when gstq is played in croke park remember aidan mc anespie

[pintsofguinness]

Sammy are you withdrawing your claims about O'Gara? 

I'm not withdrawing either of my claims. He was poor and he bahaved disgracefully during Ireland's Call.

It's strange that only you picked up on this disgraceful behaviour.

[Hardy]

Sammy - I'm not much of a rugby fan and not qualified to assess O'Gara's performance, so the fact that I thought he was immense yesterday is neither here nor there. You're entitled to your opinion, but it's at variance with every report I've read today, all of which acclaim his performance in terms including "absolutely commanding", "almost a perfect 10", "masterful", "almost the perfect fly-half game" and "his best game in an Ireland jersey". He was also just two points off breaking the record for points scored by any player against England in the championship.

"Poor"?

Balladmaker, scalder, et al - does the phrase "not an inch" ring any bells with you?

[Hardy]

Sorry – I meant to add - my young lad has the game recorded. I've taken a look at the anthems just now and there is no sign of any player disrespecting "Ireland's Call" or jumping about, or whatever. Of course the camera wasn't on O'Gara all the time, but he certainly wasn't disrespecting anybody or anything anytime he was in shot during "Ireland's Call". So I would conclude he wasn't very effective in showing the disrespect of which you accuse him and was very poor indeed at "playing to the gallery" because, every time the camera was on him, he was standing straight and looking directly ahead with a solemn look on his face.

[Syd The Sailor]

Sammy are you withdrawing your claims about O'Gara? 

I'm not withdrawing either of my claims. He was poor and he bahaved disgracefully during Ireland's Call.

Not sure whether it was Jim Neilly or Tyrone Howe that said that O'Gara won the battle with Wilkinson hands down......

[The Truth]

Sammy are you withdrawing your claims about O'Gara? 

I'm not withdrawing either of my claims. He was poor and he bahaved disgracefully during Ireland's Call.

"O'Gara dominates battle of the fly-halves" Peter Reilly- Sunday Times. ......"the masterful O'Gara..." Stephen Jones-Sunday Times.

[Square Ball]

Phil Harlow BBC Sport

O'Gara - 9: Totally outshone opposite man Jonny Wilkinson, his kicking out of hand pinned England back time and again, while his cross-kick gave Horgan his try on a plate. Add in his faultless goal-kicking, and there is very little to criticise.

[Bogball XV]

Who in the rugby world apart from the All Blacks would refuse to have O'Gara as first choice on their team?

He's overrated imo, his kicking game has been pretty woeful these past 2 matches and as that was always the strongest part of his game it's worrying.  In saying that he's a brilliant place kicker and he was involved in some good play, that showboating is fine against the likes of England, but when we play a real team and have to try and win ugly, how will we do it?
However as for this 'disrespect' for Ireland's call (where does the respect come from in the first place?), I think he probably had a wee bit more on his mind than trying to single handedly annoy Sammy!

[balladmaker]

Balladmaker, scalder, et al - does the phrase "not an inch" ring any bells with you?

Just to clarify my point:

Firstly, as much as I dislike Ireland's Call and the reasoning behind it, if the northern Protestants on the team wish to have an 'anthem' which they can identify with, then so be it...no problem at all.  So as was done yesterday, play both Amhrán na bhFiann and Ireland's Call.

The problem I have is when Ireland play abroad.....we only have Ireland's Call played.  We are heading into a World Cup in France, and not once will we hear Amhrán na bhFiann before any of Ireland's games.  So much for equality.  If we can have Ireland's Call, surely the majority of the team from the 26 counties are entitled to have the National Anthem of Ireland performed also.

[thewobbler]

BM I've been watching rugby for over 10 years, but I've never seen an Irish team reach the intensity that this team did vs Australia in October and vs England yesterday. There is a commitment level to their performances that could only make you proud to watch them.

Yet rather than warm to this, you would rather get hung up on what songs are being played beforehand. It's obviously not sport that attracts you, but politics.

[J70]

Balladmaker, scalder, et al - does the phrase "not an inch" ring any bells with you?

Just to clarify my point:

Firstly, as much as I dislike Ireland's Call and the reasoning behind it, if the northern Protestants on the team wish to have an 'anthem' which they can identify with, then so be it...no problem at all.  So as was done yesterday, play both Amhrán na bhFiann and Ireland's Call.

The problem I have is when Ireland play abroad.....we only have Ireland's Call played.  We are heading into a World Cup in France, and not once will we hear Amhrán na bhFiann before any of Ireland's games.  So much for equality.  If we can have Ireland's Call, surely the majority of the team from the 26 counties are entitled to have the National Anthem of Ireland performed also.

As was suggested earlier, then why not just play God Save the Queen along with Amhran na bhFiann? If the issue is the playing the actual anthems that the respective players and fans consider their own, instead of some mediocre compromise, then how can it be fair to play one and not the other? Its clear-cut to me - its a choice of either the compromise song or the two anthems together. Unless you're suggesting that people from a unionist background are less equal when it comes to this rugby team represented us all?

[The Real Laoislad]

Don't know if this was asked before but it's a thought that crossed my mind yesterday during the Anthems.
If some or alot of  Ulster rugby fans are prodtestant im sure that means they consider themselves British which also means there national anthem is God save the Queen so i just wondered if these fans would have stood and sang GSTQ while it was being played for England yesterday even though they were there supporting Ireland? Just something i thought of i don't really care or have a opinion one way or the other just wondered

[J70]

Don't know if this was asked before but it's a thought that crossed my mind yesterday during the Anthems.
If some or alot of  Ulster rugby fans are prodtestant im sure that means they consider themselves British which also means there national anthem is God save the Queen so i just wondered if these fans would have stood and sang GSTQ while it was being played for England yesterday even though they were there supporting Ireland? Just something i thought of i don't really care or have a opinion one way or the other just wondered

Why wouldn't they? Its their anthem.

[Louis the Red]

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

[Gaoth Dobhair Abu]

Don't know if this was asked before but it's a thought that crossed my mind yesterday during the Anthems.
If some or alot of  Ulster rugby fans are prodtestant im sure that means they consider themselves British which also means there national anthem is God save the Queen so i just wondered if these fans would have stood and sang GSTQ while it was being played for England yesterday even though they were there supporting Ireland? Just something i thought of i don't really care or have a opinion one way or the other just wondered

Why wouldn't they? Its their anthem.

For Christ's sake J70 their IRISH MEN how the f**k could GSTQ be their anthem!!!!!  Now no more shit tonight on a night when i'm celebrating Donegal and celtics victories! 

[J70]

Don't know if this was asked before but it's a thought that crossed my mind yesterday during the Anthems.
If some or alot of  Ulster rugby fans are prodtestant im sure that means they consider themselves British which also means there national anthem is God save the Queen so i just wondered if these fans would have stood and sang GSTQ while it was being played for England yesterday even though they were there supporting Ireland? Just something i thought of i don't really care or have a opinion one way or the other just wondered

Why wouldn't they? Its their anthem.

For Christ's sake J70 their IRISH MEN how the f**k could GSTQ be their anthem!!!!!  Now no more shit tonight on a night when i'm celebrating Donegal and celtics victories! 

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?