Northern Ireland fans carrying Union flags.....

Johnny Utah · 10-02-2011 8:27pm #1

Northern Ireland played Scotland in a soccer match last night at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. A significant number of Northern Ireland fans displayed the Union Jack flag where they were seated. Having watched the match, I did not notice any Scottish supporters using the Union Jack. Instead, they displayed the Scottish national flag.

Why can't the Northern Ireland supporters just use their own national flag when supporting their national team? They weren't there to support Britain or the UK, so why did they bring their Union Jacks?

Do they use the Union Jack in an attempt to provoke Nationalists (who may also support the Northern Ireland team) and incite trouble?

What do you think?

Wolfe Tone · 10-02-2011 8:29pm

Ask yourself why so few catholics play for the norths team, and look at the reception those who did got and you will see what type of folks they are.

tallaghtmick · 10-02-2011 8:31pm

because its what they believe in get over it

Donal Og O Baelach · 10-02-2011 8:31pm

Not wishing to generalise or anything - but Nordies in general are a bit odd...

3hn2givr7mx1sc · 10-02-2011 8:32pm

No pride in their own flag?

ShamoBuc · 10-02-2011 8:32pm

I've stopped trying to make sense of what they do. No point.

Agricola · 10-02-2011 8:32pm

Its laughable really. They always like to bang on about "our wee country" yet they seem to have no discernible nationality of their own and just like to cling to Queen Lizzy as tightly as possible.

Rented Mule · 10-02-2011 8:35pm

They are more British than anyone in England. Just as the Nationalists/Republicans in the north are more Irish than anyone in the Republic.

KeithAFC · 10-02-2011 8:35pm

Why can't the Northern Ireland supporters just use their own national flag

They did. Seen plenty of Ulster banners.

gurramok · 10-02-2011 8:35pm

GSTQ was played as the National anthem of Northern Ireland and Flower of Scotland was played as the National Anthem of Scotland.

I believe that the Northern fans booed the Scottish anthem first and then the Scots roundly booed GSTQ in return. Crazy situation alright, the actual country in Britain booing the UK anthem while the 'nation' outside Britain was not booing. And to top it all off, a huge chunk of our Northern Unionist friends have proud Scottish heritage!

Yeh, its all fecked up alright Jack :P

Hazys · 10-02-2011 8:37pm

Who cares?

mikom · 10-02-2011 8:38pm

Johnny Utah wrote: »

A significant number of Northern Ireland fans displayed the Union Jack flag where they were seated. Having watched the match, I did not notice any Scottish supporters using the Union Jack.

Scotland won 3-0.
There's a lesson there for all of us.

Redlion · 10-02-2011 8:40pm

Northern Ireland doesn't have a national flag, as neither side can come to an agreement on it. This leads to many Nationalists using the Republic of Ireland flag and many Unionists using the Union Jack. Seems reasonable to me, considering their backgrounds and beliefs.

galwayrush · 10-02-2011 8:41pm

Some of them always did, move along now, nothing to see here ...:rolleyes:

Notorious97 · 10-02-2011 8:42pm

Wolfe Tone wrote: »

Ask yourself why so few catholics play for the norths team, and look at the reception those who did got and you will see what type of folks they are.

True, Neil Lennon got an awful time, and still is if recent reports of bullets being posted to Celtic staff is to be believed, scumbags

Im sure genuine Northern Irish football fans travelled down for it, and i hope they had a cracking night out on the rip afterwards! but i did hear reports from the Ringsend area of Dublin of some trouble with union flags and loyalist songs.

Suppose get arseholes on both sides of it though! May fixture might have some trouble when Rep of Ireland play NI unfortunately.

mickydoomsux · 10-02-2011 8:45pm

Look at the crowd when Cork are playing in Croker. Lots of Japanese and Canadian flags waving about. How dare they!!!

It's a piece of material with colour on it. It's 2011, grow up.

ejmaztec · 10-02-2011 8:45pm

If all of the Union Jacks in the North were taken down, there would be an extra four hours of daylight, and they wouldn't have to light fires to see where they're going.

Babyblessed · 10-02-2011 8:48pm

northern Ireland does have a flag of its own...

http://www.greenwichmeantime.com/time-zone/europe/uk/flag.htm

The union flag is all the flags superimposed on each other. So they were carrying a flag partly supporting Scotland!

Wolfe Tone · 10-02-2011 8:48pm

I wonder what will it be like when they play the Irish team?

RichieC · 10-02-2011 8:49pm

I wish sectarians from both sides would get the f*ck out of my country.

KeithAFC · 10-02-2011 8:50pm

You would think it is a crime going by the OP. Loyalists with the Union flag shocker.

Bottle_of_Smoke · 10-02-2011 8:51pm

Apparently a few windows got put in and there was some minor rioting. Have a feeling the final game (ni vs roi) may be cancelled as its on around the same time as the queen's visit and the 30yr anniversary of bobby sands death.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKtRwr_0qp0

supposedly this was outside a bar

though I did hear there were some decent fans on the radio apologising for the scumbag element

gurramok · 10-02-2011 8:52pm

Notorious97 wrote: »

True, Neil Lennon got an awful time, and still is if recent reports of bullets being posted to Celtic staff is to be believed, scumbags

Im sure genuine Northern Irish football fans travelled down for it, and i hope they had a cracking night out on the rip afterwards! but i did hear reports from the Ringsend area of Dublin of some trouble with union flags and loyalist songs.

