Is the Northern GAA really offering gaelic games to our protestant neighbours

[Denn Forever]

@ dublinfella...Prods can be Irish of course but you cannot ignore the fact that a significant number of northern Prods don't consider themselves Irish and don't want to be Irish.  

Of course?

Are we not talking about people who WANT to play GAA?  Can't really comment on how tough it was/is to play GAA in the six counties but slagging  someone about their religion is below the belt.

[A Quinn Martin Production]

How can they ever be a member of the GAA as they are not only about their sports but also a cultural organisation to promote the Irish culture. it would be a bit like a nationalist joining the OO.

I'm confused.  How does making the GAA non-sectarian impact on the Irishness of the organisation?  Or to simplify the same question, why should it?

OK, let's make the GAA less of a cold house to Northern Protestants.  How do we do this?  Well you could start by stopping the flying of the tricolour at GAA grounds, stop playing the national anthem or go for an Ireland's Call type song (along as it's not written by Phil Coulter ), maybe have the scoreboard in Irish English & Ulster Scots (or just have it in English)...now before anyone blows a gasket, not so long ago my work involved me working with largely Protestant community groups in Belfast...these are some of the things they suggested when this topic came up about a year ago.

The GAA is an 32 county organisation with a lot of associated trappings.  This is what a lot of working class northern Protestants cannot buy into.

[CC1]

How can they ever be a member of the GAA as they are not only about their sports but also a cultural organisation to promote the Irish culture. it would be a bit like a nationalist joining the OO.

I'm confused.  How does making the GAA non-sectarian impact on the Irishness of the organisation?  Or to simplify the same question, why should it?

OK, let's make the GAA less of a cold house to Northern Protestants.  How do we do this?  Well you could start by stopping the flying of the tricolour at GAA grounds, stop playing the national anthem or go for an Ireland's Call type song (along as it's not written by Phil Coulter ), maybe have the scoreboard in Irish English & Ulster Scots (or just have it in English)...now before anyone blows a gasket, not so long ago my work involved me working with largely Protestant community groups in Belfast...these are some of the things they suggested when this topic came up about a year ago.

The GAA is an 32 county organisation with a lot of associated trappings.  This is what a lot of working class northern Protestants cannot buy into.

Christ! Would you ever listen to yourself?! The GAA doesn't have to change anything of the sort in order to have protestants playing the game, just a little more OPEN MINDEDNESS on BOTH sides. My own club in Cavan a few miles from the border has two protestants from two different families on the senior panel at the moment. There are one or two working class protestants on the under age teams, and one of the lads fathers is actually a member of the orange lodge.

Would we use this as a reason to not welcome him or any of the other lads into the club? Absolutely not. Do we stop celebrating our Irishness because of it?! Absolutely not. If you ask your protestant neighbour as a person and not as a >enter sectarian name here<, I believe he or she would gladly come along. No one says it would be easy for a protestant to join a GAA club, but if you make them feel welcome, they will join.

Get rid of your clannish attitude and this whole "ah sure he's a working class protestant, he won't want to join" attitude. It's not surprising that protestants feel like a fish out of water playing the GAA with people like you about. I read that list of what "they" suggested, and you can NOT tell me that it represented every working class protestant in NI.

[orangeman]

You have to have lived here to fully understand - do catholic schools play rugby and soccer - answer - YES
Do protestant schools play gaelic football and hurling - answer - NO

Me - I blame the catholic church for a lot of our ills - they have created a system of separatism and division and above all else CONTROL - If we were all educated together we wouldn't have these silly mindsets ! The GAA traditionally reinforced this with too much respect given to the clergy - who'll be in the good seats on All Ireland day ? All the priests, bishops etc.
GRIPE OVER !!

[A Quinn Martin Production]

How can they ever be a member of the GAA as they are not only about their sports but also a cultural organisation to promote the Irish culture. it would be a bit like a nationalist joining the OO.

I'm confused.  How does making the GAA non-sectarian impact on the Irishness of the organisation?  Or to simplify the same question, why should it?

OK, let's make the GAA less of a cold house to Northern Protestants.  How do we do this?  Well you could start by stopping the flying of the tricolour at GAA grounds, stop playing the national anthem or go for an Ireland's Call type song (along as it's not written by Phil Coulter ), maybe have the scoreboard in Irish English & Ulster Scots (or just have it in English)...now before anyone blows a gasket, not so long ago my work involved me working with largely Protestant community groups in Belfast...these are some of the things they suggested when this topic came up about a year ago.

The GAA is an 32 county organisation with a lot of associated trappings.  This is what a lot of working class northern Protestants cannot buy into.

Christ! Would you ever listen to yourself?! The GAA doesn't have to change anything of the sort in order to have protestants playing the game, just a little more OPEN MINDEDNESS on BOTH sides. My own club in Cavan a few miles from the border has two protestants from two different families on the senior panel at the moment. There are one or two working class protestants on the under age teams, and one of the lads fathers is actually a member of the orange lodge.

Would we use this as a reason to not welcome him or any of the other lads into the club? Absolutely not. Do we stop celebrating our Irishness because of it?! Absolutely not. If you ask your protestant neighbour as a person and not as a >enter sectarian name here<, I believe he or she would gladly come along. No one says it would be easy for a protestant to join a GAA club, but if you make them feel welcome, they will join.

