Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

What is it with Mickey Harte?

Options
12357…10

Comments

  • Options
    #122
    checkyabadself
    Registered Users Posts: 471 ✭✭checkyabadself


    I don`t really care for Mr. Harte. I`ve nothing personal against him, but I cant help but wonder about how he is perceived in Irish society.

    When his daughter was tragically murdered I was shocked at how RTE in particular told the story in the vein of, " The daughter of GAA manager Micky Harte has been killed", as opposed to " An Irish woman, Mickaela MacAreevy honeymooning in the Maldives has been killed."

    She happened to be his daughter yet the media portrayed her as a daughter of a hero rather than first and foremost a woman or a wife, but no, the media flocked around Micky Harte for soundbites and weren`t too concerned with the husband being the most affected.

    The comments around the GAA being a great community have always irked me. It`s a great community as long as you`re part of it or support their games but to tell someone who is talking about it that you`re not really a fan they are almost instantly "wise to you", "sure he`s probably a rugby snob". Obviously I`m not tarring all GAA fans with the same brush but the minute I tell people that "No, sorry I didn`t watch the match, I`m not a fan really to be honest" the common reaction is a look of "what kind of a wierdo doesn`t watch the All Ireland".

    It`s also true that Catholicism, Gaa and rural people are three things that are fiercely interlinked in this country. It`s not a gross exaggeration to claim that there is a certain tribal feel to the community ethos that pervades that comunnity that can be a little intimidating to those who don`t follow that lifestyle.

    The GAA are a reasonable well run organisation that provide a great sense of joy and togetherness as long as it`s on their terms. When was the last time you saw a collection outside a church for a kids rugby team, or an atheist GAA manager.


  • Options
    #123
    Grand Moff Tarkin
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 862 ✭✭✭Grand Moff Tarkin


    checkyabadself wrote: »
    I don`t really care for Mr. Harte. I`ve nothing personal against him, but I cant help but wonder about how he is perceived in Irish society.

    When his daughter was tragically murdered I was shocked at how RTE in particular told the story in the vein of, " The daughter of GAA manager Micky Harte has been killed", as opposed to " An Irish woman, Mickaela MacAreevy honeymooning in the Maldives has been killed."

    She happened to be his daughter yet the media portrayed her as a daughter of a hero rather than first and foremost a woman or a wife, but no, the media flocked around Micky Harte for soundbites and weren`t too concerned with the husband being the most affected.

    The comments around the GAA being a great community have always irked me. It`s a great community as long as you`re part of it or support their games but to tell someone who is talking about it that you`re not really a fan they are almost instantly "wise to you", "sure he`s probably a rugby snob". Obviously I`m not tarring all GAA fans with the same brush but the minute I tell people that "No, sorry I didn`t watch the match, I`m not a fan really to be honest" the common reaction is a look of "what kind of a wierdo doesn`t watch the All Ireland".

    It`s also true that Catholicism, Gaa and rural people are three things that are fiercely interlinked in this country. It`s not a gross exaggeration to claim that there is a certain tribal feel to the community ethos that pervades that comunnity that can be a little intimidating to those who don`t follow that lifestyle.

    The GAA are a reasonable well run organisation that provide a great sense of joy and togetherness as long as it`s on their terms. When was the last time you saw a collection outside a church for a kids rugby team, or an atheist GAA manager.
    There are still a few GAA clubs up and down the country who go out of the way to make sure that their own club training clashes with the training times of other sports.


  • Options
    #124
    Electric Sheep
    Registered Users Posts: 2,106 ✭✭✭Electric Sheep


    Rasheed wrote: »
    If you had proof, you wouldn't be done for slander.



    That was your original quote. There is 'no doubt' apparently. So show me the proof of these elements are self serving.

    I like the GAA, I'm fairly involved but am under no illusion that it's perfect. Criticise it all you want, only if its fair criticism though.

    Harte providing this character reference is proof to me of the self serving element of the GAA.


  • Options
    #125
    HondaSami
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,713 ✭✭✭HondaSami


    If Micky Harte says it's ok then it must be ok. I wonder how he feels about the murder of Det Adrian Donohue,it has been said one of those responsible comes from a respected GAA family in the north.


