Nelson Mandela RIP

[deiseach]

Was soccer a sanction-busting sport? No danger of a whites-only national team.

the point is, this is old old news being rehashed to fill a few column inches. Look to the future time is upon us

I dunno. I get the feeling the average Irish Times reader needs to be reminded that things weren't always totes amazeballs in the land of Irish rugby. Those who cannot remember the past etc

[johnneycool]

Was soccer a sanction-busting sport? No danger of a whites-only national team.

the point is, this is old old news being rehashed to fill a few column inches. Look to the future time is upon us

I dunno. I get the feeling the average Irish Times reader needs to be reminded that things weren't always totes amazeballs in the land of Irish rugby. Those who cannot remember the past etc

The rugby lads were self congratulating themselves on how the world cup in SA was used to 'bring the country together' however it would be hard to find another sport who openly flouted international condemnation for playing in and against SA just so much. I wouldn't say they propped up apartheid as Gerry does, but they didn't seem to think there was anything wrong with playing an all white team where blacks were second class citizens and that's a bit sickening.

I don't think the 'but that was the way it was back then' defence could ever be used.

[deiseach]

I don't think the 'but that was the way it was back then' defence could ever be used.

When you have useful idiots like Gareth Edwards still kidding themselves as recently as 2009 that they made a contribution to the breaking down of apartheid, you can see the value of Gerry Thornley's article.

[Never beat the deeler]

I dunno. I get the feeling the average Irish Times reader needs to be reminded that things weren't always totes amazeballs in the land of Irish rugby. Those who cannot remember the past etc

I think its pronounced 'amazeyballs'

[deiseach]

I dunno. I get the feeling the average Irish Times reader needs to be reminded that things weren't always totes amazeballs in the land of Irish rugby. Those who cannot remember the past etc

I think its pronounced 'amazeyballs'

A day when you learn a new thing is a day not wasted.

[J OGorman]

Was soccer a sanction-busting sport? No danger of a whites-only national team.

the point is, this is old old news being rehashed to fill a few column inches. Look to the future time is upon us

I dunno. I get the feeling the average Irish Times reader needs to be reminded that things weren't always totes amazeballs in the land of Irish rugby. Those who cannot remember the past etc

The rugby lads were self congratulating themselves on how the world cup in SA was used to 'bring the country together' however it would be hard to find another sport who openly flouted international condemnation for playing in and against SA just so much. I wouldn't say they propped up apartheid as Gerry does, but they didn't seem to think there was anything wrong with playing an all white team where blacks were second class citizens and that's a bit sickening.

I don't think the 'but that was the way it was back then' defence could ever be used.

rugby ba$tards

[passedit]

Very good article by Gerry thornley in the Irish times for those with selective memories

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/rugby-family-has-shameful-past-in-propping-up-apartheid-regime-1.1622452?page=1

I'm sure there were other sports persons and entertainers who ignored the anti apartheid protests and played in Sun City or wherever to their eternal shame.

Gerry has soccer week, golf the week after,  cricket then  etc...no want of news stories during that era. Time to loom forward as Mandela did

Was soccer a sanction-busting sport? No danger of a whites-only national team.

There was at least one attempt in the early 80s which floundered on the complete indifference of white SA to soccer and black SA to sanction busting scabs. Lasted  about two games I think. The Spacemonkey also played soccer out there during that era, which might explain his casual racism.

On a different note, good article here from Marina Hyde

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/dec/06/follow-nelson-mandela-laugh-rightwing-fawning?CMP=twt_gu

[theskull1]

ANC getting some ribbing on Question Time in Johannesburg

[Wildweasel74]

On another note, i am thinking of applying for a Sign language interpreter in South Africa, if a guy from the mental asylum can do it, so can i lol.

[ONeill]

On another note, i am thinking of applying for a Sign language interpreter in South Africa, if a guy from the mental asylum can do it, so can i lol.

Mad story that.

A South African man accused of "faking" his ability to act as a sign language interpreter at the Nelson Mandela memorial has claimed he is a violent schizophrenic who "heard voices" and saw "angels" during the landmark event.

[Shamrock Shore]

[playwiththewind1st]

Yep, that makes perfect sense.

[stew]

Yep, that makes perfect sense.

The sight of Obama standing beside that poor bastard made me laugh my arse off, to me this incident epitomizes the ineptitude of the Obama administration perfectly.

[lawnseed]

Yep, that makes perfect sense.

The sight of Obama standing beside that poor b**tard made me laugh my arse off, to me this incident epitomizes the ineptitude of the Obama administration perfectly.

Wonder what way he'd sign the gimp kennys speech that would truely be a sight to see

[Ulick]

All seemed to go a bit quiet on the Mandela front around the time Gerry showed up. Coincidence?