Protestant GAA clubs

Bogball XV · February 23, 2007, 04:44:07 PM

Quote from: realredhandfan on February 23, 2007, 03:54:51 PM
What Brennan should have recognised is the way that the existing GAA is run in the North and trusted that the Northern GAA clubs have point blanketly refused to let sectarianism enter their clubrooms, impinge on their meetings etc. and have welcomed all into their clubs bar none.

RRHF I appreciate what you're saying, but I think whilst not being actuallly sectarian, virtually every GAA club I know is strongly republican, this goes from their names down to the social club having some republican band playing on a saturday night, now there's nothing wong with that in my eyes, but, is that going to attract some wee lad/girl from the other side?
I also appreciate that sectarian violence could be an issue (having played junior soccer in some desperate black wee holes), but imo anyone open-minded enough to start a prod gaa club would hardly be particularly sectarian anyway, plus given it'll be at least 100yrs before the north would be ready for this, there'll hardly be a problem by then...??

realredhandfan · February 23, 2007, 04:54:18 PM

and what about the anthem, the flag, must they all go? If I were a unionist I would be unconfortable playing under a tricolour with the anthem playing. Im not If brennan wants to makes inroads into unionist thinking he should send up a task team and hold public meetings in unionist areas. he will find his answer there. Does he believe afterhis 'speech' they'll be meeting tonight in Tobermore saying Lads we can bate these Balinascreen hoors... we just need a pitch.

behind the wire · February 23, 2007, 05:42:55 PM

for once i can say that i definitely agree with tony!!

to appeal to the opposite side of the gaa should not be referred to as starting protestant gaa clubs, unionist is more appropriate. it makes the gaa sound based on religion, it is not. when i tell local unionists that same mcguire, roger casement, john mitchell were protestants they do not believe me.

i think brennan's idea's are definitely very noble but i dont think he realises the magnitutde of the problem. hatred for the gaa is bred into young unionists on the same level as hatred for sinn fein etc, the people i work with still refer to it as the ira at play or gerry's sport. i come from a predominately unionist town and it is only now that we are beginning to be accepted by the wider community, district council etc, (our onfield performances have reflected this as our club has been allowed to develop). there has even been a willingness shown by some unionist parents to send their children to the gaa. the majority of unionists i know watch and enjoy gaa games but are reluctant to join or openly support, mainly due to the pressure in their own communities.

i have played football and hurling with a few protestants in the past, usually at underage level, however most of them came under too much peer pressure at school and packed it in. getting more people from the unionist community into our games is definitely a good idea, however, i believe that it will only progress as the political climate continues to soften. there will be more hope for unionist members in the next generation rather than the present one.

any view?

behind the wire · February 23, 2007, 05:54:43 PM

who was it 5ive times? i was there but i dont know who it was.

Fear ón Srath Bán · February 23, 2007, 08:59:55 PM

Quote from: Tony Fearon on February 23, 2007, 03:21:20 PM
...But we don't want a situation in the GAA like the one that prevails in Irish League soccer in the North, where practically every club is either catholic or protestant (in terms of suppport at any rate) and the attendant chaos, sectarian bravado, rioting that goes with this when certain clubs clash

Agreed Tony, that is certainly what we neither want nor need. But, I don't believe that's what would evolve, in the medium term. Yes, of practical necessity initially we may have teams comprising only unionists, but in so doing the unionists en sporting bloc will have crossed such a rubicon of recognition (of an all-Ireland organisation) such as to render any segregation on something as ultimately insignificant as religion completely inconsequential, i.e., religion itself will have been emphatically demoted in the order of things, where their primary preoccupation will be to flourish as a GAA team.

In such a scenario, political persuasion won't even come into it (though admittedly we're some way away from that yet).

