who turned down the visit to meet the queen at croke park?

[Nally Stand]

Taken from Hogan Stand website:

"Representative of every county board in Ireland were present when the Queen was welcomed to GAA Headquarters today, but it has been revealed that representatives of the Antrim, Armagh, Derry, Fermanagh and Tyrone county boards snubbed the invitation to be present at Jones Road..... It was known that there was a degree of unhappiness at the decision by the GAA to invite Queen Elizabeth to Croke Park, but there was no public comment by GAA officials on the subject after Christy Cooney instructed all county boards to remain silent on the issue."

I am proud that the Tyrone County Board stayed clear of it. Does this visit also not highlight the divisiveness and the ill-thought out idea of the visit, when the counties most affected by HM's government and forces clearly feel that this it is premature?

The instruction from Cooney that no debate shall be allowed is a total insult to the grassroots. Or "patrons" as he would say.

[deiseach]

Now moving on or not is not the point hardy. There was no debate and therefore no voices heard at that time.  And those who decided to be quiet or stayed away represent 1/4 of the democratic organisation me and you love dearly  Their passive approach to the event should not be highlighted as a negative on their part,  I believe

You're right that it would have been good if there had been a debate, but seeing as there was no debate where do you get the figure of 1/4 from?

Not sure but it may be based on the fact that 8 out of 32 counties declined the invite. All of which were Ulster counties.

Course that doesn't equal out to 1/4 of the whole organisation but given the GAA didn't entertain any debate on this it would be hard to get an actual figure of those that were opposed to it.

Fair point, saw your quote from Hoganstand.com on the Lily Windsor thread

[INDIANA]

Only surmising hardy I just know that such a political event as this was received no airtime or debate.  We debated the life out of foreign sports etc. But not a birdy on this. If a conservative organisation like the gaa,allows itself to be politicised for events like this. There must be a serious sweetener on offer.   

Or it could be that it just wasn't as controversial among GAA members as the "foreign" sports debate, etc.

Could it be that we have, in fact, moved on, if you'll pardon the expression?

I think those who lived through the worst of it would struggle to move on. I dont personally have a problem with the Queen entering Croke Park- however I can see why others would.

[Nally Stand]

Only surmising hardy I just know that such a political event as this was received no airtime or debate.  We debated the life out of foreign sports etc. But not a birdy on this. If a conservative organisation like the gaa,allows itself to be politicised for events like this. There must be a serious sweetener on offer.   

Or it could be that it just wasn't as controversial among GAA members as the "foreign" sports debate, etc.

Could it be that we have, in fact, moved on, if you'll pardon the expression?

I think those who lived through the worst of it would struggle to move on. I dont personally have a problem with the Queen entering Croke Park- however I can see why others would.

Aye it must be very easy to move on when the last time a british soldier harassed or murdered anyone in your locality was almost a century ago

[armaghniac]

Aye it must be very easy to move on when the last time a british soldier harassed or murdered anyone in your locality was almost a century ago

That's a tad ungracious Nally Stand. In any case, it seems to me that the problem is not when a British soldier harassed or murdered anyone, which over a decade now anyhow, but that they are free to come back at any time in the future and do this. If they were gone forever then a decade is long enough to get over things, the EEC was founded only 11 years after WW2.

[ONeill]

I think it was a poor move by the Derry officials not to attend today as it might be their only chance to attend Croker on a big occasion for a few more decades.

[Nally Stand]

Aye it must be very easy to move on when the last time a british soldier harassed or murdered anyone in your locality was almost a century ago

That's a tad ungracious Nally Stand. In any case, it seems to me that the problem is not when a British soldier harassed or murdered anyone, which over a decade now anyhow, but that they are free to come back at any time in the future and do this. If they were gone forever then a decade is long enough to get over things, the EEC was founded only 11 years after WW2.

Over a decade ago, and some much longer.....and still HM Government is with-holding the truth behind most of them.

[Harold Disgracey]

For those of us who love the GAA today is a step too far. At the site of the single greatest injustice in our history to invite those responsible back to the scene of the crime is galling. Some will say its time for neighbours to forget the past, but the sight of the royals out on the pitch surrounded by Gardai will only open old wounds. It wasn't a fuckin goal and Louth won Leinster!!!

[deiseach]

For those of us who love the GAA today is a step too far. At the site of the single greatest injustice in our history to invite those responsible back to the scene of the crime is galling. Some will say its time for neighbours to forget the past, but the sight of the royals out on the pitch surrounded by Gardai will only open old wounds. It wasn't a fuckin goal and Louth won Leinster!!!

Priceless

[Gaffer]

Was that Fr Brian D'arcy about today?
Sort of event he loves to get going to.

[mylestheslasher]

For those of us who love the GAA today is a step too far. At the site of the single greatest injustice in our history to invite those responsible back to the scene of the crime is galling. Some will say its time for neighbours to forget the past, but the sight of the royals out on the pitch surrounded by Gardai will only open old wounds. It wasn't a fuckin goal and Louth won Leinster!!!

That's the royals for ya

[Nally Stand]

For those of us who love the GAA today is a step too far. At the site of the single greatest injustice in our history to invite those responsible back to the scene of the crime is galling. Some will say its time for neighbours to forget the past, but the sight of the royals out on the pitch surrounded by Gardai will only open old wounds. It wasn't a fuckin goal and Louth won Leinster!!!

That's the royals for ya

Aye and wasn't Sheridan there today doing some royal ass kissing too

[Hardy]

Did anyone catch the conversation today between Joe (God bless him), McAleese and Lily Windsor? I thought I heard McAleese talking about the Meath captain "fair play to him", being gentle with Louth in his acceptance speech after the Leinster final, but surely not? But I definitely heard Lizzie saying "replay? Yer 'avin a laff!"

[Pangurban]

Whether one approves or disapproves of the Croker visit, it has highlighted the growing democratic deficit within the Association. We dont know if the members from Down support their Co.Boards attendance, or if the members from other Ulster Cos, support their Counties boycott. Whether for or against all views are valid and no one should be critisized for their particular stance

[Nally Stand]

Does no-one think that (as is implied either on this thread or the thread in general discussion) the only reason for her visiting Croke Park is to issue an apology?

Whilst this is clearly a sensitive subject, is it not likely that she's going there to mark or apologise for what happened there?

can anyone tell me why she going to croker?

Could you take an educated guess?

You wouldimagne she will make some sort of statement when she goes to Croke park in terms of acknowledging Brithish wrongdoings in the past

Reagan - no visit to Croke Park.
Clinton - no visit to Croke Park.
JKF - nope.
Prince Rainier - nope.

Has it occurred to anyone why she might be going to Croke Park?

Some people are a bit slow on the uptake. I also suspect some people don't really want acknowledgement or apologies and would rather 'retain' a perceived 'moral high ground'.

And if the IRA are absolved simply by an apology, surely an apology by the Queen in Ireland will put an enter to your whataboutery?

So I heard the reports of her visit to croke Park, and I've read the text of her speech this evening. What happened this apology lads?