Tom Elliott new UUP Leader

[Shamrock Shore]

Would it matter if the UUP elected Dame Edna Everage as leader?

They are a party going nowhere fast.

Shame that the more celebral like Ringland may find they have nowhere left to go

[Tony Baloney]

Would it matter if the UUP elected Dame Edna Everage as leader?

They are a party going nowhere fast.

Shame that the more celebral like Ringland may find they have nowhere left to go

You beat me to it. They are on a path to oblivion and there is no turning back regardless of leader.

[Maguire01]

Listening to Elliott, I can't understand why he's not in the DUP.

[Yes I Would]

Disappointed but not surprised.  Would have much preferred Basil McCrea.

Me too as he looks like a big cuddly teddy bear. 
Dont like the look of that Elliott boyo, never mind some of the shite he has been spoutin lately!

[omagh_gael]

Fair play to Trevor Ringland, wouldn't it be great if there were more of his ilk in Unionism in the north.

http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/championship/2010/0923/ringland_elliott_gaa.html

[FermGael]

Great news all round.
Should mean that there will be no agreed candidate next time round in Fermangh and South Tyrone.


All this stuff about the Gaa is old news to Fermanagh people.
When Fermanagh reached there second Ulster final in 08 this is what Elliott had to say

"It is clearly much more than [a sporting organisation]. Along with many other rules, like flying the Irish Tricolour and playing the Irish National Anthem at all games, wherever they are held, along with the on and off field intimidation of Protestant players leaves many people from the Protestant or Unionist community feel that the game or sport in this organisation is just a small part of it and the wider Irish republicanism product plays a much larger part of it .. the underlying ethos of the organisation cannot be ignored. I had received a number of comments from my constituents clearly upset at the continual 'in your face' antics of the Fermanagh GAA supporters during recent weeks.

"That is why some of these people were saying to me that they would prefer that Fermanagh would lose in order to halt this constant barrage of Fermanagh GAA hype, which had at least an anxiety factor but often leading to what was a sense of intimidation, particularly in the workplace. This is coupled with most of these work places not allowing a Poppy to be worn in the run-up to Remembrance Sunday or the employees just being too afraid to do so, but GAA tops being a common feature to be worn.

"However I must warn that while most people from my community have a respect and tolerance for the GAA and those who wish to participate in it, we will not accept any intimidation. There is more to Fermanagh than just the Fermanagh GAA.

"Therefore, it may be helpful for that group to more carefully consider its approach with their fellow county citizens in future important GAA events"

[BarryBreensBandage]

Great news all round.
Should mean that there will be no agreed candidate next time round in Fermangh and South Tyrone.


All this stuff about the Gaa is old news to Fermanagh people.
When Fermanagh reached there second Ulster final in 08 this is what Elliott had to say

"It is clearly much more than [a sporting organisation]. Along with many other rules, like flying the Irish Tricolour and playing the Irish National Anthem at all games, wherever they are held, along with the on and off field intimidation of Protestant players leaves many people from the Protestant or Unionist community feel that the game or sport in this organisation is just a small part of it and the wider Irish republicanism product plays a much larger part of it .. the underlying ethos of the organisation cannot be ignored. I had received a number of comments from my constituents clearly upset at the continual 'in your face' antics of the Fermanagh GAA supporters during recent weeks.

"That is why some of these people were saying to me that they would prefer that Fermanagh would lose in order to halt this constant barrage of Fermanagh GAA hype, which had at least an anxiety factor but often leading to what was a sense of intimidation, particularly in the workplace. This is coupled with most of these work places not allowing a Poppy to be worn in the run-up to Remembrance Sunday or the employees just being too afraid to do so, but GAA tops being a common feature to be worn.

"However I must warn that while most people from my community have a respect and tolerance for the GAA and those who wish to participate in it, we will not accept any intimidation. There is more to Fermanagh than just the Fermanagh GAA.

