Get ready to wave them flegs - Lily Windsor's coming

[Maguire01]

That being so, if the Brits really can't wait etc, one might expect them to be taking steps in designed to ease/persuade/finagle NI's Unionists towards a UI.

That's a bit of an extrapolation on your part. The position they seem to have taken is one of neutrality. They'll respect the wishes of the majority in the north no matter which way they vote in a future border poll. Maybe they know that northern Protestants can only be persuaded by their catholic neighbours in the north and that relations are so complex and involved that it's best to leave it up to the people on the ground to sort it out between themselves.

Do you seriously think that northern unionists would listen to a British government telling them the benefits of a united Ireland? Yiz have never trusted any British government, you're not likely to start listening to them now.

David Cameron, 6 December 2008:  "I will never be neutral when it comes to expressing my support for the Union"

I see you and I raise you:

The Prime Minister, on behalf of the British Government, reaffirms that they will uphold the democratic wish of the greater number of the people of Northern Ireland on the issue of whether they prefer to support the Union or a sovereign united Ireland. On this basis, he reiterates, on the behalf of the British Government, that they have no selfish strategic or economic interest in Northern Ireland. Their primary interest is to see peace, stability and reconciliation established by agreement among all the people inhabit the island, and they will work together with the Irish Government to achieve such an agreement, which will embrace the totality of relationships.

Downing Street Declaration, 1993

Yes, the constitutional position is clear - it's the same in the GFA. The will of the people will dictate the constitional position. And Cameron hasn't contradicted this. He has just said he wasn't neutral - he's a Unionist. And he's the current PM.

[BennyHarp]

As a Tyrone man, I'm proud my county wasn't represented

Maybe in a few years when things calm down further we may grant the Queen an audience with God! But I suppose there's a fair bit of work to do before she earns that right!

[Hardy]

"We cannot change the past, but we have decided to change the future."

Trite or an aphorism to rank with "ask not ... " or "I have a dream ..."?

[Evil Genius]

this line being rolled out is starting to rag me. its the new excuse for people having a different opinion to something.  so a few counties chose not to go down, so what?  they probably missed a big dinner and a few jars

Try turning that around.

If the Queen's visit isn't  such a big deal, then why couldn't  the Ulster counties attend?

Be honest, one of the few things which most people agree on is that the visit is significant. Consequently, the various events have been attended by every shade of political opinion and society in the Republic; and by Unionists, Nationalists, Loyalists and all sorts from NI (even the Orange Order and UDA were at Island Bridge this morning!)

In fact, it is easier to list those organisations who weren't  there: i.e. Eirige, 32 County Sovereignty Movement, Republican SF and SF itself. Oh, and (with the honourable exception of Down) Ulster GAA....

Some pretty choice company, there, eh? 

... but the fact that our chairman didn't go and see the Queen of England isn't going to be the reason why children brought up in non-GAA houses don't join GAA clubs.

You are confusing cause and symptom.
The reason why parents from non-GAA (i.e. Protestant/Unionist/Loyalist) households in NI do not encourage their children to attend GAA is because rightly or wrongly, they perceive the GAA (in NI, at any rate) to be anti-Prod/Unionist/Loyalist.

And since the Queen is the very symbol of Prodism/Unionism/Loyalism etc, the fact that the GAA in NI deliberately chooses to snub her, and in in their (GAA's) own home at that, seems unarguable evidence that this perception is at least partly correct.

But the media will spin it up as will politicians and it will go round in circles again.

Ah right, the media are to to blame...

the real change is and will hopefully be made by grass roots people by simple things like asking their neighbours do their children want to try something new.  By asking primary schools who don't have GAA in their PE classes do they want to try something new.

And what if the answer is "No", as it likely will be, following this latest snub?

Not by some gobshite sitting rubbing shoulders with other gobshites in Croke Park, eating a steak and smiling at the cameras.

Er, the "news" is not that some GAA-head or other had steak on a visit to Croke Park, but that he went* there to meet the Queen.

Actually on reflection, that's only half the news. The other half is, of course, that the Queen went to Croke, to meet the GAA.


* - Or didn't, as in this case...

[Eamonnca1]

The other half is, of course, that the Queen went to Croke, to meet the GAA.

...at the GAA's invitation.

[armaghniac]

Yes, the constitutional position is clear - it's the same in the GFA. The will of the people will dictate the constitional position. And Cameron hasn't contradicted this. He has just said he wasn't neutral - he's a Unionist. And he's the current PM.

Exactly. The motives of the British haven't changed, they still want to keep as much of Ireland as possible. They just have to be more circumspect in their methods in this day and age.