Get rid of your clannish attitude and this whole "ah sure he's a working class protestant, he won't want to join" attitude. It's not surprising that protestants feel like a fish out of water playing the GAA with people like you about. I read that list of what "they" suggested, and you can NOT tell me that it represented every working class protestant in NI.

It doesn't represent every working class Protestant of course, but it represents a hell of a lot.  Listen, just because Paisley & McGuinness are slow dancing up at Stormont doesn't mean everybody loves each other here!!

[Tankie]

How can they ever be a member of the GAA as they are not only about their sports but also a cultural organisation to promote the Irish culture. it would be a bit like a nationalist joining the OO.

I'm confused.  How does making the GAA non-sectarian impact on the Irishness of the organisation?  Or to simplify the same question, why should it?

OK, let's make the GAA less of a cold house to Northern Protestants.  How do we do this?  Well you could start by stopping the flying of the tricolour at GAA grounds, stop playing the national anthem or go for an Ireland's Call type song (along as it's not written by Phil Coulter ), maybe have the scoreboard in Irish English & Ulster Scots (or just have it in English)...now before anyone blows a gasket, not so long ago my work involved me working with largely Protestant community groups in Belfast...these are some of the things they suggested when this topic came up about a year ago.

The GAA is an 32 county organisation with a lot of associated trappings.  This is what a lot of working class northern Protestants cannot buy into.

I agree that these would be the changes that would be need if the GAA was to try recuit the unionist community, i do hope the we are not getting confussed, Prod's should have much of an issue but unionist would and would find it hard to believe that there are many unionists in GAA clubs as all the things mentioned above are what they are totally against.

[thejuice]

whatever about playing the anthem, why would anyone find the use of our language offensive. its part of our heritage and culture. would they be equally quick to tell a welsh man to stop using welsh??

[seeheartalk]

Whats the problem? Willie Frazer was kicking the O'Neill's ball since he was knee height.

[his holiness nb]

whatever about playing the anthem, why would anyone find the use of our language offensive. its part of our heritage and culture. would they be equally quick to tell a welsh man to stop using welsh??

100% true, its not like Irish is a "Catholic" language.
People who use this as an excuse are people looking to pick the GAA apart, with no intentions of joining.
Lets make steps to welcome them by all means, but lets not lose track of who we are.

[Gnevin]

whatever about playing the anthem, why would anyone find the use of our language offensive. its part of our heritage and culture. would they be equally quick to tell a welsh man to stop using welsh??

100% true, its not like Irish is a "Catholic" language.
People who use this as an excuse are people looking to pick the GAA apart, with no intentions of joining.
Lets make steps to welcome them by all means, but lets not lose track of who we are.

On the same page if no one should find the use of a language offensive surely you'd have no problem with Ulster Scots?

[Tubberman]

I think a lot of people are inter-changing 'Protestant' and 'Unionist', which is understandable in the north I suppose.
There is nothing I can see that would prevent a Protestant joining the GAA (e.g. Sam Maguire, Jack Boothman) but the 32-county aspect of the GAA along with Abhran na bhFiann would be an obvious impediment for a lot of Unionists.

[his holiness nb]

On the same page if no one should find the use of a language offensive surely you'd have no problem with Ulster Scots?

I certainly dont find it offensive, I actually think its quite silly, more so an accent than a language.
But offensive? Absolutely not.

Do you actually think the Irish language genuinely offends some northern Protestants?

[TirEoghaingodeo]

Think CC1 has hit the nail on the head here. The GAA is what it is, and some protestants won't ever want to be a part of it.

The GAA doesn't have to change anything of the sort in order to have protestants playing the game, just a little more OPEN MINDEDNESS on BOTH sides.

If you ask your protestant neighbour as a person and not as a >enter sectarian name here<, I believe he or she would gladly come along. No one says it would be easy for a protestant to join a GAA club, but if you make them feel welcome, they will join.

However, some will, but this doesn't need policy change, or national initiatives necessarily, it just takes peolpe to make an effort. It's akin to when a friend and I were asked along to a local rugby club, didn't know anyone there, but everyone made an effort and we felt welcome. 

You'd be surprised how easy it is

[take_yer_points]

On the same page if no one should find the use of a language offensive surely you'd have no problem with Ulster Scots?

I certainly dont find it offensive, I actually think its quite silly, more so an accent than a language.
But offensive? Absolutely not.

Do you actually think the Irish language genuinely offends some northern Protestants?

I for one have many Protestant friends (and a few, dare I say it, Unionist friends) and not only do some of them find the Irish language offensive - they also find the GAA intimidating! Can you believe that! These are people who can't understand how Donegal, Monaghan and Cavan play in the Ulster Championship - "Sure Ulster only has 6 counties."

In saying that though, I brought one fella to the Ulster Final and I'm bring two mates to Croker on Saturday (though I think they're more interested in the pints and mexican women on Saturday night) 

As for these fellas joining a GAA club? Not a chance! As was mentioned before I think they'd be more worried about the stick they'd get from within their own community.

[his holiness nb]

[I for one have many Protestant friends (and a few, dare I say it, Unionist friends) and not only do some of them find the Irish language offensive -

Did they say what they find offensive about the language?