Poppy Watch

[Tony Baloney]

I was at the self build event yesterday at Eikon Centre and there weren't many on show. Any that were displayed were the little badge type. I didn't see any  exhibitors wearing them

You walked around a self-build show clocking who was wearing a poppy and what size they were?

You wouldn't want to give your business to the wrong kind.

[AustinPowers]

I see the Celtic fans showed great  respect  to their armed forces today.

[Dougal Maguire]

I was at the self build event yesterday at Eikon Centre and there weren't many on show. Any that were displayed were the little badge type. I didn't see any  exhibitors wearing them

You walked around a self-build show clocking who was wearing a poppy and what size they were?

It was just an observation

[AustinPowers]

I was at the self build event yesterday at Eikon Centre and there weren't many on show. Any that were displayed were the little badge type. I didn't see any  exhibitors wearing them

You walked around a self-build show clocking who was wearing a poppy and what size they were?

It was just an observation

It's an inbuilt tribal  thing.  It's about survival really, I suppose. Spotting your tribe.

 In the north , it was (still is)  important to  be tuned in to  what you  hear, emblems, school uniforms, sports  gear, first names etc.  It's the sad reality of a divided society, even  in  the relative peace we  live in now. 

I remember while at school, you spot a catholic school  uniform,  they're one of us.  Sean and  Liam, one of us. Jeffrey and  William,  more than likely one of them.  GAA crest,  I'm in good/safe  company.  Poppy, Ulster rugby,  they're one of them. .Tread carefully here. Bellaghy, catholic. Bell-ack-y, protestant.

Maybe someone not from the north  might think  it weird , but  ultimately it was a safety  thing .

Not sure how  I got here 

Anyway.....

[Orior]

I was at the self build event yesterday at Eikon Centre and there weren't many on show. Any that were displayed were the little badge type. I didn't see any  exhibitors wearing them

You walked around a self-build show clocking who was wearing a poppy and what size they were?

It was just an observation

It's an inbuilt tribal  thing.  It's about survival really, I suppose. Spotting your tribe.

 In the north , it was (still is)  important to  be tuned in to  what you  hear, emblems, school uniforms, sports  gear, first names etc.  It's the sad reality of a divided society, even  in  the relative peace we  live in now. 

I remember while at school, you spot a catholic school  uniform,  they're one of us.  Sean and  Liam, one of us. Jeffrey and  William,  more than likely one of them.  GAA crest,  I'm in good/safe  company.  Poppy, Ulster rugby,  they're one of them. .Tread carefully here. Bellaghy, catholic. Bell-ack-y, protestant.

Maybe someone not from the north  might think  it weird , but  ultimately it was a safety  thing .

Not sure how  I got here 

Anyway.....

When I was at school (which to be fair wasn't yesterday) there was no such think as casual wear GAA tops. Playgrounds were locked up on a Sunday, GSTQ was played at the end of the film in the cinema and at university graduation. Orangemen marched where they wanted and when they wanted. Gerrymandering was the order of the day. Equality was completely unheard of.

Now I wear my GAA top not to wind up loyalists but because I'm proud of my local team and county.

[Sportacus]

I was at the self build event yesterday at Eikon Centre and there weren't many on show. Any that were displayed were the little badge type. I didn't see any  exhibitors wearing them

You walked around a self-build show clocking who was wearing a poppy and what size they were?

It was just an observation

Fair enough.

[bennydorano]

The Walter Mitty Hunters Club HQ | Investigating and Exposing Walter Mittys in the UK

https://thewaltermittyhuntersclubhq.co.uk/

Was reading a bit about a fake rear admiral and clocked this site. Right few clowns besmerching their glorious dead - among a variety of Walters.

[AustinPowers]

The Irish women getting abuse  now

https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2025/1118/1544622-ward-backs-irish-players-poppy-stance/

[Last Man]

I was at the self build event yesterday at Eikon Centre and there weren't many on show. Any that were displayed were the little badge type. I didn't see any  exhibitors wearing them

You walked around a self-build show clocking who was wearing a poppy and what size they were?

It was just an observation

It's an inbuilt tribal  thing.  It's about survival really, I suppose. Spotting your tribe.

 In the north , it was (still is)  important to  be tuned in to  what you  hear, emblems, school uniforms, sports  gear, first names etc.  It's the sad reality of a divided society, even  in  the relative peace we  live in now. 

I remember while at school, you spot a catholic school  uniform,  they're one of us.  Sean and  Liam, one of us. Jeffrey and  William,  more than likely one of them.  GAA crest,  I'm in good/safe  company.  Poppy, Ulster rugby,  they're one of them. .Tread carefully here. Bellaghy, catholic. Bell-ack-y, protestant.

Maybe someone not from the north  might think  it weird , but  ultimately it was a safety  thing .

Not sure how  I got here 

Anyway.....

