Rory McIlroy is declaring for Ireland

Sunnyisland

Ever since it was announced that golf would be part of the next Olympics in Rio it has been the one question Rory McIlroy has refused to answer: will he represent Britain or Ireland ? I have grown up my whole life playing for Ireland under the Golfing Union of Ireland umbrella,’ he said. ‘But the fact is, I've always felt more British than Irish.

Maybe it was the way I was brought up, I don’t know, but I have always felt more of a connection with the UK than with Ireland. And so I have to weigh that up against the fact that I've always played for Ireland and so it is tough. Whatever I do, I know my decision is going to upset some people but I just hope the vast majority will understand.’


This is the first time he has come out and declared unequivocally for the UK over Ireland and will certainly upset some people and not go down to well, but he said he was placed in an invidious position through now fault of his own,

Well there you have it auld Rory is british after all,what yis think ? My own opinion, how could he,****ing traitor,rablle rabble good luck to him


http://www.google.ie/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=rory%20 mcilroy%20feels%20closer%20to%20 brittain source=web&cd=1&cad=rja ved=0CCQQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailymail.co.uk%2Fsport%2Fgolf%2Farticle-2200702%2FRory-McIlroy-represent-Great-Britain-Ireland-2016-Olympics.html&ei=yYRNUPzUEIbLhAfR0IHICA&usg=AFQjCNE2F6EqlgwyCTkHG5mK8lshyy85cg

Mod: thread title updated!

gosuckonalemon

Well it's either he play for Northern Ireland individually or play as part of team GB. What else would you expect him to do?

He can hardly play for the Republic.

jank

Daily Mail = Daily Fail

No where in that piece did he say that he was "declaring" for Britain either.

Agent Smith

Honnestly could not give a Fuck

johnmcdnl

Its not a real Olympic sport anyways

galwayrush

Not this crap already, Rio is still years away...

philologos

gosuckonalemon wrote: »

Well it's either he play for Northern Ireland individually or play as part of team GB. What else would you expect him to do?

He can hardly play for the Republic.

There's no Northern Ireland Olympic team. Also, in the Olympics just gone quite a few people from Northern Ireland were on the Irish team.

Sunnyisland

gosuckonalemon wrote: »

Well it's either he play for Northern Ireland individually or play as part of team GB. What else would you expect him to do?

He can hardly play for the Republic.

Personally wouldn't care less either way, He has to do whats best for him, But as its monday and looking like winter out there and were in After hours I thought it be a good start to the morning Good moring everyone

super_furry

It's his business and people should respect his decision.

greendom

gosuckonalemon wrote: »

Well it's either he play for Northern Ireland individually or play as part of team GB. What else would you expect him to do?

He can hardly play for the Republic.

Why not ? Any one born in Northern Ireland is entitled to be an Irish citizen.

Sunnyisland

jank wrote: »

Daily Mail = Daily Fail

No where in that piece did he say that he was "declaring" for Britain either.

[HTML]‘But the fact is, I've always felt more British than Irish.
[/HTML]


Hint hint And as for the daily mail I find some of there stories quite interesting and in many cases much better than any of our own Newspapers,my opinion of course.

SocSocPol

greendom wrote: »

Why not ? Any one born in Northern Ireland is entitled to be an Irish citizen.

They are also fully entitled to represent the UK.
Fair play to him.

super_furry

greendom wrote: »

Why not ? Any one born in Northern Ireland is entitled to be an Irish citizen.

Sure he is entitled to, but not obliged. He identifies more as a British person than an Irish one and will most likely base his decision on that.

cyrusdvirus

Oh this thread should be fun!!!

Sulla Felix

Pity, but if that's how he feels its his choice.

greendom

To the 2 posters above, absolutely - I was disagreeing with the poster who said - "He can hardly play for the Republic" - quite clearly nonesense.

mfceiling

This will end well:rolleyes:

brandon_flowers

He is an adult, he can do whatever he wants. Why is Ireland full of such backward people who think they know what is and isn't best for someone?

****ing idiots.

greendom

brandon_flowers wrote: »

He is an adult, he can do whatever he wants. Why is Ireland full of such backward people who think they know what is and isn't best for someone?

****ing idiots.

Who said he couldn't do what he wants ?

chughes

If he feels that he wants to declare for GB, I respect him for that in much the same way I respect James McClean for declaring for the Republic of Ireland.

As citizens of Northern Ireland they can declare either way and it's natural to go with what your heart and family background tell you. Good luck to him, I say.

galwayrush

Even Ian Paisley declared N Irish cattle to be Irish, during the BSE outbreak some time back..:pac:
Same cattle either way....

brandon_flowers

greendom wrote: »

Who said he couldn't do what he wants ?

You know as well as I do that this thread will run into pages and pages of drivel saying he should do this and he shouldn't do that.

greendom

brandon_flowers wrote: »

You know as well as I do that this thread will run into pages and pages of drivel saying he should do this and he shouldn't do that.

Abusing people and predicting the future - well done !

Optimalprimerib

I always presumed he was British any way as he always plays for the British flag.

How outraged will the british be if we try to claim him?

Fratton Fred

Optimalprimerib wrote: »

I always presumed he was British any way as he always plays for the British flag. How outraged will the british be if we try to claim him?

*checks Chris O'Dowd thread*

Bloody Irish always trying to claim our sportsmen for their own blah blah blah

When he loses he's a Brit blah blah blah ........

Nope, not outraged at all to be honest. Good luck to him whoever he plays for, top golfer and by all accounts a decent bloke.

