End Irish anthem at GAA matches, demands DUP minister

dlofnep

Well the whole not being allowed to play foreign sports is a bit silly and backwards. Sport is sport, just a way to promote fitness through fun right?

As far as the national anthem goes - it's the gaelic games and are native Irish sports, not a British sport. We can play whatever anthem we want and they can play whatever anthem they want for soccer. All it is is another step in the North trying to remove any symbol of nationalist Ireland. When they are not doing this they are blocking Irish language acts, or asking for tricolours to be taken down in Derry, when Belfast is riddled in Union Jacks from top to bottom.

Fratton Fred

dlofnep wrote: »

As far as the national anthem goes - it's the gaelic games and are native Irish sports, not a British sport. We can play whatever anthem we want and they can play whatever anthem they want for soccer. All it is is another step in the North trying to remove any symbol of nationalist Ireland. When they are not doing this they are blocking Irish language acts, or asking for tricolours to be taken down in Derry, when Belfast is riddled in Union Jacks from top to bottom.

I look forward to the next Cricket World cup and Ireland standing and singing God Save the Queen, should be interesting.:rolleyes:

kreuzberger

dlofnep wrote: »

Well the whole not being allowed to play foreign sports is a bit silly and backwards.

it was done away with almost 40 years ago . for some reason , i suspect the usual agenda of national self flagellation and the apparent fact theres something desperately evil in our characters that needs righted through shame , its still an issue certain people are exercised about

Sport is sport, just a way to promote fitness through fun right?

The purpose of the GAA is to promote native culture and a national ethos mainly through the medium of sport , and to a lesser extent cultural activities such as language , music and dance . Slógadh for example .

luckylucky

Are these debates pointless btw. I've got involved in a few of these myself on Boards and at the end of the day nothing is acheived, so I stopped doing it. Nobody's opinion is changed or perhaps even influenced and you just end up feeling riled up by those of opposing opinions who don't seem to get or want to get your opinion. In fact it's more likely that people will twist your words and throw em back in your face. Feels sort of fruitless to me. Who'd be a politician eh

Oh while I think of it, don't twist this to make it look like I'm condemning one side of the argument over the other, because I am not, not here at least

Hmmm, can't resist one small point though. Whether the anthem was played or not would have little or no impact on Unionist attendance at GAA matches, at least that's what I believe.

PDN

luckylucky wrote: »

Hmmm, can't resist one small point though. Whether the anthem was played or not would have little or no impact on Unionist attendance at GAA matches, at least that's what I believe.

I know quite a few Northern Unionists who really enjoy watching GAA on TV and are very happy when Ulster teams (excepting Monagahan, Donegal or Cavan) win.

They would not, however, feel at all welcome to attend a live game.

However, this is not just due to the flag & anthem, but rather that most Northern grounds are in areas where many Protestants would feel unsafe. In fact they would be happy to attend a game in Croke Park, but not so much at Casement Park.

kreuzberger

PDN wrote: »

I know quite a few Northern Unionists who really enjoy watching GAA on TV and are very happy when Ulster teams (excepting Monagahan, Donegal or Cavan) win.

.

I suspect youve just made this up . Theres a close affinity between unionists north of the border and what they percieve as their brethren in Donegal , Cavan and Monaghan . Orange lodges from those counties regularly participate in northern Orange events and vice versa . I fail to see any reason why your numerous GAA following unonist colleagues would discriminate against these particular ulster counties . This does not strike me as a credible post

mikemac

I think you have a point kreuzberger

There's a fairly large Unionist community in Monaghan. I don't think their Unionist friends don't care about their community just because they are south of the border

kowloon

ejmaztec wrote: »

One of the local amateur historians in Kerry maintains that, were the Irish monarchy to be re-introduced, then Mrs Windsor would be eligible to sit on the Irish, as well as the English throne

Technically she shouldn't even be on the throne she's on according to some random documentary i done saw'd on that there discov'ry chunnel

Whats the Polish anthem go like?

Maybe something Danish, nothing offends like common ancestry.

kowloon

kreuzberger wrote: »

??????

was there a fecking werewolf or someething running about the place I never heard about ?

when did this happen ? did they do it with tractors and chains ?

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107387/

Snickers Man

Lux23 wrote: »

And apart from anything else its a woeful ****ing anthem, it means nothing to most people.

Hagar wrote:

Says you.

