State of Minds last night - Linfield fans visit Clones

[SammyG]

Sam

You're going to have to enlighten me as to why you think the GAA's rules are based on political beliefs.

Fiodoir, dont bother, all you will get is "Im Excluded, nationalist ethos etc", simple black and white answer. Despite the fact that he already admitted on the board this week that he/loyalists/unionists were NOT excluded from attending or viewing GAA, a point which contradicts his feelings in 20 pages plus topic earlier in the year.

AFR

For the millionth time what has attendance got to do with membership. Of course no-one is excluded from attending a match or going to a 'do' in a club BUT they are excluded from membership.

[lynchbhoy]

Sam

You're going to have to enlighten me as to why you think the GAA's rules are based on political beliefs.

Fiodoir, dont bother, all you will get is "Im Excluded, nationalist ethos etc", simple black and white answer. Despite the fact that he already admitted on the board this week that he/loyalists/unionists were NOT excluded from attending or viewing GAA, a point which contradicts his feelings in 20 pages plus topic earlier in the year.

AFR

For the millionth time what has attendance got to do with membership. Of course no-one is excluded from attending a match or going to a 'do' in a club BUT they are excluded from membership.

of what...the unionists or loyalists for being a GAA member ?

[Fiodoir Ard Mhacha]

Sam

You make joining the GAA sound like signing up for the 'ra

[SammyG]

Sam

You make joining the GAA sound like signing up for the 'ra

In what way? I'd have thought it was more like joining the SDLP or FF/FG

[Fiodoir Ard Mhacha]

I certainly wouldn't equate the SDLP, FF or FG as being republican, despite what FF's slogan indicates.

I am much more certain that the GAA exist to promote Irish culture, through sport, language, song and associated activities, across the island of Ireland and beyond. I can't see a lot of politics in that, personally.

[lynchbhoy]

Sam

You make joining the GAA sound like signing up for the 'ra

In what way? I'd have thought it was more like joining the SDLP or FF/FG

that isnt what you are implying though ...
...pants on fire!

[SammyG]

I certainly wouldn't equate the SDLP, FF or FG as being republican, despite what FF's slogan indicates.

I am much more certain that the GAA exist to promote Irish culture, through sport, language, song and associated activities, across the island of Ireland and beyond. I can't see a lot of politics in that, personally.

Page 1 of the GAA guide says (amongst other things) "'Since she has no control over all the national
territory, Ireland's claim to nationhood is impaired."

Don't know how you read that but it sounds like a political statement to me.

[SammyG]

Sam

You make joining the GAA sound like signing up for the 'ra

In what way? I'd have thought it was more like joining the SDLP or FF/FG

that isnt what you are implying though ...
...pants on fire!

WTF are you on about? I haven't implied anything, I've stated that the GAA has political rules that exclude non-Nationalists, nothing implied, it's a statement of fact.

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

I've stated that the GAA has political rules that exclude non-Nationalists, nothing implied, it's a statement of fact.

Which are Sammy, exactly?

[Fishead_Sam]

Sammy no-one on this page would accuse me of being a Republican   but how on Gods(or not as you are an Atheist, Darwins perhaps) Green Earth do you think you are excluded?

Maybe its different in Ulster or some other places but down here in Connacht/Connaught there is no religious profile to the GAA, sure a load of the underage on the Ballyhaunis Hurling teams are of Pakistani origion (I presume they are Muslim because they are part of the community that came to Mayo circa 25-30 years ago to run the Hal-Al Meet Factory [Islam version of Coshere]. There was a picture in the Mayo News this week and one of their underage teams was 1/3 Pakistani (sorry presumed that from their appearance & the fact that was Ballyhaunis)

Catholic-Protestant-Jew-Atheist-Muslim etc. not an issue in the GAA in Mayo (from my experiece) you wouldn't even know if the other lads where the same/other/or no religion.

Well if its down to Nationalist/Unionist/Other that ain't an issue either its all about 2 things, winning the Sam Maguire Cup (a Protestant mind) and beating Galway.