Pangurban · February 23, 2007, 10:56:27 PM

A crazy sectarian idea, typical of the muddled thinking which exists among so many in the G.A.A. hierarchy today

Gaoth Dobhair Abu · February 23, 2007, 11:32:14 PM

Quote from: Fear ón Srath Bán on February 23, 2007, 08:59:55 PM
Quote from: Tony Fearon on February 23, 2007, 03:21:20 PM
...But we don't want a situation in the GAA like the one that prevails in Irish League soccer in the North, where practically every club is either catholic or protestant (in terms of suppport at any rate) and the attendant chaos, sectarian bravado, rioting that goes with this when certain clubs clash

Agreed Tony, that is certainly what we neither want nor need. But, I don't believe that's what would evolve, in the medium term. Yes, of practical necessity initially we may have teams comprising only unionists, but in so doing the unionists en sporting bloc will have crossed such a rubicon of recognition (of an all-Ireland organisation) such as to render any segregation on something as ultimately insignificant as religion completely inconsequential, i.e., religion itself will have been emphatically demoted in the order of things, where their primary preoccupation will be to flourish as a GAA team.

In such a scenario, political persuasion won't even come into it (though admittedly we're some way away from that yet).

Fear your missing the big picture, why bring religion into the equation in the first place!!!
Jezuz I hope Brennan is laying in his nice soft comfortable bed now regreting what he said - but I doubt it!!

Fear ón Srath Bán · February 24, 2007, 12:36:33 AM

QuoteFear your missing the big picture, why bring religion into the equation in the first place!!!
Jezuz I hope Brennan is laying in his nice soft comfortable bed now regreting what he said - but I doubt it!!

Yes, I wish religion weren't a factor here. But, unfortunately, whilst England circumscribes the boundary of the Irish, north or south, religion will play a role, because it's the only card they have to play to divide us. Though unionism is the more relevant term.

Let it be their last, and soon.
Sláinte.

Mike Sheehy · February 24, 2007, 12:46:25 AM

A ridiculous statement by Brennan..has the man ever heard of apartheid !

deiseach · February 24, 2007, 10:47:30 AM

Quote from: realredhandfan on February 23, 2007, 04:54:18 PM
and what about the anthem, the flag, must they all go? If I were a unionist I would be unconfortable playing under a tricolour with the anthem playing. Im not If brennan wants to makes inroads into unionist thinking he should send up a task team and hold public meetings in unionist areas. he will find his answer there. Does he believe afterhis 'speech' they'll be meeting tonight in Tobermore saying Lads we can bate these Balinascreen hoors... we just need a pitch.

Agreed about the task force bit. If Nick(e)y is serious about reaching out to Unionists then he needs to be a bit more serious than just making a speech.

However, are the anthem and flag off limits? If such a task force ventured into the large swathes of the North where there are no GAA clubs (as confirmed by a recent thread) and found out that people were willing to join the jamboree that is the GAA - I remember reading a Ken Maginnis quote where he expressed his youthful envy at his neighbours heading off to the match while he was keeping the Sabbath day holy - but the anthem and the flag were sticking points, would we in the GAA seriously say 'tough, take it or leave it'?

However (again), Nickey and co have to accept a priori that there are certain things which are not up for discussion. The most obvious example would be the name of the All-Ireland Senior Football Inter-County Championship trophy, whch seems to be a bone of contention with some. It is absolutely non-negotiable, and if it proves to be a sticking point then we really would be wasting our time!

Tony Fearon · February 24, 2007, 11:23:05 AM

5 Times, I would ask you to withdraw the allegations that I abused Peter Withnell at any time. Never at any sporting occasion have I abused any player on any team (either my team or any opposing team) on account of their religion, colour, or class.

I might have abused

Colm Mc Alarney (for his big nose)
James Mc Cartan (for being mouthy)

But never for the reasons you stated

BallyhaiseMan · February 24, 2007, 02:25:27 PM

what next?
Muslim GAA Clubs
Atheist GAA Clubs
Jewish GAA Clubs?

Religion has no place in the GAA.

SammyG · February 24, 2007, 03:08:37 PM

Totally ridiculous article, let's try and fix a problem that doesn't exist, by creating an even bigger problem. The issue that non-GAAers have with the GAA is political not relegious.

Fiodoir Ard Mhacha · February 24, 2007, 03:12:29 PM

The more I think of this article, the more it's a complete load of patronising, ignorant, unwelcomed meddling.

Just invite Protestants, Muslims, Poles, atheists, East Timorese (i.e. do you see how ridiculous his call was) - anyone, regardless of 'what' they are - to join the existing GAA clubs.