And me. It's a ****e national anthem. But then most are. The only ones that I know of that are any good at all are the Welsh, French, South African (the new one that is) the Italian and at a pinch the German, although I know that one still raises hackles because people believe (wrongly) that it still uses the words Deutschland Uber Alles.



But the quality of the music is not the issue here. If it was, Australians would be banned from playing international sport anywhere because their anthem is so unbelievably lousy.

PDN

kreuzberger wrote: »

I suspect youve just made this up . Theres a close affinity between unionists north of the border and what they percieve as their brethren in Donegal , Cavan and Monaghan . Orange lodges from those counties regularly participate in northern Orange events and vice versa . I fail to see any reason why your numerous GAA following unonist colleagues would discriminate against these particular ulster counties . This does not strike me as a credible post

I corrected you on another thread where you posted a wildly inaccurate and unhistorical claim. Is this payback time by accusing me of lying. :rolleyes:

I grew up in Protestant East Belfast. I still have friends and relatives who vote Unionist and watch GAA on TV. They couldn't give a toss about Orange Lodges (who they see as throwbacks in fancy dress) and they see Monaghan etc as a foreign country.

If Northern Prods love Monaghan so much then why was it bombed?

FTA69

Because they were trying to blow up the Sinn Féin office.

McArmalite

BoatMad wrote: »

To get back to the simple issue

As a GAA supporter and a citizen of the ROI, I would support a generosity of spirit approach. i actually have met Edwin Poots and hes an agreeable chap.

As part of the generosity of spirit approach I think we should remove nationalistic symbols from sporting events completely. Why the neccessity to proclaim the republic at county GAA matches. I certainly dont see the need.( no more then i see the need to do it at discos and cinemas!)

We have to get away from a zero sum game approach, you do this an i'll do that. I am a citizen of the second wealthist nation in the EU, proud and confident, I was born after a histiorical conflict that divided this island and I have not been affected by it. I want to be generous to our neighbours and dont expect specifically something in return for every gesture. I dont care what happened in Cork in some time past or elsewhere for that matter. its in the past its history, to be looked up in books and pondered upon by acedemics

Come on, lets leave the "count the dead approach" behind, most people here ( possibly everyone here) was not around for the "troubles". I respect the pain of everybody in NI, but again trawling over the past is a complete waste of time, nor are arguments based on "them and us " etc

if for example removing the athem and the tricolour at matches would encourage more unionists to play then great lets do it. Surely its the game that is important, not its symbolic value, and dont give me the GAA cultural bulwark thing, please, this is 2008 not 1916. Do we ( ROI citizens) really need to reemphasie our identify ( with flags and symbols) in this way, I certainly dont. The rugby guys handled the situation without me or people like me feeling the team isnt irish ( in the sense of being from the island)

It really depresses me when people rant on about "irish culture" as if it was some precious unchanging monument. We live in a integrated modern environment, one that changes over time, the notion of culture and cultural identify also changes over time. We actually cant "abandon" our culture, its like saying you can "abandon" your skin. It comes with us, is defined by what we do today, changes, mutates.

Look at the great strides that have been achieved in Northern Ireland, we need to be forthcoming and make gestures ( great and small) not start counting gains and losses

" As part of the generosity of spirit approach I think we should remove nationalistic symbols from sporting events completely. ". Sure why not " as part of the generosity of spirit approach I think we should remove " having 15 players on a Gaelic team to 11, no points, the offside rule, goals the same dimensions as soccer etc, etc. and maybe a 'kick the pope sons of king billy' play god save the queen before, at half time and at the end of a match. And ofcourse hurling and handball would have to be banned entirely. And if the GAA don't comply, then the governement could impliement a Section 31 banning order on broadcasting Gaelic games.

" Look at the great strides that have been achieved in Northern Ireland, " The 'great strides' were taken because Blair told the unionists accept the GFA or else he'd press on without them, ( Tony didn't want any more Bishopgates etc,) the lovely unionists didn't want the RUC cap abdge replaced FFS. Correct me if I'm wrong, the GFA went thru in the six counties due to the combination of Nationalist and unionist yes votes, but if you take unionist voters alone, more unionists voted against it than for it. So much for nationalists " need to be forthcoming and make gestures ( great and small) ".

kreuzberger wrote: »

then bring it up at your local club meeting and have them bring the issue before congress in a properly structured motion . You obviously feel quite strongly on the subject so i suggest you persue it . Let us know how you got on .

if you expect GAA supporters to adopt that dreadful half witted pub dirge youve another thing coming . But like i said bring it up at your club meeting and have them bring it before congress as a motion . And dont forget to tell us how you got on .

me too

Agree 100%, despite the largest propaganda campaign to water down national pride in the interests of so called 'reconciliation' and 'embracing all traditions' etc, the vast majority of GAA members instinctive dissmissal of West britishism and sleevenism is still alive and well - Thank God.