Suppose get arseholes on both sides of it though! May fixture might have some trouble when Rep of Ireland play NI unfortunately.

Lots of NI fans did drink in 2 Irishtown pubs, most had their national flag wrapped around them rather than the Union Jack.

Outside O'Neills pub, there was a giant union flag draped over one of their cars while the fans were drinking around it. From what I heard some fans were abusive to locals while others were not, why can they not leave the sectarian baggage at home?

I did hear the beautiful song of 'sticking the tricolour up your arse' from a group of lads in the next street.

Somehow they pronounce the word tricolour different from us, not using the emphasis on 'try' in their pronunciation.:) That's what I learnt from the night!

mickydoomsux · 10-02-2011 8:55pm

gurramok wrote: »

...why can they not leave the sectarian baggage at home?

Because these people are utterly worthless and this is all they have in their lives.

Notorious97 · 10-02-2011 8:56pm

gurramok wrote: »

Lots of NI fans did drink in 2 Irishtown pubs, most had their national flag wrapped around them rather than the Union Jack.

Outside O'Neills pub, there was a giant union flag draped over one of their cars while the fans were drinking around it. From what I heard some fans were abusive to locals while others were not, why can they not leave the sectarian baggage at home?

I did hear the beautiful song of 'sticking the tricolour up your arse' from a group of lads in the next street.

Somehow they pronounce the word tricolour different from us, not using the emphasis on 'try' in their pronunciation.:) That's what I learnt from the night!

lol! yea i heard similar accounts. I wish they would leave the ****e at home, same goes for Irish people during the game against NI. Football should be football.

I used to go to the ROI V NI games years ago when i was a kid with my da and the atmosphere was always good at the games

Duckworth_Luas · 10-02-2011 8:57pm

Bottle_of_Smoke wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKtRwr_0qp0

I'm sure that, like us, the French and Italians are fuming! Not to mention the Ivory Coast. Those boys must be deeply hurt.

gsxr1 · 10-02-2011 8:59pm

Donal Og O Baelach wrote: »

Not wishing to generalise or anything - but Nordies in general are a bit odd...

thats sweet coming from Mayo alright .

Eddie Ervine always flew the green shamrock of Ireland to avoid upsetting people from NI. Good move as he had the whole Island behind him.

Terrontress · 10-02-2011 8:59pm

Wolfe Tone wrote: »

Ask yourself why so few catholics play for the norths team, and look at the reception those who did got and you will see what type of folks they are.

Well last night there were at least 4 Catholics playing. Baird, McCourt, McGinn and Boyce. I wouldn't be surprised if there were more but I don't know.

I think it is not as bad as you make out.

R P McMurphy · 10-02-2011 8:59pm

What years were those in Notorious?, I was at a few in years gone by and the atmosphere was anything but receptive in windsor park

pragmatic1 · 10-02-2011 8:59pm

Rented Mule wrote: »

They are more British than anyone in England. Just as the Nationalists/Republicans in the north are more Irish than anyone in the Republic.

They have an idea of what it is to be "British", but that concept of Britishness has long since died. They remind me of white S.Africans.

steddyeddy · 10-02-2011 9:02pm

Their an insecure lot and the notion that the majority of their british friends want nothing to do with them doesnt help their securities.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2001/aug/21/northernireland.northernireland1

charlemont · 10-02-2011 9:02pm

KeithAFC wrote: »

You would think it is a crime going by the OP. Loyalists with the Union flag shocker.

Did you give your 3 flags a wash before the game, Keith ?

N I shouldn't even have its own soccer team, its not and never will be a proper country..

gurramok · 10-02-2011 9:02pm

Bottle_of_Smoke wrote: »

Apparently a few windows got put in and there was some minor rioting. Have a feeling the final game (ni vs roi) may be cancelled as its on around the same time as the queen's visit and the 30yr anniversary of bobby sands death.

supposedly this was outside a bar

That same group marched from where their buses were parked at the top of Sean Moore road down to the stadium and attempted to march into a housing estate off Sean Moore road singing songs. Witnessed this myself from a distance but the Gardai were very quick to turn them back onto the main road.

Do you know where that video was shot? It either looks to be Irishtown House or outside one of the pubs on Bath ave, maybe Murrays, hard to tell. On Irishtown House, I have heard 2 stories. One they forced the owner to take down a tricolour and put up a Union Jack in behind the bar and another that it was done with consent and all in good humour, who to believe!

Also, where was the trouble? I heard that it was in Sandymount rather than Irishtown but then again there were lots of rumours and the Gardai have said nothing. Lots of sirens were heard locally all evening, god help the fixture in May, the NI fans will not be able to drink in the local pubs unless everyone found the love

Zebra3 · 10-02-2011 9:03pm

Was in Windsor Park watching Shels play Linfield in 2006.

