Feb 24 2007

You are my sunshine - Redux

Published by Fence under Shiny, Sport

My only sunshine, you make me happy when skies are grey!

What a match. What a result. Role on Scotland and Italy.

Super Saturday or what? The fun started before I went to bed on Friday[1] when B#5 texted me to say he’d gotten his hands on a ticket for the big match. Bad news was that he couldn’t get me one, his was a schoolboy one that some fella didn’t want. Don’t know why, he asked no question just grabbed it. His train got into Dublin around 3 on Sat., so I was busy texting him the insane opening scores from the Italy Scotland match. 21-0 after 7 minutes, and Scotland’s nightmare start was all down to their own sloppiness. Part of me really wanted Scotland to make a come back, I was giving out to Mr. Paterson for not taking any of the points on offer. Constantly kicking for touch and never getting near scoring a try! But a little part of me wanted Italy to win[2] Historic, seeing as they’d never won a Six Nations away match before. And if they’d lost after those early tries it would have been heartbreaking. It’ll be really interesting to see them face Wales, I’m thinking that the Wooden Spoon might be headed Wales, despite the fact that they finally managed to score some tries in this year’s competition. But I’m getting ahead of myself. After the Scotland match came the Ireland match.

And the tension was such that I had to put away the beer, couldn’t be drinking as I had to concentrate on the match. But before that came the appearances by the teams, and the crowd gave the English team a great reception. Nothing compared to the reception they gave Ireland, but still nice to see. And after all that had been written and talked about regarding GSTQ, there wasn’t even the slightest hint of trouble[3] Instead it was sung and listened to with respect, before Amhrán na bhFiann and Ireland’s Call were belted out, with so much emotion[4] that tears were shed. And then, the match itself.

The opening was a bit dodgy. England took the lead, 3-0 and a slow start from Ireland looked likely. But not this time. Not a bit of it. O’Gara evened the score up with a penalty of his own, and from there on it was all Ireland. England were totally outplayed in one of the most intense first halfs I have ever seen. O’Driscoll was back and although quiet by his usual standards was still hugely influential. Stringer was back and as game as ever. Paulie too was back, I know he hadn’t missed a game, but he hasn’t been playing as well as he can recently. But in this match he was fantastic, back to his best, and Man of the Match, although maybe O’Gara could have claimed the award as he totally dominated the match. But then again, so too could Wallace, he was immense. And with Horgan back to his preferred position, and displaying some GAA high-fielding talents to score that try.

What a day, and what a result, 43-13! Forty-three points we scored. Gwan Ireland!

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Image from IrishRugby.ie

Then I had to leave the on-screen celebrations and head out and find de brudder in the seething mass of happy fans coming down Parnell St. And headed home to hope Wales would finish off a perfect day by beating France.

It was not to be however, Wales may have gotten off to a good start, but in the end France’s class showed out and they won, playing well-within themselves. Bloody French spoiling our party ;)

Linknotes:
  1. after midnight so it was Sat, but still ↩
  2. Sorry Alan ↩
  3. I did see footage of the so-called protest before the match. Two fellas carrying around 5 or 6 signs each ↩
  4. We love Jerry Flannery ↩
Tags: 6nations2007, Amhrán na bhFiann, anthem, B#5, Brian O'Driscoll, Chris Paterson, Croke Park, England, France, GSTQ fuss, Ireland, Ireland V England, Ireland's Call, Italy, Jerry Flannery, Paul O'Connell, Peter Stringer, Ronan O'Gara, rugby, Scotland, Shane Horgan, Six Nations, w00t!, Wales, Wooden Spoon

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Feb 24 2007

The tension is building

Published by Fence under Irishify, Ramblings

And hopefully once half five rolls around there’ll be no thought of politics or history, just rugby, and a win for us. B#5 seems to have found himself a ticket, he is still at school so he gets to go for a tenner! A tenner, when some people are paying well over a grand for a ticket.

Was home early on Friday, on account of working through lunch a few days, and as I wandered through town I took a couple of snaps with the camera, I’ll se about sticking them up on flickr later today, but when I finally got home I caught a bit of discussion about the whole Croke Park/GSTQ controversy, and I have to say, the more I hear about it, the less I understand why people are so upset. As Gift Grub’s Denis would say, Move On.

But there is talk of a huge increase in security around Dublin today. I can’t see anything violent happening at the match. This is rugby after all, but around town? I dunno, if Sinn Féin’s protest[1] attracts the same crowd that had so much fun at the Love Ulster parade, then who knows what’ll happen.

