John Delaney singing Joe McDonnell

[theticklemister]

Delaney apologises for offence caused by song

16 minutes ago
FAI chief executive John Delaney was speaking on Tubridy on 2fm this morning
FAI chief executive John Delaney has apologised for any offence caused by singing the Republican ballad Joe McDonnell last week in a Dublin pub.

A video posted on YouTube last week showed Delaney singing the song following Ireland's 4-1 win over USA in the Aviva Stadium.

Speaking on RTE 2fm this morning, Delaney said the manner in which the video was recorded was wrong but that he was sorry if it caused any upset.

He stated: "First of all, Joe McDonnell is a song that has been sang in my presence and I have chipped in on a number of occasions in the past. I am not somebody who supports violence at all.

"In fact over a large number of years I have been working closely on cross-border initiatives in football to break down barriers. I am just not a violent person. My Grandfather fought in the Civil War and he also fought in the War Of Independence. I have always said I have a nationalist background.

"When you sing a song like that, you don't believe in every word that is in the song. I sing a large number of songs, maybe five or six different ones. It's normally done in a private way when there is a sing-song. It's a typically Irish thing we do. We sing songs amongst our group and you expect it to be kept to the group.

"Unfortunately on occasions people use camera phones in a sly way and try to tape it - people who are not in your company - and they try to make it something bigger than it is.

"What I will say is that if the song offends anybody, of course I'm sorry. It is not in my nature to want to offend people. It was something I have sung or had sang in my presence in the past."

Delaney added that the Irish team partake in singing of similar songs such as Sean South from Garryowen on matchdays and it has been part of the regime for over 20 years.

He added: "I'll give you an example. Sean South from Garryowen has been sung on the Irish team bus for years, from the Jack Charlton era, right up to the current era.

"If people want to tape these things in what I would call a sly way, and then try to make them public, it is wrong. But I do accept that if I have upset anybody here, I'm sorry."

[foxcommander]

Delaney apologises for offence caused by song

16 minutes ago
FAI chief executive John Delaney was speaking on Tubridy on 2fm this morning
FAI chief executive John Delaney has apologised for any offence caused by singing the Republican ballad Joe McDonnell last week in a Dublin pub.

A video posted on YouTube last week showed Delaney singing the song following Ireland's 4-1 win over USA in the Aviva Stadium.

Speaking on RTE 2fm this morning, Delaney said the manner in which the video was recorded was wrong but that he was sorry if it caused any upset.

He stated: "First of all, Joe McDonnell is a song that has been sang in my presence and I have chipped in on a number of occasions in the past. I am not somebody who supports violence at all.

"In fact over a large number of years I have been working closely on cross-border initiatives in football to break down barriers. I am just not a violent person. My Grandfather fought in the Civil War and he also fought in the War Of Independence. I have always said I have a nationalist background.

"When you sing a song like that, you don't believe in every word that is in the song. I sing a large number of songs, maybe five or six different ones. It's normally done in a private way when there is a sing-song. It's a typically Irish thing we do. We sing songs amongst our group and you expect it to be kept to the group.

"Unfortunately on occasions people use camera phones in a sly way and try to tape it - people who are not in your company - and they try to make it something bigger than it is.

"What I will say is that if the song offends anybody, of course I'm sorry. It is not in my nature to want to offend people. It was something I have sung or had sang in my presence in the past."

Delaney added that the Irish team partake in singing of similar songs such as Sean South from Garryowen on matchdays and it has been part of the regime for over 20 years.

He added: "I'll give you an example. Sean South from Garryowen has been sung on the Irish team bus for years, from the Jack Charlton era, right up to the current era.

"If people want to tape these things in what I would call a sly way, and then try to make them public, it is wrong. But I do accept that if I have upset anybody here, I'm sorry."

Why is an apology needed?

[NAG1]

Well he gave one anyway, if he wasnt fit to stand over singing the song with any sort of backbone then he shouldn't have opened his mouth in the first place. 