The Orb

Rory, you're not British, you're from Northern Ireland. The GUI is an all-Ireland body, Irish golf teams are always 32 county. I find it unusual that a Northern Irish catholic would say he feels more British than Irish. However it is his choice.

Islander13

Completely up to Rory as to what he wants to do. I wish him well for either Britain or Ireland, whichever he chooses. This is the kind of issue that only bothers small minded people really

Gummy Panda

The Orb wrote: »

Rory, you're not British, you're from Northern Ireland. The GUI is an all-Ireland body, Irish golf teams are always 32 county. I find it unusual that a Northern Irish catholic would say he feels more British than Irish. However it is his choice.

Better sponsorship from Team GB?

conorhal

chughes wrote: »

If he feels that he wants to declare for GB, I respect him for that in much the same way I respect James McClean for declaring for the Republic of Ireland.

As citizens of Northern Ireland they can declare either way and it's natural to go with what your heart and family background tell you. Good luck to him, I say.

Being from Norn Iron is a bit like being the child of a bitter divorce, Rory likes daddy better then mommy, there, he said it.

It's harsh when a needy parent's plaintive cry of 'who do you love best?' gets an answer that they don't want to hear. But mommy's been on prozac and crying a lot for the last 90 years, and daddy's aloof distain often generates in his children a desperate desire to please that stems from their craving for his witheld affection.

martingriff

Did McIlrory not say the same thing a few years ago when golf was said to be in Rio. Is this not old news. Maybe I am wrong. Whoever he plays for who cares. Just like Andy Murray he will be British if he wins or from NI (Scotland in Murry's case) if he loses. Speaking of Murray I bit we will hear he is Scottish if he loses the US Open even though he is a British Gold Medal

pickarooney

What sport gets the boot to incorporate golf, does anyone know?

Biggins

gatecrash wrote: »

Oh this thread should be fun!!!

Get your popcorn and sit back!

ynotonavillus

With the passing of the amendment to the constitution renouncing our claim on the north, it is time that We/they got our own Golfing union and Rugby union etc..

Northern Ireland is a Country let it take to the world stage as one. Surely this lack of national team/ choice of two alternatives is divisive within NI, or at the least an oppertunity lost for both traditions to join together to support the one team.

Good luck to Rory,

Cienciano

British guy declares for Britain. This is what passes for news now?

the keen edge

I never was sure that Rory was a Catholic, as are his parents.

It is also interesting to know that an granuncle of his was murdered in a sectarian attack by the loyalist UVF, killed simply for being a Catholic in a Protestant neighborhood.

In light of this I think he is well informed, and clear in his only mind of his nationality; more power to him.

dm09

Optimalprimerib wrote: »

I always presumed he was British any way as he always plays for the British flag.

How outraged will the british be if we try to claim him?

Apparantly not!

http://sites.duke.edu/belfast2011/files/2011/06/McIlroy-Tricolor.jpg

mike65

Sure he plays for Ireland in the World Cup and Team GB in the Olympics, whats the confusion about!?!

summerskin

martingriff wrote: »

Did McIlrory not say the same thing a few years ago when golf was said to be in Rio. Is this not old news. Maybe I am wrong. Whoever he plays for who cares. Just like Andy Murray he will be British if he wins or from NI (Scotland in Murry's case) if he loses. Speaking of Murray I bit we will hear he is Scottish if he loses the US Open even though he is a British Gold Medal

never happens. utter búllshít that i only ever hear in ireland.

good luck rory.

SocSocPol

mike65 wrote: »

Sure he plays for Ireland in the World Cup and Team GB in the Olympics, whats the confusion about!?!

Actually he plays for Northern Ireland, as does Darren Clarke, Graham McDowell, and Michael Hoey.

starbelgrade

They have golf in the Olympics?

super_furry

SocSocPol wrote: »

Actually he plays for Northern Ireland, as does Darren Clarke, Graham McDowell, and Michael Hoey.

Nope. They all play for 'Ireland'. Much like the IRFU the GUI is a 32-county body.

Tox56

SocSocPol wrote: »

Actually he plays for Northern Ireland, as does Darren Clarke, Graham McDowell, and Michael Hoey.

In the golf World Cup he plays for Ireland

Surprising how this thread is mostly in favour of his decision.

martingriff

summerskin wrote: »

never happens. utter búllshít that i only ever hear in ireland.

good luck rory.

You have never read sports pages or sports letters

DipStick McSwindler

This post has been deleted.

Fratton Fred

martingriff wrote: »

summerskin wrote: »

never happens. utter búllshít that i only ever hear in ireland.
good luck rory.

You have never read sports pages or sports letters

Yes, lots. It never happens.

In fact, Andy Murray is referred to as Scottish as often as British win or lose.

Unlike Tim Henman who was rarely referred to as English.

rednik

He had another great win last night, hopefully he will win the fedex cup.

Does Chris O Dowd know about this?

Tox56

Fratton Fred wrote: »

Yes, lots. It never happens.

In fact, Andy Murray is referred to as Scottish as often as British win or lose.

Unlike Tim Henman who was rarely referred to as English.

Exactly, this was printed yesterday and it refers to Murray as a Scot http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/tennis/19539192

I never did understand this whole "Scottish when he loses" business

BillyMitchel

It's been commonl knowledge for a long long time that Rory always seen himself as British. This is not something new!

summerskin

martingriff wrote: »

You have never read sports pages or sports letters

No, you're right. As a former sports journalist I have never read the sports pages.

Well done.