Exciting times

Linknotes:
  1. boo hiss ↩
Tags: 6nations2007, anthem, B#5, Croke Park, GSTQ fuss, Ireland V England, politics, rugby, Sinn Féin, Six Nations

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Feb 19 2007

Yes! We’re all individuals!

Published by Fence under Irishify, Musing

And so, of course, we are all entitled to our own points of view. But[1] sometimes don’t you think it’d be easier if we all thought the same way[2] Wouldn’t it make life so much easier? Think about it. No more contentious issues such as “who should we vote for” never mind “whose god is better” because we’d all agree[3] Think how many wars and deaths we’d prevent if we all just got along, or at the very least pretended to get along. For the sake of the children[4] But alas, and indeed alack, this future of agreement, harmony and living happily every after is probably[5] never going to happen.

You only have to look at the passions being raised over the Ireland V England rugby match to realise that peoples don’t agree with peoples.

I know, you[6] are thinking, sure it is only a rugby match, what is there to disagree over? The quick answer is a bloody lot.

First off there is the whole idea of anything but GAA being played at Croker. Where else would you have an amateur sporting organisation coming to the aid of the two main professional sporting bodies and letting them use its venue. But this can pretty much be ignored. This argument was had before the French came and stole our thunder. No, this argument rests squarely with the fact that it is damned English that are coming.

After all we all recall the Martin Johnson incident, don’t we? Where he and his ebil henchmen came and stood in the wrong position. Breaking protocol and forcing our president to walk off the red carpet, and on to the grass![7] Imagine that. Her excellency forced to walk on the green sod itself. Horrific.

We have long memories here in Ireland, so we do. That’ll never be forgotten. You hear Mr[8] Johnson, never!

But of course the real reason for objections is the fact that the anthem God Save The Queen will be played. In the very grounds where the british army shot dead 14 Irish people, including one of the players[9] Don’t forget that Hill 16 was built out of the rubble of the 1916 destruction. It is sacred ground, because the GAA is much more than a sporting organisation. It is a way of life, and a cultural identifier[10] and to have the “enemy’s anthem” played there shows a serious lack of respect.

According to some people.

Me, I tend to disagree. After all isn’t rugby one place where we have a united Ireland? And isn’t it said that sport is war by other means[11] so surely some people should see it as a good thing. Ireland united against the English.

I’m going to be totally honest here. I don’t like the English anthem. And I don’t like the Union Jack. And I cannot give you a rational explanation for that, I just dislike them. Cultural hatred or summat. But that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t stand for both. Or for the English Queen.[12] because just like our president is a representative of Ireland, so is the Queen a symbol of England. And in this day and age, surely we can be mature enough to respect the English anthem as it is a symbol of the English people of today. Not of 10 years ago. And not of 800 years ago.

A sense of history is important. No denying that. But so too is learning from the past and moving on.

Course, we don’t live in my personal dictatorship[13] so you can have your own opinions and express them too.

Edited to add:
elsewhereblogs are saying:

  • It’s only a game - In Fact, Ah
  • England go back to school - Ireland rugby.com
  • A Hain, a wreath and the first Bloody Sunday - The Poor Mouth
  • God save wikipedia - blankpaige
  • God Save All Of Us From This Nonsense - Tom’s Sporting Almanac
  • Six Nations Tipping part 3 - In fact, ah

    • Linknotes:
    1. how obvious was it that a but was coming? rank the obvious factor out of ten please ↩
    2. that way being my way, needless as this is to add ↩
    3. the answers being 1- you should all vote for me and 2- my god is bestest of them all ↩
    4. Oh won’t somebody think of the children ↩
    5. you can never rule everything out ↩
    6. you furrin types anyway ↩
    7. if this was a podcast you’d be able to hear the squawk of outrage at that ↩
    8. whether he deserves this title I’m not sure, but I will be polite ↩
    9. origin of the name of the Hogan Stand ↩
    10. to get serious for the slightest of slight moments, this is true. Or at least was true ↩
    11. okay, so that saying is actually war is politics by other means, but whateveh ↩
    12. Id sit for the princes and rest of the royals though. Not a big fan of royalty ↩
    13. mores the pity ↩
    Tags: 1916 Rising, 6nations2007, cultural identity, GAA, GSTQ fuss, Hill 16, Ireland, Ireland V England, irish history, long memories, memory, my own personal dictatorship, politics, rugby, Six Nations

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