when gstq is played in croke park remember aidan mc anespie

[Louis the Red]

I don't claim to understand or celebrate their attachment to Britishness and the Queen, but that seems to be the situation. Should we just pretend it isn't, or should we enter two partitionist teams in the Six Nations and the World Cup?

The point is it's not their anthem, it's the anthem of England.

[J70]

Why wouldn't they? Its their anthem.

Maybe I'm mistaken, but is God Save The Queen not just the anthem of England not Britain?  Scotland and Wales are part of Britian and they have their own anthems - so how is GSTQ the anthem of Northern Ireland

So what anthem would those from a unionist background use then, if not GSTQ? Did I imagine seeing Paisley and various unionists on tv singing it at various events and party conferences over the years?

[J70]

I don't claim to understand or celebrate their attachment to Britishness and the Queen, but that seems to be the situation. Should we just pretend it isn't, or should we enter two partitionist teams in the Six Nations and the World Cup?

The point is it's not their anthem, it's the anthem of England.

Perhaps, but don't the unionists use it as their own? As nationalists in Northern Ireland use Amhran na bhFiann?

[Louis the Red]

So what anthem would those from a unionist background use then, if not GSTQ?

How about 'A Nation Once Again'

Perhaps, but don't the unionists use it as their own? As nationalists in Northern Ireland use Amhran na bhFiann?

Nationalists in the 6 counties use it because it's their anthem.  I'm not disagreeing that unionists use it, but it isn't their anthem, it's the anthem of England a seperate country.  How silly did they look when they played England @ Windsor Park and both 'countries' had the same National Anthem

[J70]

So what anthem would those from a unionist background use then, if not GSTQ?

How about 'A Nation Once Again'

Perhaps, but don't the unionists use it as their own? As nationalists in Northern Ireland use Amhran na bhFiann?

Nationalists in the 6 counties use it because it's their anthem.  I'm not disagreeing that unionists use it, but it isn't their anthem, it's the anthem of England a seperate country.  How silly did they look when they played England @ Windsor Park and both 'countries' had the same National Anthem

And unionists probably see GSTQ as just as much their anthem as Amhran na bhFiann is for nationalists.

I've no interest in splitting hairs with you over what constitutes a legitimate anthem or a country. The fact is that the unionists use it to affirm their Britishness. If they want to sing it at a match where it is being played for an English team, who are we to tell them its wrong or that they "look silly"?

It seems to me that many would prefer if the unionist community were not associated at all with the Irish rugby team, at least not until they had the sense to denounce any cultural attachments to Britain and to embrace the only legitimate version of Irishness, including Amhran na bhFiann.

[Louis the Red]

If they really do believe they are a seperate country, what's stopping them getting their own anthem, like Scotland and Wales.  Are the people of Scotland and Wales any less British than the unionists from the 6 counties, because they have their own anthems?

[Gaoth Dobhair Abu]

J70 unionists use gstq as their anthem because it shows the rest of the world how "british" they are! there has never been an anthem for the 6 counties - except for the one true one AnbF!
This arguement about appeasing "ulster" (sic) protestants is as big a joke as ulsterscats! Their Irish when it suits them, as the Rev. Dr Death once said - "i'm an irishman on St. Patricks day and british the rest of thte time"!
The western world is going PC mad, f**k them they play for IRELAND then they should stand for the anthem and under the flag - (going to stick my neck out now) otherwise f**k off!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Back to the north east of IRELAND.

[J70]

If they really do believe they are a seperate country, what's stopping them getting their own anthem, like Scotland and Wales.  Are the people of Scotland and Wales any less British than the unionists from the 6 counties, because they have their own anthems?

You'll have to ask them that. Maybe its something to do with the history of Ireland, partition, the troubles, their position of power and wanting to maintain a sense of Britishness in "their" corner of the island of Ireland.