Linfield fans were singing about winning WWII while making nazi salutes.

Plenty of racist abuse aimed by their fans at Joey Ndo as well. :rolleyes:

Wolfe Tone · 10-02-2011 9:04pm

Terrontress wrote: »

Well last night there were at least 4 Catholics playing. Baird, McCourt, McGinn and Boyce. I wouldn't be surprised if there were more but I don't know.

I think it is not as bad as you make out.

You go ask those fans if they want fenians in their team and see what they say

robinph · 10-02-2011 9:05pm

Babyblessed wrote: »

northern Ireland does have a flag of its own...

http://www.greenwichmeantime.com/time-zone/europe/uk/flag.htm

The union flag is all the flags superimposed on each other. So they were carrying a flag partly supporting Scotland!

Don't see any flag in that set to represent Northern Ireland. There is one for Ireland as a whole which you may have got confused with admittedly.

mikemac · 10-02-2011 9:06pm

Strange alright, I lived in Belfast when they beat England 1-0 and it was huge and they were all so proud of their team.

bigwormbundoran · 10-02-2011 9:06pm

Terrontress wrote: »

Well last night there were at least 4 Catholics playing. Baird, McCourt, McGinn and Boyce. I wouldn't be surprised if there were more but I don't know.

I think it is not as bad as you make out.

McCourt and McGinn both got bullets in the post over it last month.

Neil Lennon was told he'd be murdered if he ever played for them again whilst he was captain.

It aint exactly fine and dandy either now to be fair

Agricola · 10-02-2011 9:06pm

pragmatic1 wrote: »

They have an idea of what it is to be "British", but that concept of Britishness has long since died. They remind me of white S.Africans.

Fair point. Could we tie in evolution here! Kind of like the strange assortment of wildlife that evolved on islands like Australia and Madagascar. Cut off from the herd, they turned into creatures which were very different from their cousins on the mainland!

RichieC · 10-02-2011 9:07pm

charlemont wrote: »

Did you give your 3 flags a wash before the game, Keith ?

N I shouldn't even have its own soccer team, its not and never will be a proper country..

:rolleyes:

Notorious97 · 10-02-2011 9:07pm

R P McMurphy wrote: »

What years were those in Notorious?, I was at a few in years gone by and the atmosphere was anything but receptive in windsor park

ah these were in Dublin, back in the early 90s, im only in late 20s, so maybe i was too young to notice the tensions, but i remember the pub before and after with my Da (i had a coke of course lol) but was NI fans drinking with my da and the atmosphere was good, but saying that im sure 90% NI fans are genuinely nice regardless of whtat community they come from, and 90% ROI fans are nice, 10% on both sides are pri*ks i guess

Derfil · 10-02-2011 9:08pm

We're not Brazil, we're Norn Iron.

Wolfe Tone · 10-02-2011 9:08pm

There should be an all Ireland team like in rugby

Terrontress · 10-02-2011 9:09pm

Wolfe Tone wrote: »

You go ask those fans if they want fenians in their team and see what they say

Which fans? The Northern Ireland supporters won a UEFA award in 2006 or so for having the best fans in Europe.

I think if you asked them if they wanted fenians in their team they would say no, they want good footballers.

Some of the best ever Northern Ireland footballers have been Catholics. Jennings, Donaghy, Armstrong, Magilton and there is a good number there now.

It's just a pity that I have to make the distinctiion to be able to rattle names off but those that overstate the bigotry are every bit as bad as the bigoted element which exists.

KeithAFC · 10-02-2011 9:11pm

charlemont wrote: »

Did you give your 3 flags a wash before the game, Keith ?

N I shouldn't even have its own soccer team, its not and never will be a proper country..

Nope. I want the Ulster men to do well but its not a huge passion of mine. Im a club man myself but i love my country in general.

R P McMurphy · 10-02-2011 9:11pm

Would say that 10% used to attend in Windsor Park then

mikemac · 10-02-2011 9:11pm

Wolfe Tone wrote: »

There should be an all Ireland team like in rugby

Will happen some day

But first the IFA and FAI will probably need to merge.
And then the two leagues to merge

The Setanta Cup was a step in the right direction

Terrontress · 10-02-2011 9:12pm

Wolfe Tone wrote: »

There should be an all Ireland team like in rugby

There used to be but the FAI formed a breakaway movement.

Badgermonkey · 10-02-2011 9:13pm

Wolfe Tone wrote: »

There should be an all Ireland team like in rugby

But soccer fans in much of europe and the world can't be trusted to act like grown ups unfortunately.

3hn2givr7mx1sc · 10-02-2011 9:14pm

KeithAFC wrote: »

Nope. I want the UlsterNI men to do well but its not a huge passion of mine. Im a club man myself but i love my country in general.

Donegal, Cavan and Monaghan are in Ulster.

Agricola · 10-02-2011 9:15pm

Badgermonkey wrote: »

But soccer fans in much of europe and the world can't be trusted to act like grown ups unfortunately.

Its hard for them when many of the football associations and their governing body can't even manage it.

Northern Ireland fans carrying Union flags.....

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