I'm not sure that it is universally. For a lot of wearers I know it's more a reverance thing. The idea that war mongering polititians and other vested interests sent the best of a generation to an early grave is lost on them.
Another thing I heard recently that all the war memorials dotted round the country were funded by the bereaved families, and private citizens, not the government, they couldn't give a damn.
I personally feel a bit sorry for people who are in to it and choose just to ignore it.

[marty34]

The Irish women getting abuse  now

https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2025/1118/1544622-ward-backs-irish-players-poppy-stance/

Fair play to them.  Showing up a lot of lads who play in England.

[AustinPowers]

I was at the self build event yesterday at Eikon Centre and there weren't many on show. Any that were displayed were the little badge type. I didn't see any  exhibitors wearing them

You walked around a self-build show clocking who was wearing a poppy and what size they were?

It was just an observation

It's an inbuilt tribal  thing.  It's about survival really, I suppose. Spotting your tribe.

 In the north , it was (still is)  important to  be tuned in to  what you  hear, emblems, school uniforms, sports  gear, first names etc.  It's the sad reality of a divided society, even  in  the relative peace we  live in now. 

I remember while at school, you spot a catholic school  uniform,  they're one of us.  Sean and  Liam, one of us. Jeffrey and  William,  more than likely one of them.  GAA crest,  I'm in good/safe  company.  Poppy, Ulster rugby,  they're one of them. .Tread carefully here. Bellaghy, catholic. Bell-ack-y, protestant.

Maybe someone not from the north  might think  it weird , but  ultimately it was a safety  thing .

Not sure how  I got here 

Anyway.....

I'm not sure that it is universally. For a lot of wearers I know it's more a reverance thing. The idea that war mongering polititians and other vested interests sent the best of a generation to an early grave is lost on them.
Another thing I heard recently that all the war memorials dotted round the country were funded by the bereaved families, and private citizens, not the government, they couldn't give a damn.
I personally feel a bit sorry for people who are in to it and choose just to ignore it.

Yeah, I do get  that. Especially if one of their  family/ancestors died in WW1 or 2.

But as  you say , it is lost on many  people of  that mindset  that warmongering politicians sent  thousands to  die in pointless wars. 

600,000+  died at the Somme (not including German numbers).  Many bow in silence , wear a poppy  in honour of these men.  I just think... What a f××king waste . 

Then again,  the British propaganda machine   tell people it's the patriotic thing to do, and to  remember our brave lads who fought for your freedom. It obviously works, given the  poppy hysteria  in Oct/Nov.

It's sad really.  Not that kind of  sad, the other kind.

[johnnycool]

I was at the self build event yesterday at Eikon Centre and there weren't many on show. Any that were displayed were the little badge type. I didn't see any  exhibitors wearing them

You walked around a self-build show clocking who was wearing a poppy and what size they were?

It was just an observation

It's an inbuilt tribal  thing.  It's about survival really, I suppose. Spotting your tribe.

 In the north , it was (still is)  important to  be tuned in to  what you  hear, emblems, school uniforms, sports  gear, first names etc.  It's the sad reality of a divided society, even  in  the relative peace we  live in now. 

I remember while at school, you spot a catholic school  uniform,  they're one of us.  Sean and  Liam, one of us. Jeffrey and  William,  more than likely one of them.  GAA crest,  I'm in good/safe  company.  Poppy, Ulster rugby,  they're one of them. .Tread carefully here. Bellaghy, catholic. Bell-ack-y, protestant.

Maybe someone not from the north  might think  it weird , but  ultimately it was a safety  thing .

Not sure how  I got here 

Anyway.....

I'm not sure that it is universally. For a lot of wearers I know it's more a reverance thing. The idea that war mongering polititians and other vested interests sent the best of a generation to an early grave is lost on them.
Another thing I heard recently that all the war memorials dotted round the country were funded by the bereaved families, and private citizens, not the government, they couldn't give a damn.
I personally feel a bit sorry for people who are in to it and choose just to ignore it.

Yeah, I do get  that. Especially if one of their  family/ancestors died in WW1 or 2.

But as  you say , it is lost on many  people of  that mindset  that warmongering politicians sent  thousands to  die in pointless wars. 

600,000+  died at the Somme (not including German numbers).  Many bow in silence , wear a poppy  in honour of these men.  I just think... What a f××king waste . 

Then again,  the British propaganda machine   tell people it's the patriotic thing to do, and to  remember our brave lads who fought for your freedom. It obviously works, given the  poppy hysteria  in Oct/Nov.

It's sad really.  Not that kind of  sad, the other kind.

On one level it works, but on another level the British Army are struggling to get new, young recruits, so maybe the level of patriotism that actually requires you to put yourself on the front line isn't there and those rushing to put on the poppy every October and November are showing a kinda fake patriotism than doesn't cost them anything.