Incidentally, the UK government seems to consider GSTQ as their national anthem: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Gtgl1/GuideToGovernment/AboutBritain/DG_10012518

[Louis the Red]

Someone should inform the Scotish and Welsh rugby and football associations that they are playing the wrong anthems before games - Good oul Norn Iron seem to be the only ones who have got it right

[deiseach]

Someone should inform the Scotish and Welsh rugby and football associations that they are playing the wrong anthems before games - Good oul Norn Iron seem to be the only ones who have got it right

Maybe they should get their own country, then they can sing their own anthems as opposed to the emotional equivalent of Dungarvan, My Home Town

"A place ay dispossessed white trash in a trash country filled ay dispossessed white trash. Some say that the Irish are the trash ay Europe. That's shite. It's the Scots. The Irish hud the bottle tay win thir country back, or at least most ay it" - Trainspotting

[lynchbhoy]

Amhrain Na Bhfiann
written by Peadar Kearney in 1907
surely that is way before what northern bigots etc can label as a 'republican' anthem?

I thought I recalled from my history classes that this- like the Tricolour, was written as an 'INCLUSIVE' anthem to represent all Irish peoples of all denominations with the view that the occupying forces and British Gove were the enemy.

if this anthem was written after or around 1916 then I woudl ay northern whingers would have a point.

[SammyG]

Amhrain Na Bhfiann
written by Peadar Kearney in 1907
surely that is way before what northern bigots etc can label as a 'republican' anthem?

I thought I recalled from my history classes that this- like the Tricolour, was written as an 'INCLUSIVE' anthem to represent all Irish peoples of all denominations with the view that the occupying forces and British Gove were the enemy.

if this anthem was written after or around 1916 then I woudl ay northern whingers would have a point.

Lynchbhoy

You are (deliberately?) missing the point. Nobody (outside a few Paisleyite nutters who wouldn't follow an all-island team anyway), has a problem with Amhrain Na Bhfiann or thinks that it's a 'Republican anthem'. The issue is simply that it is the anthem of the Republic of Ireland/Free State/Occupied 26/Failed sectarian statelet/Eire/whatever you want to call it. It is not and never has been an all-island anthem, therefore it is not appropriate to represent an all-island team.

As I've said before I always find it strange that people who would take a Republican line, on most issues, do a complete about turn and take a partitionist view when it comes to flags and anthems. 

[lynchbhoy]

Amhrain Na Bhfiann
written by Peadar Kearney in 1907
surely that is way before what northern bigots etc can label as a 'republican' anthem?

I thought I recalled from my history classes that this- like the Tricolour, was written as an 'INCLUSIVE' anthem to represent all Irish peoples of all denominations with the view that the occupying forces and British Gove were the enemy.

if this anthem was written after or around 1916 then I woudl ay northern whingers would have a point.

Lynchbhoy

You are (deliberately?) missing the point. Nobody (outside a few Paisleyite nutters who wouldn't follow an all-island team anyway), has a problem with Amhrain Na Bhfiann or thinks that it's a 'Republican anthem'. The issue is simply that it is the anthem of the Republic of Ireland/Free State/Occupied 26/Failed sectarian statelet/Eire/whatever you want to call it. It is not and never has been an all-island anthem, therefore it is not appropriate to represent an all-island team.

As I've said before I always find it strange that people who would take a Republican line, on most issues, do a complete about turn and take a partitionist view when it comes to flags and anthems. 

the response to your first part is easy
the song was written BEFORE 1916 and mor eimportantly 1921, therefore the entire island WAS actually then united (under occupation) if I am being pedantic
but thats not what I mean, and thats not what he anthem was written for - it was written for the entire Irish people
I cannot see how you or anyone else can see this as being a divisive or indeed a republican ditty.....unless you are 'TRYING' to percieve it as so..

as for your second part, I honestly havent a clue what you're on about...

[zoyler]

GSTQ is the official anthem of the UK. However in sport Wales and Scotlanduse anthems of their own.  Land of Our Fathers - the Welsh one is as far as I know very old and a brilliant anthem which makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand when sung by a full Millenium Stasium.  Flower of Scotland is more recent and a bit of a dirge like Irelands Call.
I was sitting next to a block ful of Ulster men on Saturday and they did not sinf GSTQ but waited for Irelands Call.
However they did cause some minor annoyance when after Ivan Boss scored his try they started to sing and clap'Stand up for the Ulster men'  This did not go down very well as most felt it was a fifteen man All Ireland effort

[Gaoth Dobhair Abu]

/Occupied 26/Failed sectarian statelet/Eire/

Sammy you really crack me up!!!