Dr.Hyde Park in Roscommon town is just another example of a Stadium named after a Protestant, and you dare change that stadiums name & the Sheepstealers would probably Lynch ya before the looked at ya.

[SammyG]

I've stated that the GAA has political rules that exclude non-Nationalists, nothing implied, it's a statement of fact.

Which are Sammy, exactly?

Page 1 of the official guide. You can read it at http://www.gaa.ie/files/gaa_official_guide2003.pdf if you don't own a copy.

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

I've stated that the GAA has political rules that exclude non-Nationalists, nothing implied, it's a statement of fact.

Which are Sammy, exactly?

Page 1 of the official guide. You can read it at http://www.gaa.ie/files/gaa_official_guide2003.pdf if you don't own a copy.

I'm well aware of the guide, smartarse. Now, show me exactly the words, verbatim, where it forbids anyone from participation.

[lynchbhoy]

I've stated that the GAA has political rules that exclude non-Nationalists, nothing implied, it's a statement of fact.

Which are Sammy, exactly?

Page 1 of the official guide. You can read it at http://www.gaa.ie/files/gaa_official_guide2003.pdf if you don't own a copy.

thats it keep that head in the sand!
These 'rules' are enforced alright (in your mind and the mind of people 'like' you)

as I said
Its this unionist/loyalist mentality that keeps the place as it is for the past 30 years.

[snatter]

Sam

You make joining the GAA sound like signing up for the 'ra

In what way? I'd have thought it was more like joining the SDLP or FF/FG

that isnt what you are implying though ...
...pants on fire!

WTF are you on about? I haven't implied anything, I've stated that the GAA has political rules that exclude non-Nationalists, nothing implied, it's a statement of fact.

Sammy,

The GAA exists to promote and preserve Irish culture and identity.
It does this primarily by promoting native Irish sports.
Just because it promotes Irish sports doesn't make it anti Unionist or anti-British.

Most fair minded people accept that its not a zero-sum game whereby promoting one set of cultural values is an attack on another.
To say otehrwise is like saying that people who like falcons can't join a pigeon fanciers club if they want.

You are making a fundamental mistake in confusing promotion of a national identity with political belief.
When you look at the GAA, you might see a bunch of people "reading from the Shinners handbook", but the reality is different.
The GAA is a broad political church.
I personally would like to see its membership become broader.
Current obstacles are people like you willfully misrepresenting the GAA's ethos.
For the record, I also think that the language used in the official guide is dated - it sounds like some 19th century poem.
It should be replaced with something along the lines of
"The GAA exists to promote and preserve Irish culture and identity, and in particular native Irish games.
It welcomes and honours the efforts of all those who wish to preserve our valuable culture, blah...."

[Fishead_Sam]

Sam

You make joining the GAA sound like signing up for the 'ra

In what way? I'd have thought it was more like joining the SDLP or FF/FG

that isnt what you are implying though ...
...pants on fire!

WTF are you on about? I haven't implied anything, I've stated that the GAA has political rules that exclude non-Nationalists, nothing implied, it's a statement of fact.

Sammy,

The GAA exists to promote and preserve Irish culture and identity.
It does this primarily by promoting native Irish sports.
Just because it promotes Irish sports doesn't make it anti Unionist or anti-British.

Most fair minded people accept that its not a zero-sum game whereby promoting one set of cultural values is an attack on another.
To say otehrwise is like saying that people who like falcons can't join a pigeon fanciers club if they want.

You are making a fundamental mistake in confusing promotion of a national identity with political belief.
When you look at the GAA, you might see a bunch of people "reading from the Shinners handbook", but the reality is different.
The GAA is a broad political church.
I personally would like to see its membership become broader.
Current obstacles are people like you willfully misrepresenting the GAA's ethos.
For the record, I also think that the language used in the official guide is dated - it sounds like some 19th century poem.
It should be replaced with something along the lines of
"The GAA exists to promote and preserve Irish culture and identity, and in particular native Irish games.
It welcomes and honours the efforts of all those who wish to preserve our valuable culture, blah...."

Does Sammy not realise that the GAA have hard-core Republicans right accross to those of us who like SF less than their Cheerleader Big Ian Paisley