Few questions from an Englishman

kdp99

Hi All

I am an English rugby fan, and a bit of a history buff. Can any kind soul shed any light on a couple of Irish Rugby / History questions ?

Thanks in advance

1 RDS
Why is the RDS still the Royal ... in a republic, I would have expected it to have been renamed in the 1920's ?

2 Ulster
Is the support of the Ulster provice mostly from the Unionist community in the North, if so is this changing ?

kdp99

kdp99 wrote: »

Hi All

I am an English rugby fan, and a bit of a history buff. Can any kind soul shed any light on a couple of Irish Rugby / History questions ?

Thanks in advance

1 RDS
Why is the RDS still the Royal ... in a republic, I would have expected it to have been renamed in the 1920's ?

2 Ulster
Is the support of the Ulster provice mostly from the Unionist community in the North, if so is this changing ?

1-From wikipedia

"The society was originally founded by members of the Dublin Philosophical Society, as the 'Dublin Society for improving Husbandry, Manufactures and other Useful Arts'. On 8 July 1731 - a couple of weeks after initial foundation - the designation 'and Sciences' was added to the end of its name.[3]
The stated aim of the "Dublin Society" was therefore to promote the development of arts, agriculture, industry and science in Ireland. The "Royal" prefix was adopted in 1820 when George IV became Society patron"

I presume they never changed it because it would have been mainly used by Dublin Unionists up until the 70's,also no one in Ireland would call it by its full name,it would be called the RDS,the name has now stuck and there is little point in changing it.

Just because ireland got Freedom in the early part of the 19th century doesnt mean much with regards to some things.For example up until the 70's I think,Trinity college was protestant only and a catholic had to get special dispensation from the archbishop or someone to attend.

The same was probably true of the RDS as a club.

Also there are other things like golf courses and the lifeboats in Dun Laoghaire are refered to with a "royal" prefix.

2-Yes the support of Ulster in the north would be mostly unionist.In Ulster like the other provinces its mainly an upper class sport and in the North the upper class would be made up of 90% protestants.

this is changing but only because the protestant religion in the North is in decline and rugby has become more mainstream.

Most catholics in the north would play GAA or soccer though.

jdivision

There are a number of places here that retain the use of the world Royal: Royal college of surgeons, royal hospital kilmainham etc.

murphym7

Royal Cork Yacht Club.
Royal St. George Yacht club
Royal college of surgeons.
Etc etc

kdp99

Thanks all, my education is now a little more expanded (and it needs it).

Enjoy the great oval game

ironcorona

I can't answer the Ulster question, but it's name remains Royal Dublin Society simply because that's the name of the society. So called because the society has (or had) royal patronage and a royal charter. Why would you need to call it something else? It's not an Irish State body.

Crash

Dana Green Dropout wrote: »

For example up until the 70's I think,Trinity college was protestant only and a catholic had to get special dispensation from the archbishop or someone to attend.

Iirc it wasnt that Trinity was protestant only, it was simply a protestant college. As such, the Catholic church looked very unfavourably on anyone who would attend such a college without a dispensation (my grandfather was actually refused a dispensation - the feckers )

OP, as stated above, there simply is a lot of lingering things like that left around Ireland, with the prefix Royal. Mostly ex-protestant buildings etc. where there would have been little interest or uproar over the name.

Yeah,I only knew that because my dads uncle had to get the dispensation.According to my dad he was one of the first ever catholics to go there,although I doubt it.

Chucky the tree

Dana Green Dropout wrote: »

Most catholics in the north would play GAA or soccer though.

Soccer would be mainly prodestant up north still.

Amazotheamazing

Royal is just a name, I could start a club called the Royal Limerick Society if I felt like it, I couldn't pretend I was sponsored by the English royals though.

The support in Ulster is mainly Unionist, but that's slowly changing. A lot of Donegal people I meet support Munster though, and a lot of Monaghan and border counties that share a border with Leinster too, support Leinster. Ulster rugby still hasn't the broad appeal it could have, imo.

Amazotheamazing

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

A lot of Donegal people I meet support Munster though, and a lot of Monaghan and border counties that share a border with Leinster too, support Leinster. Ulster rugby still hasn't the broad appeal it could have, imo.

Not suprising really.If you read their message boards you read things like women throwing drink on each other at the bar at Ravenhill and their fans have been involved in alot of rascism.

I still believe their support would be mostly middle class protestants but you would wonder what they are like from hearing **** like that.

I would be very reluctant to go to a match there tbh.

I know you cant tar every fan with the same brush but you dont hear that sort of stuff going on at any other province.

Mr.Applepie

Dana Green Dropout wrote: »

1-From wikipedia

Just because ireland got Freedom in the early part of the 19th century doesnt mean much with regards to some things.

God we all now our government are slackers who are never in work and couldn't organise a car boot sale but who would have thought it would have taken 100 years for them to arrange the first dail :rolleyes: