A United Ireland. Opening up the discussion.

[Syferus]

Being allowed to play Gaelic games?

If the GAA heads in the north stopped naming clubs after terrorists and playing the Republic's national anthem (seemingly as much as a fûck you to the other side as any nationalistic statement) it mightn't be such an issue.

The only time either side hear the word compromise is when we play the Aussies in Autumn.

Was Michael Glavey a terrorist? Have you proposed renaming your club?


https://sites.google.com/site/michaelglaveysgaa/michaelglaveytheman




https://sites.google.com/site/michaelglaveysgaa/michaelglaveytheman

My club?

I've said this before but it's worth repeating. It'd do no harm for the GAA to tone down the nationalistic rhetoric in the north in the interests of making itself more accessible to people with a northern protestant background. If they find the naming convention of clubs and competitions to be off-putting then I think that's a legitimate concern. If someone from Portadown wanted to recruit me into his hockey club but it was called "Billy Wright's," flew a union flag at the grounds, and played The Queen before matches I don't think I'd feel terribly safe or welcome going there.

Come on lads, we should be able to do a better job of this. By nailing their colours to the nationalist mast some people in the GAA sometimes undermine their own objectives. Protestants playing Gaelic games in big numbers would do far more to make Irish reunification smoother and easier than butting heads and being confrontational about it.

+1

But the lads in the north are all on the one page when it comes to being allergic to compromise..

[AQMP]

"I find the name of Kevin Lynch's in Dungiven offensive"

"OK we'll change it"

"Now you see those ones called Pearses, O'Connells, Davitts, Parnells, Clarkes, Emmets, McDermotts...they'll have to go too"

"OK anything else?"

"Yeah, all those clubs called after saints, they don't sound too inclusive?"

"Right you are"

"And we're Unionists, we're not really Gaels, so you know...all in the interests of respect mind you.

"No bother"

"Then there's a right few in that leprechaun language, that's frightens us too...forgot to mention Casement Pk too"

"That's a fair bit of work there Rodney"

"OK last issue, the GAA Official Guide.  I noticed this "1.2 The Association is a National Organisation which has as its basic aim the strengthening of the National Identity in a 32 County Ireland through the preservation and promotion of Gaelic Games and pastimes". And while you're at it 1.4 "The Association shall actively support the Irish language, traditional Irish dancing, music, song, and other aspects of Irish culture. It shall foster an awareness and love of the national ideals in the people of Ireland, and assist in promoting a community spirit through its clubs."  Sorry all that's totally beyond the Pale...

[Rossfan]

Wonder how many clubs are actively supporting the Irish language or traditional music, song etc?
Time for the basic aim to be the promotion of the Gaelic games of football, hurling....etc.
Leave politics to the politicians,  Traditional music to Comhaltas, The language to Conradh and so on.

[general_lee]

Being allowed to play Gaelic games?

If the GAA heads in the north stopped naming clubs after terrorists and playing the Republic's national anthem (seemingly as much as a fûck you to the other side as any nationalistic statement) it mightn't be such an issue.

The only time either side hear the word compromise is when we play the Aussies in Autumn.

Was Michael Glavey a terrorist? Have you proposed renaming your club?


https://sites.google.com/site/michaelglaveysgaa/michaelglaveytheman




https://sites.google.com/site/michaelglaveysgaa/michaelglaveytheman

My club?

I've said this before but it's worth repeating. It'd do no harm for the GAA to tone down the nationalistic rhetoric in the north in the interests of making itself more accessible to people with a northern protestant background. If they find the naming convention of clubs and competitions to be off-putting then I think that's a legitimate concern. If someone from Portadown wanted to recruit me into his hockey club but it was called "Billy Wright's," flew a union flag at the grounds, and played The Queen before matches I don't think I'd feel terribly safe or welcome going there.

Come on lads, we should be able to do a better job of this. By nailing their colours to the nationalist mast some people in the GAA sometimes undermine their own objectives. Protestants playing Gaelic games in big numbers would do far more to make Irish reunification smoother and easier than butting heads and being confrontational about it.

+1

But the lads in the north are all on the one page when it comes to being allergic to compromise..

We've been doing compromise since the existence of the state you ignorant fuckwit

[general_lee]

Do we then have a mass renaming of GAA clubs so that Unionists (majority of whom will not care for the GAA either way) or can we not just promote and educate as much as possible without the need to change the name of one "offensive" hurling club in north derry?

It's only a small number of clubs and competitions that are questionable. A good start would be a rule that says any new club can't be named after anyone that was notable for political or politically motivated activity within the last fifty years. Robert Emmet and James Connoly would be fine, Bobby Sands would not. Later, hopefully after more protestants come on board, we could expand the rule and make it retrospective to cover existing clubs and competitions.

I can think of one club.
One competition of note.
One or two grounds.

If someone can compile a list of all the offensive GAA clubs, competitions and grounds I'd be much obliged.

[Syferus]

Wonder how many clubs are actively supporting the Irish language or traditional music, song etc?
Time for the basic aim to be the promotion of the Gaelic games of football, hurling....etc.
Leave politics to the politicians,  Traditional music to Comhaltas, The language to Conradh and so on.

Agreed. No need for the GAA to act like it's the sporting equivilent of the Wolfe Tones (not a bad auld group, but not exactly agents of cross-community understanding). The one positive of the new age corporate GAA bean counters is that they will likely shy away from the jingoism over the next few decades and try to appeal to other ethnic groups in the country. Money tends to be a powerful motivation.

