Figuring out who is catholic on the NI soccer panel

[JimStynes]

What is the official reason for not changing the national anthem? it really is a disgrace!
Also looking at the photos on Facebook, it looks like a mini 12th parade in the norn iron supporter zones with all their band parade flegs on show.

[michaelg]

278 posts in 

It's only taken 628 posts to blow my cover.

Thought I was doing a cracking job as a fifth columnist.

Don't be off joining M15 just yet I had be doubt's after reading only one of your posts.

Here is the question for you why is it that Unionist can feel comfortable supporting the Irish Rugby team in Dublin and nationalist/republicans don't feel the same level of comfort at Windsor Park ?

To be honest you'd have to ask a nationalist who doesn't feel comfortable at Windsor Pk or a unionist who goes to rugby that question. I'm neither.

Fair enough but I was asking you for an opinion.

Ok - maybe it's because unionists accept the legitimacy of the southern state even if they have no allegiance to it and are willing to respect the jurisdiction they are in, whilst nationalists have never accepted that NI has a right to exist?

Any Unionist that I know who support tge Irish Rugby team have massive allegiance to a team which represents the Irish nation.

Th Ireland rugby team represents the island of Ireland I.e. RIO and NI. That is why unionists are happy to support the team.

[T Fearon]

You are basically following the Irish team that represents your community.Fact is that N Ireland is part of the U.K.,nationalists North and South endorsed this position as part of the Good Friday Agreement.IFA as I see it is entitled to use the UK national anthem therefore, and much as I would like it changed,I think to do so would alienate a lot of its supporters.I remember a few years ago,the IFA decided that God Save the Queen would not be played ahead of the IFA Cup Final between Cliftonville and Glentoran,presumably to ward off an afternoon of sectarianism (caused by one set of fans contempt for the anthem and the other set's unwarranted devotion to it), and was immediately faced with a delegation from the DUP big hitters who got an assurance this was only a temporary measure.

The reference to the Irish tricolour is irrelevant.Anyone with a basic understanding of Northern Unionism knows that the symbolism is irrelevant.At best unionism is oblivious to the Republic, or at worst hostile to and fearful of it,therefore any symbolism in the Republic flag is lost on them.

I will go to football games in Belfast or Dublin if I'm interested in a particular game or players participating in it.I will not let a piece of music or a coloured cloth deter me in any way.

[Tonto]

Ok just a few things:

1. It's interesting to see how many of you sing the praises of the rugby men and have no problem with Ravenhill, yet they also bring the Ulster Flag (6 county version) to support a 9 county team, but the problem arises when it's the flag used for a 6 county team (ie the NI football team).

2. I think some of you would be very surprised about the overlap between NI football supporters and Ulster rugby supporters.

3. Don't get the Irish nation mixed up with the Irish rugby team. You don't have to be Scouse to support Liverpool.

4. The symbolism of the tricolour may be inclusive but if you seriously think that unionists feel represented by an orange stripe and therefore the flag you're deluded. The same argument could be made about the Union Flag by the way - the cross of St Patrick represents Ireland, so therefore represents you... Doesn't it?  No, didn't think so.

[SkillfulBill]

You are basically following the Irish team that represents your community.Fact is that N Ireland is part of the U.K.,nationalists North and South endorsed this position as part of the Good Friday Agreement.IFA as I see it is entitled to use the UK national anthem therefore, and much as I would like it changed,I think to do so would alienate a lot of its supporters.I remember a few years ago,the IFA decided that God Save the Queen would not be played ahead of the IFA Cup Final between Cliftonville and Glentoran,presumably to ward off an afternoon of sectarianism (caused by one set of fans contempt for the anthem and the other set's unwarranted devotion to it), and was immediately faced with a delegation from the DUP big hitters who got an assurance this was only a temporary measure.

The reference to the Irish tricolour is irrelevant.Anyone with a basic understanding of Northern Unionism knows that the symbolism is irrelevant.At best unionism is oblivious to the Republic, or at worst hostile to and fearful of it,therefore any symbolism in the Republic flag is lost on them.

I will go to football games in Belfast or Dublin if I'm interested in a particular game or players participating in it.I will not let a piece of music or a coloured cloth deter me in any way.

Tony you are a soccer fan who goes not out of a strong sense of identity but to enjoy the game and the players who play it which is fair enough. But when a sense of nation hood comes into it on an international basis then peoples sense of identity becomes a major part of it. Flags emblems and songs.

[SkillfulBill]

278 posts in 

It's only taken 628 posts to blow my cover.

Thought I was doing a cracking job as a fifth columnist.

Don't be off joining M15 just yet I had be doubt's after reading only one of your posts.

Here is the question for you why is it that Unionist can feel comfortable supporting the Irish Rugby team in Dublin and nationalist/republicans don't feel the same level of comfort at Windsor Park ?

To be honest you'd have to ask a nationalist who doesn't feel comfortable at Windsor Pk or a unionist who goes to rugby that question. I'm neither.

Fair enough but I was asking you for an opinion.

Ok - maybe it's because unionists accept the legitimacy of the southern state even if they have no allegiance to it and are willing to respect the jurisdiction they are in, whilst nationalists have never accepted that NI has a right to exist?