  • Options
    #126
    mocata
    Registered Users Posts: 365 ✭✭mocata


    Driving after 30 units of alcohol while already disqualified doesnt suggest a one-off out of character incident.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #127
    Rasheed
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,117 ✭✭✭Rasheed


    Electric Sheep wrote: »
    Harte providing this character reference is proof to me of the self serving element of the GAA.

    What has the actions of one man (Harte) got to do with the rest of the GAA?

    If I made a sweeping generalisation about any other organisation or community like the generalisations here, I'd be ate alive and then banned.


  • Options
    #128
    Electric Sheep
    Registered Users Posts: 2,106 ✭✭✭Electric Sheep


    Rasheed wrote: »
    What has the actions of one man (Harte) got to do with the rest of the GAA?

    If I made a sweeping generalisation about any other organisation or community like the generalisations here, I'd be ate alive and then banned.

    His behaviour is indicative of the mindset. I am sure his daughter would be very proud.


  • Options
    #129
    Rasheed
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,117 ✭✭✭Rasheed


    Electric Sheep wrote: »
    His behaviour is indicative of the mindset. I am sure his daughter would be very proud.

    One man's behaviour is indicative of the mindset of over a million people?


  • Options
    #130
    Happyman42
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,066 ✭✭✭✭Happyman42


    Electric Sheep wrote: »
    His behaviour is indicative of the mindset. I am sure his daughter would be very proud.

    Absurd. And not in touch with reality.


  • Options
    #131
    yosser hughes
    Registered Users Posts: 3,886 ✭✭✭yosser hughes


    Rasheed wrote: »
    One man's behaviour is indicative of the mindset of over a million people?

    Who are the million people? Are there a million members of the G.A.A.? I didn't know that, if indeed there are that many members.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #132
    ardmacha
    Registered Users Posts: 7,476 ✭✭✭ardmacha


    Harte provided information on what he knew about this person. This is not support for his actions, at most it is a statement that he wasn't all bad. It is business of the Judge to process the value of such comments, not for Harte to act as judge and jury and refuse a reference. The defendant pleaded guilty, which has probably spared the victim some additional trauma in court, who is to say that Harte did not have a role in convincing him to do this?


  • Options
    #133
    HondaSami
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,713 ✭✭✭HondaSami


    ardmacha wrote: »
    Harte provided information on what he knew about this person. This is not support for his actions, at most it is a statement that he wasn't all bad. It is business of the Judge to process the value of such comments, not for Harte to act as judge and jury and refuse a reference. The defendant pleaded guilty, which has probably spared the victim some additional trauma in court, who is to say that Harte did not have a role in convincing him to do this?

    Giving a reference for someone accused of any sexual offence is not right imo
    Why did he need such a reference?


  • Options
    #134
    Rasheed
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,117 ✭✭✭Rasheed


    yosser hughes wrote: »

    Who are the million people? Are there a million members of the G.A.A.? I didn't know that, if indeed there are that many members.
    http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaelic_Athletic_Association


  • Options
    #135
    Electric Sheep
    Registered Users Posts: 2,106 ✭✭✭Electric Sheep


    ardmacha wrote: »
    Harte provided information on what he knew about this person. This is not support for his actions, at most it is a statement that he wasn't all bad. It is business of the Judge to process the value of such comments, not for Harte to act as judge and jury and refuse a reference. The defendant pleaded guilty, which has probably spared the victim some additional trauma in court, who is to say that Harte did not have a role in convincing him to do this?

    Are you suggesting that Harte did have a role? Or are you just kite flying?


  • Options
    #136
    ardmacha
    Registered Users Posts: 7,476 ✭✭✭ardmacha


    Giving a reference for someone accused of any sexual offence is not right imo

    It is no different than any witness in court. You are not the judge and it not your place to pronounce the person guilty.
    Are you suggesting that Harte did have a role? Or are you just kite flying?

    I have no idea. However, it is notable that the accused pleaded guilty, perhaps he received advice from someone.


  • Options
    #137
    Benny_Cake
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,205 ✭✭✭Benny_Cake


    ardmacha wrote: »
    Harte provided information on what he knew about this person. This is not support for his actions, at most it is a statement that he wasn't all bad. It is business of the Judge to process the value of such comments, not for Harte to act as judge and jury and refuse a reference. The defendant pleaded guilty, which has probably spared the victim some additional trauma in court, who is to say that Harte did not have a role in convincing him to do this?

