women in the pub insisted on watching "Bow-altun Wawne-derurs". Insulted my national identity but reinforced my already high opinion of Dublin steretypes.

[Maroon Heaven]

What an a5se

A 3 min walk would have taken him to the front door of Magennis's which would have been full of people watching the Match.

[Sky Blue]

This is just ridiculous!

[bennydorano]

Never mind the Hilton, I was in the Barleycove Beach Hotel in Barleycove, Co Cork last summer on Hols and was in one Saturday evening for a nosebag.  I think some hurling qualifier game was on and I asked for it to be turned on (as nothing was on the TV), a waitress returned to my table 10 mins after I made my request and told me that they couldn't put it on as they only show international sports such as motorsport and baseball!!!  I shit you not, near choked on me prawn sandwiches.  I was f**king fuming.

[Sky Blue]

Never mind the Hilton, I was in the Barleycove Beach Hotel in Barleycove, Co Cork last summer on Hols and was in one Saturday evening for a nosebag.  I think some hurling qualifier game was on and I asked for it to be turned on (as nothing was on the TV), a waitress returned to my table 10 mins after I made my request and told me that they couldn't put it on as they only show international sports such as motorsport and baseball!!!  I shit you not, near choked on me prawn sandwiches.  I was f**king fuming.

Are you serious? Do they have many Baseball fans in that part of Cork?

[Sandy Hill]

Brian Corey, a GAA fan from the Ormeau Road in Belfast, claims the refusal to show the match was an affront to his dignity and national identity.

This man is a p***k--- at least! 

[Maguire01]

What a ridiculous story. Some people really go out of their way to be insulted. So you're sitting about in Belfast on the morning of at AI deciding where to watch it and you randomly come up with the Hilton?! This is just an embarassment and a waste of court time. It should (and will) be laughed out - but not before the DUP get a few cheap shots at the GAA over it.

[T Fearon]

In actual fact this is a legitimate claim under the Fair Employment and Treatment (North of Ireland Order) 1978, part of which imposes responsibilities on hotels in terms of the goods,services and facilities they provide. The Solicitor, Seamus Leonard won a Sigerson Cup medal with Queens in 1982 and is a good friend of mine. Believe me he wouldn't be getting involved if he didn't think this guy had a case

[Bensars]

No doubt the case will also be brought to the court at the expense of the taxpayer rather then the individual from the Ormeau Road.

Hilton issued a statement, stating that they dont have a policy in regards of showing any sports. It also emerged that on the day in question they had advertising and promotions linked to the soccer match.

Why anyone from the road would go down to the Hilton to watch the All Ireland final is another question. There are many other establishments that would have a hell of lot better atmosphere. ( Altough they have the right to go to wherever they want, before the PC brigade come on board).

Completely different story however if their request  to watch the AI final was met with a sectarian response.

IMO its appears very pedantic

[Maguire01]

In actual fact this is a legitimate claim under the Fair Employment and Treatment (North of Ireland Order) 1978, part of which imposes responsibilities on hotels in terms of the goods,services and facilities they provide. The Solicitor, Seamus Leonard won a Sigerson Cup medal with Queens in 1982 and is a good friend of mine. Believe me he wouldn't be getting involved if he didn't think this guy had a case

Is that the Fair Emplyment and Treatment (Northern Ireland) Order 1998?
Either way, he'd have to prove that he encountered "discrimination on the ground of religious belief or political opinion; or discrimination by way of victimisation". That would appear unlikely - or at least near impossible to prove.

Anyway, what would he need to be 'compensated' for? As someone else said, it really is just this culture of compensation gone mad.

[T Fearon]

Not pedantic not trivial, basically the hotel was denying the rights of a representative of the nationalist community to see the sport of his choice and must therefore be in breach of the Fair Employment Act. The simplest solution for the hotel was to have tv sets in various locations in the premises, showing a choice of soccer or GAA, thus ensuring full complaince with the Fair Employment and Treatment Order.

Now I'm wondering, if someone took a case under the fair employment act against the IFA for the monoculututal and exclsuive use of sectarian symbols at Windsor Park, what would their chances of success be?

[T Fearon]

Maguire, he may not have a lot to prove. These tribunals, in my expereince, side with the claimant and put huge pressure on defendants. Also Seamie Leonard (a Fermanagh man himself) is big pals with Joe Brolly who would I'm sure construct a very convincing case in his role as a "learned friend". I for one can't wait to see how this pans out


By the way did you know Paris Hilton has a younger brother called Templepatrick Hilton?

[Bensars]

It opens a can of worms and the possibility of tit for tat legal cases.

In my local requests by some individuals to watch soccer while there has been a  Major gaelic game on have be met with straight "no". On other occassions ( not major games, and own county not involved)  the screens may be split depending on the demand . im sure its no different in many other places.

[J70]

Not pedantic not trivial, basically the hotel was denying the rights of a representative of the nationalist community to see the sport of his choice and must therefore be in breach of the Fair Employment Act. The simplest solution for the hotel was to have tv sets in various locations in the premises, showing a choice of soccer or GAA, thus ensuring full complaince with the Fair Employment and Treatment Order.

Now I'm wondering, if someone took a case under the fair employment act against the IFA for the monoculututal and exclsuive use of sectarian symbols at Windsor Park, what would their chances of success be?

How could a hotel deny "the rights of a representative of the nationalist community to see the sport of his choice"? Is there a law that says that hotels are obliged to broadcast whatever their customers desire? Does a legal right exist in Northern Ireland that means anyone is entitled to watch whatever they want in any hotel or pub? I hope he's laughed out of court and fined for wasting the taxpayers' time and money.

[carnaross]

Tony Fearon, you really are a bollix! What would happen if you had an evenly split crowd with only one channel available? Spin a coin? This p***k should be laughed out of court, assuming it goes that far. Also he should incur all legal costs. You might consider paying them, though, since you seem to be taking such a keen legal interest. As I said - bollix