Sep 07 2007

Tonight is the night

Published by Fence under Honk, Sport

As you can see I’ve changed the header because the 2007 RWC kicks off today. I’ve also finally gotten around to adding a link to The Fear of God that’ll stay over there on the right for the duration of the competition.

I was talking to one of the students about Ireland’s chances, and over the course of our conversation we got on to the subject of Croke Park and the IRFU and FAI using the GAA ground. And do you know what he said? That he would never go near Croke Park, that the GAA “shower” would never get any money off him, weren’t they all bigots. That he had no time at all for the GAA. Can you tell where he was from?

But of course, a southside Dubliner[1]

What an attitude to have. Of course his may be slightly mitigated in that he is a “mature” student and so can remember the days when GAA players weren’t allowed to play other sports. But that is in the past, and holding a grudge against the past is merely what the GAA were doing in the first place. After all it was set up, not primarily as a sporting organisation, but as a cultural one. To restore Irish culture through sport, and other activities. That is why you couldn’t play “foreign games”, because the foreigners had stopped the playing of Irish games.

So, the GAA has gotten rid of its outdated idiot rules lets hold it against them. Can you say “whataboutery”.

Linknotes:
  1. - yes yes, there are normal southsiders too, but this is such a cliche ↩
Tags: 2007RWC, bigots, Croke Park, FAI, Fear of God, GAA, IRFU, rugby, southside Dubliner, stereotypes

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Mar 21 2006

For the four proud provinces of Ireland

Published by Fence under Honk

Personal opinions are strange things. The way I view something can differ wildly from another perspective. I’m all about the seeing both sides, but sometimes you just want to shout at people to stop being such fucktards and tools. Sometimes.

Today, in the Times there are two letters bemoaning the fact that Amhrán na bhFiann wasn’t played in Twickenham. That the IRFU are sullying our national anthem by playing Ireland’s Call at away matches.

But the IRFU is one of the few all-Ireland bodies on this island. Cross-community initiatives and all that malarky. Why should unionists and loyalists be represented by the anthem of another country? Because whatever you may want, the fact of the matter is that the Republic of Ireland (Éire) and Northern Ireland are two separate entities[1]

Of course, this does then raise the point, well why don’t NI have their own rugby team, and how can we unite two states together to form one national team. But thats the problem with real life. It isn’t all straight lines and easy answers.

“Madam, - Will the IRFU have the decency to play our national anthem in Croke Park?
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Amhrán na bhFiann will be played in Croke Park, because, if the rugby team do play there next year it will be their home stadium, and they always play both Amhrán na bhFiann and Ireland’s Call at home matches.

In a few days of great celebration here in the UK for Ireland, I had to suffer the indignity once again of hearing an announcement on Friday evening at Kingsholm at the A rugby international and on Saturday at Twickenham that a cheerleaders’ song called Ireland’s Call is my national anthem.
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Is it really an indignity? and an insult? Really?
Ireland’s Call is not the Irish national anthem, I’ll agree with you there. But it is the anthem the Irish rugby team use. I would prefer is both the anthem and Ireland’s Call were played, but then again I’m not a Northern Irish unionist who wants no part of the republic, am I?

I doubt the Scots complain when we refer to Flower of Scotland as their anthem, when it isn’t, not officially.

Linknotes:
  1. - and no discussion of the politics here right, I’m not interested at the moment ↩
Tags: Amhrán na bhFiann, anthem, Ireland’s Call, IRFU, people are strange

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