[Mayo Mick]

My club?

Yes sir your club and the club of the man whose image you wear here. Simple yes/no "Was Glavey a terrorist"?

[smelmoth]

I've said this before but it's worth repeating. It'd do no harm for the GAA to tone down the nationalistic rhetoric in the north in the interests of making itself more accessible to people with a northern protestant background. If they find the naming convention of clubs and competitions to be off-putting then I think that's a legitimate concern. If someone from Portadown wanted to recruit me into his hockey club but it was called "Billy Wright's," flew a union flag at the grounds, and played The Queen before matches I don't think I'd feel terribly safe or welcome going there.

Come on lads, we should be able to do a better job of this. By nailing their colours to the nationalist mast some people in the GAA sometimes undermine their own objectives. Protestants playing Gaelic games in big numbers would do far more to make Irish reunification smoother and easier than butting heads and being confrontational about it.

Jaysus it would be a bad turn of affairs if people were to introduce sense and reason into proceedings


If they didn't bother playing the anthem I can't say I'd mind or feel hard done by
If Kevin Lynch's was renamed the Owen Quigg's I think the life of everyone would in some small way enhanced.
Would life be really so terrible if the Mairead Farrell trophy was renamed? I think if there was a trophy named in honour of Billy Wright I would think the organisers were a shower of Cnut determined to say Fcuk You to the other side. The exact same is true of the Mairead Farrell trophy. What would we lose by shedding this gombeenery.

Casement and Pearse are not suitable individuals to honour any more than Fr Brendan Smyth. But that's a different matter

[LooseCannon]

My club?

Yes sir your club and the club of the man whose image you wear here. Simple yes/no "Was Glavey a terrorist"?

I don't think that Syf is a member of the Glaveys club.
He's in the Donie Smith fan club!

[trueblue1234]

My club?

Yes sir your club and the club of the man whose image you wear here. Simple yes/no "Was Glavey a terrorist"?

I wouldn't expect an answer.

[Avondhu star]

My club?

Yes sir your club and the club of the man whose image you wear here. Simple yes/no "Was Glavey a terrorist"?

The " Bomber Harris Hurling and Football Club"  is a grand name if Dungiven feel like a change is needed

[LooseCannon]

My club?

Yes sir your club and the club of the man whose image you wear here. Simple yes/no "Was Glavey a terrorist"?

He attempted to burn down an empty RIC barracks, hardly terrorism. It was commonplace at the time. Perhaps an arsonist at best.
So, no he wasn't a terrorist.

[GJL]

Wonder how many clubs are actively supporting the Irish language or traditional music, song etc?
Time for the basic aim to be the promotion of the Gaelic games of football, hurling....etc.
Leave politics to the politicians,  Traditional music to Comhaltas, The language to Conradh and so on.

Agreed. No need for the GAA to act like it's the sporting equivilent of the Wolfe Tones (not a bad auld group, but not exactly agents of cross-community understanding). The one positive of the new age corporate GAA bean counters is that they will likely shy away from the jingoism over the next few decades and try to appeal to other ethnic groups in the country. Money tends to be a powerful motivation.

The club I'm from promotes all of the above. I would imagine they will continue to do so. If this puts people from a different background from joining our club then I'm sorry about that but this is what we are. Take it or leave it.

[Eamonnca1]

Wonder how many clubs are actively supporting the Irish language or traditional music, song etc?
Time for the basic aim to be the promotion of the Gaelic games of football, hurling....etc.
Leave politics to the politicians,  Traditional music to Comhaltas, The language to Conradh and so on.

Agreed. No need for the GAA to act like it's the sporting equivilent of the Wolfe Tones (not a bad auld group, but not exactly agents of cross-community understanding). The one positive of the new age corporate GAA bean counters is that they will likely shy away from the jingoism over the next few decades and try to appeal to other ethnic groups in the country. Money tends to be a powerful motivation.

The club I'm from promotes all of the above. I would imagine they will continue to do so. If this puts people from a different background from joining our club then I'm sorry about that but this is what we are. Take it or leave it.

Fine. Don't make any effort to make Protestants feel welcome. Don't try to grow your club by recruiting from an under-represented demographic. Stick to your little clique and shun all outsiders, newcomers, and everyone who doesn't look like you. But don't come crying to me when unionists keep attacking Irish culture because they think it's alien or threatening to them.

[GJL]

Wonder how many clubs are actively supporting the Irish language or traditional music, song etc?
Time for the basic aim to be the promotion of the Gaelic games of football, hurling....etc.
Leave politics to the politicians,  Traditional music to Comhaltas, The language to Conradh and so on.

Agreed. No need for the GAA to act like it's the sporting equivilent of the Wolfe Tones (not a bad auld group, but not exactly agents of cross-community understanding). The one positive of the new age corporate GAA bean counters is that they will likely shy away from the jingoism over the next few decades and try to appeal to other ethnic groups in the country. Money tends to be a powerful motivation.

The club I'm from promotes all of the above. I would imagine they will continue to do so. If this puts people from a different background from joining our club then I'm sorry about that but this is what we are. Take it or leave it.

Fine. Don't make any effort to make Protestants feel welcome. Don't try to grow your club by recruiting from an under-represented demographic. Stick to your little clique and shun all outsiders, newcomers, and everyone who doesn't look like you. But don't come crying to me when unionists keep attacking Irish culture because they think it's alien or threatening to them.

So you think our club should stop the Irish language evening classes?  We should stop teaching kids how to play Irish music so they can enter Scor?