[Maguire01]

In fact, it is easier to list those organisations who weren't  there: i.e. Eirige, 32 County Sovereignty Movement, Republican SF and SF itself. Oh, and (with the honourable exception of Down) Ulster GAA....

There are 9 counties in Ulster GAA - 5 didn't attend.

[Nally Stand]

Yer man on vincent brown who reviews the tweets made the point that there seems to have been a general acceptance of how the people are expected to view this visit and that and anyone who deviates from that is put down and told they are backward and that this is an oppressive idea of political maturity. How true. It's typified by a couple of recent posts here which suggest that the only apparent reason anyone could disagree with this visit is because such people are just incapable of moving on. It's an arrogant and condescending argument.

[Maguire01]

Yer man on vincent brown who reviews the tweets made the point that there seems to have been a general acceptance of how the people are expected to view this visit and that and anyone who deviates from that is put down and told they are backward and that this is an oppressive idea of political maturity. How true. It's typified by a couple of recent posts here which suggest that the only apparent reason anyone could disagree with this visit is because such people.are just incapable of moving on. It's an arrogant and condescending argument.

Can't get TV3 myself, but O'Snodaigh has Sinn Fein trending on Twitter. And not for the right reasons.

[Nally Stand]

Yer man on vincent brown who reviews the tweets made the point that there seems to have been a general acceptance of how the people are expected to view this visit and that and anyone who deviates from that is put down and told they are backward and that this is an oppressive idea of political maturity. How true. It's typified by a couple of recent posts here which suggest that the only apparent reason anyone could disagree with this visit is because such people.are just incapable of moving on. It's an arrogant and condescending argument.

Can't get TV3 myself, but O'Snodaigh has Sinn Fein trending on Twitter. And not for the right reasons.

Shocking.

[Evil Genius]

Interesting that only 1 of the 9 Ulster counties accepted invitation, speaks volumes that those most affected decided not yet, this to me should be respected more than any other viewpoint.

Oh, so Down wasn't affected by the troubles then? That business in Loughinisland didn't happen? Nobody was blown up in Warrenpoint?

Oh so there is no significance in the fact that five of the six counties refused to send representatives?

In the light of 5 NI counties deliberately snubbing their (i.e. Unionists') Monarch, Unionists in NI will feel vindicated in their belief that the GAA is not just a pro-Irish organisation, but is actually also an anti-British  organisation.

And as a consequence, many will go further and conclude that the GAA's stated aim of wanting to reach out to all Irish people is a sham (in Ulster, at least).

And with examples such as today's who can properly blame us?

Perhaps the majority of gaa members in ulster would also pass on an opportunity to meet the British queen and maybe the elected gaa representatives are merely reflecting the reality on the ground. I know i would have no interest in meeting her or having someone who represents me meeting her either. There are plenty if people with that view in the northern cities of England too.

Being "interested" is hardly the point. I'm quite sure the likes of Christy Cooney, as President of the GAA, gets invited to all sorts of events in which he has no personal interest, but he goes because of his position.

Come to that, do you think the Queen was interested in visiting Croke, to see the exact spot where somebody-or-other did something against somebody else, in the course of some sport she has never even heard of? 

[rrhf]

I actually felt sorry for the poor woman.  They were tripping over themselves and almost bumping into her in croke park to get close.  Then On a cold day they sat her out with only 5 others listening to the band.  How surreal would that have felt in an empty stadium.  She will go home now wondering why they are making gumshields compulsory in hurling.   

[Eamonnca1]

It's typified by a couple of recent posts here which suggest that the only apparent reason anyone could disagree with this visit is because such people.are just incapable of moving on. It's an arrogant and condescending argument.

The truth hurts, doesn't it?

[Eamonnca1]

Exactly. The motives of the British haven't changed, they still want to keep as much of Ireland as possible. They just have to be more circumspect in their methods in this day and age.

Oh please! The Brits are hanging onto the north because they're greedy? Give me a break! Some people have an over-inflated sense of Ireland's importance. The Brits have plenty on their plates without having to worry about their troublesome little "province" in the north.

[mc_grens]

Exactly. The motives of the British haven't changed, they still want to keep as much of Ireland as possible. They just have to be more circumspect in their methods in this day and age.

Oh please! The Brits are hanging onto the north because they're greedy? Give me a break! Some people have an over-inflated sense of Ireland's importance. The Brits have plenty on their plates without having to worry about their troublesome little "province" in the north.

Sorry to rain on people's parades, but having worked for ten years in Ireland, I'm pretty sure that outside the border counties a referendum on a United Ireland would be defeated- and I'm not hanging that on the current economic situation either by the way.