McArmalite

PDN wrote: »

I corrected you on another thread where you posted a wildly inaccurate and unhistorical claim. Is this payback time by accusing me of lying. :rolleyes:

I grew up in Protestant East Belfast. I still have friends and relatives who vote Unionist and watch GAA on TV. They couldn't give a toss about Orange Lodges (who they see as throwbacks in fancy dress) and they see Monaghan etc as a foreign country.

If Northern Prods love Monaghan so much then why was it bombed?

Because the real hand behind the bombings, brit intelligence/ruc special branch etc deemed it to be expedient to do so. And if they Love Ulster so much, how come they love only 2/3's of it.

PDN

McArmalite wrote: »

Because the real hand behind the bombings, brit intelligence/ruc special branch etc deemed it to be expedient to do so. And if they Love Ulster so much, how come they love only 2/3's of it.

Because Northern Prods, being none too smart, tend to see Ulster as a 6 county entity. For example everyone in East Belfast (except the Short Strand) call this flag "the Ulster Flag":

It wasn't until I moved south of the border that I discovered that what they were referring to was actually the Northern Ireland flag, and that this was the (9 county) Ulster flag:

kreuzberger

PDN wrote: »

I corrected you on another thread where you posted a wildly inaccurate and unhistorical claim. Is this payback time by accusing me of lying. :rolleyes:

I grew up in Protestant East Belfast. I still have friends and relatives who vote Unionist and watch GAA on TV. They couldn't give a toss about Orange Lodges (who they see as throwbacks in fancy dress) and they see Monaghan etc as a foreign country.

If Northern Prods love Monaghan so much then why was it bombed?

according to an RUC officer who who took part in a number of sectarian kiilings carried out by that group , from Monaghan himself incidentally , it was bombed in order to divert garda resources from the main dublin to belfast road in order to give the bombers a free run home. On the instructions of British army intelligence .
your relatives appear very parochial . Even the worst of UVF killer gangs regarded a Monaghan man as a fellow Ulster prod . And he wasnt the only one .

Red Hand

I have a simple solution. Since Kerry dominates gaelic football and no other county will ever get close enough to threaten the number of All Irelands we hold in my lifetime...do away with all anthems. If they want to play something, they can play The Rose of Tralee, Brosna Town, or some other song set in Kerry.:)

The other gaelic sports may play those songs in homage to Kerry's Gaelic Football prowness before they play their games if they want to.

BoatMad

" As part of the generosity of spirit approach I think we should remove nationalistic symbols from sporting events completely. ". Sure why not " as part of the generosity of spirit approach I think we should remove " having 15 players on a Gaelic team to 11, no points, the offside rule, goals the same dimensions as soccer etc, etc. and maybe a 'kick the pope sons of king billy' play ......blah , bul^&3it ...

Sure illustrate your viewport by taking an extreme view, heard it all before. I have no need to wrap a sporting body ( or myself) up in the tricolour thats all to prove i'm irish

" Look at the great strides that have been achieved in Northern Ireland, " The 'great strides' were taken because Blair told the unionists accept the blah .... usual restatement of the typical partisan nonsene...etcs...blah blah ) ".

Rather then give us propaganda, your handle is enough of that, It is a great stride irrespective of who agreed to what and we should be able to make some contributions to it down here, by facilitating others

Originally Posted by kreuzberger
then bring it up at your local club meeting and have them bring the issue before congress in a properly structured motion . You obviously feel quite strongly on the subject so i suggest you persue it . Let us know how you got on .