[seafoid]

There would have been no problem if he had sung Ireland's call, presumably
. 

[deiseach]

Well he gave one anyway, if he wasnt fit to stand over singing the song with any sort of backbone then he shouldn't have opened his mouth in the first place. 

Indeed. And remember he's only sorry if you were offended. If you're not offended, he's not sorry!

[AZOffaly]

I'm offended he thinks 5 or 6 songs is a large amount.

[Hound]

Front page of the Irish Times today, so the media would have been hounding him for a "comment".

A half-hearted apology, to anyone who might have been offended, was probably his best course of action in fairness to him.

[Croí na hÉireann]

Front page of the Irish Times today, so the media would have been hounding him for a "comment".

A half-hearted apology, to anyone who might have been offended, was probably his best course of action in fairness to him.

Balls.ie were made to take down the video last Friday after his solicitors claimed it wasn't him in the video and were threatening legal action, so it's being going on since then I imagine. The Guardian in England stood their ground after similar threats and we are where we are.

Surely his best course of action was not to be singing a (open to interpretation) contentious song, as head of a football association, out of tune.

[seafoid]

Front page of the Irish Times today, so the media would have been hounding him for a "comment".

A half-hearted apology, to anyone who might have been offended, was probably his best course of action in fairness to him.

Balls.ie were made to take down the video last Friday after his solicitors claimed it wasn't him in the video and were threatening legal action, so it's being going on since then I imagine. The Guardian in England stood their ground after similar threats and we are where we are.

Surely his best course of action was not to be singing a (open to interpretation) contentious song, as head of a football association, out of tune.

It's hardly news though, is it  ?
Phil Space must have been behind the decision to put it in the newspapers.

[Walter Cronc]

http://waterfordwhispersnews.com/2014/11/25/john-delaneys-e360000-salary-more-offensive-than-any-republican-ballad/

[5 Sams]

Would there have been same hullaballoo if he sang Grace or Kevin Barry???

[theskull1]

Well he gave one anyway, if he wasnt fit to stand over singing the song with any sort of backbone then he shouldn't have opened his mouth in the first place. 

I can't understand that perspective. In my mind he got it spot on.

[Croí na hÉireann]

Front page of the Irish Times today, so the media would have been hounding him for a "comment".

A half-hearted apology, to anyone who might have been offended, was probably his best course of action in fairness to him.

Balls.ie were made to take down the video last Friday after his solicitors claimed it wasn't him in the video and were threatening legal action, so it's being going on since then I imagine. The Guardian in England stood their ground after similar threats and we are where we are.

Surely his best course of action was not to be singing a (open to interpretation) contentious song, as head of a football association, out of tune.

It's hardly news though, is it  ?
Phil Space must have been behind the decision to put it in the newspapers.

Front page is ridiculous alright, you'd expect that from the Indo and the red tops, bottom line talking perhaps.

[ballinaman]

Front page of the Irish Times today, so the media would have been hounding him for a "comment".

A half-hearted apology, to anyone who might have been offended, was probably his best course of action in fairness to him.

Balls.ie were made to take down the video last Friday after his solicitors claimed it wasn't him in the video and were threatening legal action, so it's being going on since then I imagine. The Guardian in England stood their ground after similar threats and we are where we are.

Surely his best course of action was not to be singing a (open to interpretation) contentious song, as head of a football association, out of tune.

It's hardly news though, is it  ?
Phil Space must have been behind the decision to put it in the newspapers.

Front page is ridiculous alright, you'd expect that from the Indo and the red tops, bottom line talking perhaps.

I have no problem with the song whatsoever nor do I have it being used against him in this situation, anything that helps rid that bollox from Irish soccer is a bonus to me....anything that increases the pressure on him is fair game.

[deiseach]

Delaney is a buffoon, but given that it seems every FAI CEO has resigned in disgrace over something, you have to wonder at what point the penny will drop that it ain't the man in charge who is the problem.