Any Unionist that I know who support tge Irish Rugby team have massive allegiance to a team which represents the Irish nation.

Th Ireland rugby team represents the island of Ireland I.e. RIO and NI. That is why unionists are happy to support the team.

On that basis a united Ireland should be easy then one Irish team representing 32 counties has support of Unionisim so one parliment for 32 counties shouldn't be a problem then.

[Tonto]

278 posts in 

It's only taken 628 posts to blow my cover.

Thought I was doing a cracking job as a fifth columnist.

Don't be off joining M15 just yet I had be doubt's after reading only one of your posts.

Here is the question for you why is it that Unionist can feel comfortable supporting the Irish Rugby team in Dublin and nationalist/republicans don't feel the same level of comfort at Windsor Park ?

To be honest you'd have to ask a nationalist who doesn't feel comfortable at Windsor Pk or a unionist who goes to rugby that question. I'm neither.

Fair enough but I was asking you for an opinion.

Ok - maybe it's because unionists accept the legitimacy of the southern state even if they have no allegiance to it and are willing to respect the jurisdiction they are in, whilst nationalists have never accepted that NI has a right to exist?

Any Unionist that I know who support tge Irish Rugby team have massive allegiance to a team which represents the Irish nation.

Th Ireland rugby team represents the island of Ireland I.e. RIO and NI. That is why unionists are happy to support the team.

On that basis a united Ireland should be easy then one Irish team representing 32 counties has support of Unionisim so one parliment for 32 counties shouldn't be a problem then.

As part of the U.K.? Most unionists probably wouldn't have a major problem with the 26 defecting counties rejoining.

[Farrandeelin]

Ok Tonto, but why not a 'go it alone' 32 county parliament? We're nice enough down here.

[Tonto]

Ok Tonto, but why not a 'go it alone' 32 county parliament? We're nice enough down here.

Probably for the same reason nationalists will never be unionists. Emotion. Identity.

[JoG2]

Fair play to you Tonto.

Changing the anthem and the flag would be a great help as has been mentioned many times.  Does any know why they needed to add blue to the kit? The old kits were always just green and white

[JPGJOHNNYG]

tonto your wrong about ravenhill you would see more provincial flags and even south african flags than ulster banners. the cretins who bring the banner probably missed the memo about 10 years ago around about the same time Monaghan man Bowe burst on the scene and the slow realised ulster branch are actually responsible for those 'other' 3 counties aswell

[Applesisapples]

Fair play to you Tonto.

Changing the anthem and the flag would be a great help as has been mentioned many times.  Does any know why they needed to add blue to the kit? The old kits were always just green and white

It would probably help those nationalists who would want to support them. For those of us who don't it means nothing and changing it would have no effect. One suspects that the IFA feel they have more to lose with change. But it is a further exemplar of the unwillingness of Unionists to compromise with us on symbols, which is why McGuinness is pissing against the wind with Arlene &Co.

[OgraAnDun]

278 posts in 

It's only taken 628 posts to blow my cover.

Thought I was doing a cracking job as a fifth columnist.

Don't be off joining M15 just yet I had be doubt's after reading only one of your posts.

Here is the question for you why is it that Unionist can feel comfortable supporting the Irish Rugby team in Dublin and nationalist/republicans don't feel the same level of comfort at Windsor Park ?

To be honest you'd have to ask a nationalist who doesn't feel comfortable at Windsor Pk or a unionist who goes to rugby that question. I'm neither.

Fair enough but I was asking you for an opinion.

Ok - maybe it's because unionists accept the legitimacy of the southern state even if they have no allegiance to it and are willing to respect the jurisdiction they are in, whilst nationalists have never accepted that NI has a right to exist?

Any Unionist that I know who support tge Irish Rugby team have massive allegiance to a team which represents the Irish nation.

Th Ireland rugby team represents the island of Ireland I.e. RIO and NI. That is why unionists are happy to support the team.

On that basis a united Ireland should be easy then one Irish team representing 32 counties has support of Unionisim so one parliment for 32 counties shouldn't be a problem then.

As part of the U.K.? Most unionists probably wouldn't have a major problem with the 26 defecting counties rejoining.

How can they be 26 defecting counties when in 1918, the democratic vote on this island was to establish an Irish Republic. The unionists in the north were the only defectors. It would be similar to an 'In' vote everywhere else in the UK next week apart from Kent and Surrey, so they set up their own state independent of the EU, find out anyone who voted in, and discriminating against them for the following century. You wouldn't call the rest of the U.K. defectors in that situation, I imagine.

[BennyCake]

Gold - you touched on why unionists want to be England and worship a 90 year old monarch. Why do England want to worship a 90 year old monarch and stand to an anthem about her? That has always baffled me. It's like Ireland standing to an anthem about Bono.

Yes the NI flag is baffling but the anthem thing is utterly laughable. For the English and particularly NI.

[Farrandeelin]

Ok Tonto, but why not a 'go it alone' 32 county parliament? We're nice enough down here.

Probably for the same reason nationalists will never be unionists. Emotion. Identity.

Fair enough, yet you expect nationalists in NI to be ok under a regime they have no.emotion or identity with.