Sure we all know teh reaction, most political change like the rugby in croker was brought about by pressure from outside teh GAA, These types if initives would never get a hearing from within IMHO. The key to chnage in the GAA is to steadly turn up the heat and bring then into the 21st centrury

the vast majority of GAA members instinctive dissmissal of West britishism and sleevenism is still alive and well - Thank God.

in your opinion of course, name calling is always a good bet when you dont have anything constructive to say, usually followed by violence

kreuzberger

BoatMad wrote: »

Sure we all know teh reaction, most political change like the rugby in croker was brought about by pressure from outside teh GAA, These types if initives would never get a hearing from within IMHO. The key to chnage in the GAA is to steadly turn up the heat and bring then into the 21st centrury

you regard singing a hymn to an hereditary monarch and self styled defender of the faith asking a supernatural being to protect her so she can reign over her subjjects as brining people into the 21st century ?

what next on your programme of modernism ? witchburnings and court jesters ? leeches to treat ailments ?

while deriding the only sporting organisation in Ireland with a stadium worthy of the 21 st century . Rugby and soccer must be running about the middle ages somewhere , using a goats head instead of a ball .

Erin Go Brath

kreuzberger wrote: »

you regard singing a hymn to an hereditary monarch and self styled defender of the faith asking a supernatural being to protect her so she can reign over her subjjects as brining people into the 21st century ?

what next on your programme of modernism ? witchburnings and court jesters ? leeches to treat ailments ?

while deriding the only sporting organisation in Ireland with a stadium worthy of the 21 st century . Rugby and soccer must be running about the middle ages somewhere , using a goats head instead of a ball .

Classic! :D:D:D:D:D:D

McArmalite

Danno wrote: »

You would swear that we (in our past) invaded the North and colonised it with the republicans that live there now. Piff.

These Unionists have got to realise that they are descendants of colonists and have got to live with it - although it is not their fault, it certainly isn't ours.

Welcome to Ireland. This is our culture, don't like it? Buzz off then.

Irish people by their VAST majority, when they emigrated in the past respected the laws and cultures of the host nation and worked very hard in building those countries. Yes, we did bring our culture with us and blended in well in other nations too - hence our well respect that is widely given to us by those other states.

Spot on their Danno, a 100%. One of the best posts in a long time. Likewise you have people coming from many countries in Ireland today, they respect the culture and way of life here and do more than many Irish to contribute to the hard work done in this country. Their is a brilliant multi cultural festival in Dun Laoighre in the summer, could you imagine asking some Polish or Czech or Mexican musicians and dancers do they find street signs in Irish offencive ? Is the playing of anthem wrong before a GAA match ? To say that they would undoubtably find it the most bizarre questions they were ever asked is an understatement.

McArmalite

kreuzberger wrote: »

you regard singing a hymn to an hereditary monarch and self styled defender of the faith asking a supernatural being to protect her so she can reign over her subjjects as brining people into the 21st century ?

what next on your programme of modernism ? witchburnings and court jesters ? leeches to treat ailments ?

while deriding the only sporting organisation in Ireland with a stadium worthy of the 21 st century . Rugby and soccer must be running about the middle ages somewhere , using a goats head instead of a ball .

:D:D .Brillant. Sounds like the rugby guys from Blackrock College, Clonqowes etc are getting a bashing on this one :D:D

BoatMad

you regard singing a hymn to an hereditary monarch and self styled defender of the faith asking a supernatural being to protect her so she can reign over her subjjects as brining people into the 21st century ?

Never said anything of teh sort, good debating tactic ( though a little obvious) , put words in the mouth of your opponent

I,m not a fan of any nationhood symbols being displayed at sporting events. ( appealing to any form of supernaturel being). But the topic isnt discussing anthems per say, it was a specific context

what next on your programme of modernism ? witchburnings and court jesters ? leeches to treat ailments ?

I'm sorry whats are you rabbeting on about , stay on topic ( dont stop taking the tablets, see what happens when you do)

while deriding the only sporting organisation in Ireland with a stadium worthy of the 21 st century . Rugby and soccer must be running about the middle ages somewhere , using a goats head instead of a ball

I think you find one of thoses orgs is building a fine new stadium, as for soccer, dont get me started, The FAI are a bunch of muppets, but thats another story.....

Brillant. Sounds like the rugby guys from Blackrock College, Clonqowes etc are getting a bashing on this one

I certainly dont play nor never played rugby nor am I from dublin , nor attended the above schools. I did play under 16 intercounty hurling. ( A long time ago). I went to a small rural national school and the christian brothers secondary school, SO i suspect I dont think I fit your citerion.

Its funny how it always suits a "bar republican" type s to preceive that opposition somehow isnt Irish, or to paint them in that way , I'm just as irish as any citizen and proud of it.