"Therefore, it may be helpful for that group to more carefully consider its approach with their fellow county citizens in future important GAA events"

Unbelieveable stuff. Spoken obviously by someone who forms an opinion without any knowledge of the subject - Wouldn't exactly inspire hope for the political party he is affiliated to.
I remember Tyrone Howe joining UUP and he had the same  tone as Ringland - does anyone Know what happened his political career? Last I seen of him, he was commentating for Sky.

[T Fearon]

Think you're all missing the point here. Elliott has been elected not to reach out to non unionists or expand his party's narrow views, but to conclude at the very least an electoral pact with the DUP, then possibly a longer term merger.As soon as Arlene is elected leader of the DUP expect giant strides.

As Trimble and Paisley and Robinson and Empey despised each other, it was never going to be possible to conclude any deal on agreed candidates. But it shouldn't be too difficult to conclude such a pact between two Fermanagh people with no history personally of tearing each other to pieces

[Dougal Maguire]

Well his words are not a million miles away from those of Basil Brooke, another Fermanagh farmer who was leader of the UUP, who, at an Orange Institution rally on 12 July 1933, said :

" Many in this audience employ Catholics, but I have not one about my place. Catholics are out to destroy Ulster...If we in Ulster allow Roman Catholics to work on our farms we are traitors to Ulster...I would appeal to loyalists, therefore, wherever possible, to employ good Protestant lads and lassies. "

[Newbridge Exile]

Says a lot about Elliot when you have Jackie McDonald in today's Irish News saying how much he enjoyed attending last weeks All Ireland and how young loyalists could learn a lot from it

[Minder]

Says a lot about Elliot when you have Jackie McDonald in today's Irish News saying how much he enjoyed attending last weeks All Ireland and how young loyalists could learn a lot from it

It is just wrong that someone like Jackie McDonald is in Croke park at an AIF

[Rossfan]

a
"However I must warn that while most people from my community have a .... tolerance for the GAA and those who wish to participate in it,

[/quote]

That's nice of them to tolerate the members of the 52% majority in their County.
As long as they sit in the back of the bus perhaps

[andoireabu]

Says a lot about Elliot when you have Jackie McDonald in today's Irish News saying how much he enjoyed attending last weeks All Ireland and how young loyalists could learn a lot from it

It is just wrong that someone like Jackie McDonald is in Croke park at an AIF

If he paid his money then fine but if he got in free so someone would see what a lovely gesture it is then balls to it.  And im not saying that "true gaels" should be in front of the queue, one mans 70 euro is as good as the next but when club members can't get a ticket because they are being given away for this nonsense does my head in.

Which club is Trevor Ringland a member of that he can get tickets so handy?

[FermGael]

Think you're all missing the point here. Elliott has been elected not to reach out to non unionists or expand his party's narrow views, but to conclude at the very least an electoral pact with the DUP, then possibly a longer term merger.As soon as Arlene is elected leader of the DUP expect giant strides.

As Trimble and Paisley and Robinson and Empey despised each other, it was never going to be possible to conclude any deal on agreed candidates. But it shouldn't be too difficult to conclude such a pact between two Fermanagh people with no history personally of tearing each other to pieces

Tony the two of them have been tearing pieces out of each other since Arlene left the UUP.
A lot of bitterness there. 

[Maguire01]

Says a lot about Elliot when you have Jackie McDonald in today's Irish News saying how much he enjoyed attending last weeks All Ireland and how young loyalists could learn a lot from it

It is just wrong that someone like Jackie McDonald is in Croke park at an AIF

If he paid his money then fine but if he got in free so someone would see what a lovely gesture it is then balls to it.  And im not saying that "true gaels" should be in front of the queue, one mans 70 euro is as good as the next but when club members can't get a ticket because they are being given away for this nonsense does my head in.

Which club is Trevor Ringland a member of that he can get tickets so handy?

He was in a corporate box so he wouldn't have been paying €70 anyway, nor would he have been taking a ticket away from a club member. I think it's no harm for a couple of tickets to be used in this way, especially if a positive message goes back to 'the other side'. It also shows up the likes of Elliott for the bigots they are.