[article] Get your Provo-friendly GAA Jerseys here!

mike65

Well they can say what they like a HQ but this will confirm what so many have long contented

The GAA has distanced itself from a jersey to commemorate the Hunger Strikers.

Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams and several Antrim county GAA players yesterday (Friday) unveiled a jersey to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the hunger strike.

But a GAA spokesman distanced the organisation from the jersey, saying that "as an association, we remain apolitical."

Mr Adams was joined by Brian McFall, Jane Adams, Paddy Murray and Antrim senior manager Mickey Culbert at the jersey's launch in Belfast.

"A number of the men who died in the Hunger Strike were GAA members and keen players," he said.

"One such was Joe McDonnell whose anniversary falls tomorrow.

"It is appropriate therefore that O'Neills should bring out this special commemorative jersey as a tribute to them in this 25th anniversary year."

Mr Adams said the jersey was "a unique way for people to remember the events of 1981".

It was also a way of demonstrating "the pride and admiration which we as republicans have for the hunger strikers and their families", he said.

However, GAA spokesman Fergal Magill said the association "had no plans to commemorate the hunger strikes".

The shirt was not an official GAA jersey but a "GAA-style jersey", he said.

"The only official GAA jerseys are those of clubs and counties," Mr Magill said.

"As individuals, the Antrim players are free to follow whatever political party they want but as an association we remain apolitical."

The GAA's rules state that it "shall be non-party political".

"Party political questions shall not be discussed at its meetings and no committee, club, council or representative thereof shall take part, as such, in any party political movement," states rule seven.

A number of GAA clubs are named after Hunger Strikers.

Mike.

Sgt. Sensible

The PDs should bring out a jersey with a pic of Michael O'Leary relaxing in a bath full of gold.

mike65

Mike.

LeinsterPar

its a jersey manufactured by Oneills and isnt backed by the GAA. The only way you can seriously say the GAA backed the production of the hunger striker commemoration jersey is by saying o'neills are owned by the GAA, which they arent.

LeinsterPar

unless of course you believe individual members of the GAA arent allowed to have personal opinions

Benedict XVI

From my experience many northern GAA 'people' whould have a republican leaning, particularly among those living in the US, so the attendance by memebres of the Antrim team, in a personal capacity' is not too surprising.

I would however be interested in seeing how these shirts go down with GAA fans outside 'Ulster' (all 9 counties) and how sales are between Ulseter and the rest of the country.

This republican leaning is mostly absent here in the Republic thankfully

GP

another cheap attempt at getting votes me thinks..

A Dub in Glasgo

Isn't this story about 3 weeks old now? Where did you get the article from?
What have you contented for so long?

http://img108.imageshack.us/img108/9238/1865168535a6f705779mon1.jpg

mike65

I heard about it on Today FM and googled a link from Irish News.

Mike.