I'll say it again , I'm in favour of positive gestures in cemeting the GFA , etc. and I think teh bar republicans in ireland need to shut up and let teh ordinary decent people have a say. God knows were have heard enough from loud mouthed "Defenders of the first Dail", over the years.


Looks like the "bar republicians" & Defenders of teh First Dail !!!! are getting wiped on this one

kreuzberger

ill just point out to you that Im an habitual non drinker save for st patricks day and my summer vacation . Im most certainly not a "bar republican"

Never said anything of teh sort, good debating tactic ( though a little obvious) , put words in the mouth of your opponent

I didnt put any words in your mouth . I clarified your position by breaking it down into its constituent parts .
A country whose citizens were forced to be subjects to that crown against their will and have a foreign monarchical national anthem and head of state took a civilised and progressive step to attempt to consign that medieval nonsense to the dustbin of history , the GAA itself playing its part in that progressive and moderninising step forward . In that they were only partly successful thanks to a foreign states insistence on retaining its presence , influence and trappings upon this island and carving upour national territory in their own interests . Demanding Irish TDs took an oath of allegiance not to the Irish people but the institution of the British crown , sparking disastrous division on this island . Mrs windsor still displays our national emblem the harp on her regal court of arms , proclaiming it as part of her realm .
Therefore the spectacle of Irish citizens in the middle of a symbolic stadium which is central to our national consciousness , being proud to stand to attention to that particular national anthem whilst colonialism remains in our country is a retrograde step , not a progressive one . Its not mature , its backward .
As you admit yourself the pressures to facilitate the acceptance of the trappings of foreign monarchism and colonialism on this island come from without the GAA . They are demanded by those who seek to restore the trappings and acceptance of the old order which a struggle for democracy accross the island put on the back foot . Now they are more confident and strident in their demands and will continue to persue them , as you admit yourself and encourage . That isnt modernism , its trying to remove the democratic spanner of national sovereignty that was thrown into the imperialist machine in Ireland . Its to retrospectively endors the previous backwardness and lack of self esteem that characterised Irish society in the 19th and early 20th century and promote that backwardness as positive and progressive .

I think you find one of thoses orgs is building a fine new stadium, as for soccer, dont get me started, The FAI are a bunch of muppets, but thats another story.....

only now after the GAA led the way in modernism and forward planning ? Lansdowne road was regulalry packed to full capacity for years while the only decently run sporting organisation in the country were planning and building for the future . One is only less muppet like than the other .

I'll say it again , I'm in favour of positive gestures in cemeting the GFA , etc. and I think teh bar republicans in ireland need to shut up and let teh ordinary decent people have a say.

I doubt that very much . according to your previous post when challenged to bring it up at your local GAA club and persue it in a democratic fashion amongst the GAA grass roots and congress

Sure we all know teh reaction, most political change like the rugby in croker was brought about by pressure from outside teh GAA, These types if initives would never get a hearing from within IMHO. The key to chnage in the GAA is to steadly turn up the heat and bring then into the 21st centrury

The ordinary plain decent people who are the bedrock of the GAA wouldnt agree with you and you know it . So you believe they must be co-erced by self appointed media pundits instead . A powerful and vocal minority must browbeat and misrepresent the majority until they accede to the powerful minoritys demands .

Fratton Fred

kreuzberger wrote: »

ill just point out to you that Im an habitual non drinker save for st patricks day and my summer vacation . Im most certainly not a "bar republican"



I didnt put any words in your mouth . I clarified your position by breaking it down into its constituent parts .
A country whose citizens were forced to be subjects to that crown against their will and have a foreign monarchical national anthem and head of state took a civilised and progressive step to attempt to consign that medieval nonsense to the dustbin of history , the GAA itself playing its part in that progressive and moderninising step forward . In that they were only partly successful thanks to a foreign states insistence on retaining its presence , influence and trappings upon this island and carving upour national territory in their own interests . Demanding Irish TDs took an oath of allegiance not to the Irish people but the institution of the British crown , sparking disastrous division on this island . Mrs windsor still displays our national emblem the harp on her regal court of arms , proclaiming it as part of her realm .
Therefore the spectacle of Irish citizens in the middle of a symbolic stadium which is central to our national consciousness , being proud to stand to attention to that particular national anthem whilst colonialism remains in our country is a retrograde step , not a progressive one . Its not mature , its backward .
As you admit yourself the pressures to facilitate the acceptance of the trappings of foreign monarchism and colonialism on this island come from without the GAA . They are demanded by those who seek to restore the trappings and acceptance of the old order which a struggle for democracy accross the island put on the back foot . Now they are more confident and strident in their demands and will continue to persue them , as you admit yourself and encourage . That isnt modernism , its trying to remove the democratic spanner of national sovereignty that was thrown into the imperialist machine in Ireland . Its to retrospectively endors the previous backwardness and lack of self esteem that characterised Irish society in the 19th and early 20th century and promote that backwardness as positive and progressive .



only now after the GAA led the way in modernism and forward planning ? Lansdowne road was regulalry packed to full capacity for years while the only decently run sporting organisation in the country were planning and building for the future . One is only less muppet like than the other .




I doubt that very much . according to your previous post when challenged to bring it up at your local GAA club and persue it in a democratic fashion amongst the GAA grass roots and congress

Sure we all know teh reaction, most political change like the rugby in croker was brought about by pressure from outside teh GAA, These types if initives would never get a hearing from within IMHO. The key to chnage in the GAA is to steadly turn up the heat and bring then into the 21st centrury

The ordinary plain decent people who are the bedrock of the GAA wouldnt agree with you and you know it . So you believe they must be co-erced by self appointed media pundits instead . A powerful and vocal minority must browbeat and misrepresent the majority until they accede to the powerful minoritys demands .

fine upstanding and resolute reasons to sing the anthem, but also a good reason why the twain may never meet.

McArmalite

Jeremiah 16:1 wrote: »

I have a simple solution. Since Kerry dominates gaelic football and no other county will ever get close enough to threaten the number of All Irelands we hold in my lifetime...do away with all anthems. If they want to play something, they can play The Rose of Tralee, Brosna Town, or some other song set in Kerry.:)

The other gaelic sports may play those songs in homage to Kerry's Gaelic Football prowness before they play their games if they want to.

Don't think the Cats would agree on that one. Maybe you could settle it by having a match between Kerry and Kilkenny with one half Gaelic, the other hurley and the highest combination of scores from both halfs decide the winner ?? My money would be on the Rose Of Mooncoin to become the anthem

Pathfinder

suimhneas wrote: »

http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/mheyeyidcwql/

what do you all reckon on this? seriously will end up like the rugby where we nearly have a full blown concert before a match. Hands off the GAA

If the GAA don't like the suggestions of the DUP maybe they should stop taking money off the northern Irish /British taxpayer, as they do, the DUP has a right to make suggestions.

..................Thats the bottom line.

Pathfinder

PDN wrote: »

I corrected you on another thread where you posted a wildly inaccurate and unhistorical claim. Is this payback time by accusing me of lying. :rolleyes:

I grew up in Protestant East Belfast. I still have friends and relatives who vote Unionist and watch GAA on TV. They couldn't give a toss about Orange Lodges (who they see as throwbacks in fancy dress) and they see Monaghan etc as a foreign country.

If Northern Prods love Monaghan so much then why was it bombed?

As a diversion,so the UVF unit who bombed Dublin could get back with no problems.

walrusgumble

Pathfinder wrote: »

If the GAA don't like the suggestions of the DUP maybe they should stop taking money off the northern Irish /British taxpayer, as they do, the DUP has a right to make suggestions.

..................Thats the bottom line.

maybe because a large proportion of citizens subject to said countries/state are members/participants of the gaa. they should be assisted and recognised just as much as the leniancy once enjoyed by oraganisations like the orange order.

the irish football association has in the past done damn all to quell conflict amongst members particapting in their organisation (death threats to neill lennon and jimmy quinn, linfield fc, derry city fc, windsor park 1993 wcq,etc) didn't they still get money in the past?

Pathfinder

walrusgumble wrote: »

maybe because a large proportion of citizens subject to said countries/state are members/participants of the gaa. they should be assisted and recognised just as much as the leniancy once enjoyed by oraganisations like the orange order.

the irish football association has in the past done damn all to quell conflict amongst members particapting in their organisation (death threats to neill lennon and jimmy quinn, linfield fc, derry city fc, windsor park 1993 wcq,etc) didn't they still get money in the past?

................The Orange Order is not funded by the British govt via the taxpayer as the GAA is.

As the GAA is it must make Gaelic games more accommodating to unionists,.........................Otherwise stop taking the handouts.

The NIFA has run a kick out racism and sectarianism campaign for years.

...............I don't remember the NIFA banning a large section of the community as the GAA did.