    This.

    A person is allowed to provide a character reference if they wish, and it is entirely up to the judge how much credibility to apply to that. Now personally, I'd bin it, but it's still something that the justice system allows and as others have pointed out the perpetrator pleaded guilty and Harte may have been instrumental in persuading him to do this. We'll never know.

    I suspect that much of the hate directed at Mickey Harte is actually for three reasons - his GAA involvement, his support for Sean Quinn, and the fact that he's a Catholic (and a conservative one at that). I have no feeling one way or another about the GAA, not even watching the All-Ireland final when it comes around. His support for Sean Quinn is plain wrong, and his religious and social views are antediluvian, particularly his opposition to contraception. It's amazing that people who consider themselves liberal and tolerant see red when it comes to people whose views differ from their own.


  • Options
    #138
    Peanut2011
    Registered Users Posts: 1,001 ✭✭✭Peanut2011


    Ah, we will see Mickey Harte run for a Dail seat very soon. He is just using all these cases to build up his public profile.


  • Options
    #139
    brandon_flowers
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,657 ✭✭✭brandon_flowers


    He'll be the greatest Republican hero of all time if he manages to run for a Dail seat in Tyrone!


  • Options
    #140
    fasttalkerchat
    Registered Users Posts: 5,652 ✭✭✭fasttalkerchat


    Its an important part of the legal system that a defendant who is pleading guilty is allowed to give evidence to back up his assertions that his crime was out of character. This is what is happening here. I'd imagine Mickey took into account the fact that he's owning up to what happened.


  • Options
    #141
    ProudDUB
    Registered Users Posts: 11,569 ✭✭✭✭ProudDUB


    I think this is pretty sickening imo.

    A family member of mine suffered a similar assault over 20 years ago, only no alcohol was involved. The courts were bombarded with " ah sure he's a grand lad, wouldn't hurt a fly, he comes from a good family, plays GAA, his parents are pillars of the local community etc etc character reference crap, that MH is now peddling on this other a$$holes behalf.

    Our a$$hole got off with a 12 month suspended sentence, and got on with his life. Twenty years on, my relation is still dealing with the life of poverty she has had to live ever since. She has never able to hold down a job for long, due to the crippling headaches she still gets from being hit over the head with a brick in the back of a van when she was 19.

    Let's all feel sorry for the poor wee lad who lost the run of himself. What about the victims in these kinds of cases? What a bloody maddening country this is to be sure ! :mad::mad::mad:


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #142
    darced
    Registered Users Posts: 7,056 ✭✭✭darced


    This post has been deleted.


  • Options
    #143
    Happyman42
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,066 ✭✭✭✭Happyman42


    darced wrote: »
    This post has been deleted.

    This was in Tyrone...'GAA always have close links with the RUC' ...yeh, right!

    Could you show me one instance(North or South) where somebody who pleaded guilty walked free because of a character ref. from a GAA member?

    Your post is just Livelinesque/Daily Mail hysteria if you can't.


  • Options
    #144
    padd b1975
    Registered Users Posts: 10,733 ✭✭✭✭padd b1975


    checkyabadself wrote: »
    I don`t really care for Mr. Harte. I`ve nothing personal against him, but I cant
    help but wonder about how he is perceived in Irish society.
    Mickey Harte has every right to live his life however he sees fit.
    If you have a problem with how he is percieved in Irish society, I would suggest you direct your opinions towards Irish society and not Mickey Harte.
    checkyabadself wrote: »
    the media flocked around Micky Harte for soundbites and weren`t too concerned
    with the husband being the most affected.
    I think he was very brave to speak out on behalf of his family and son in law so soon after his daughter was murdered.

    Of course the media was going to pounce on this story, the wife of an inter county footballer and daughter of a multiple AI winning manager is murdered on honeymoon.

    Like it or not, it was a massive news story at the time.

    FYI, a large proportion of his media comments consisted of pleadings to the media for space for his son in law.
    checkyabadself wrote: »
    The comments around the GAA being a great community have always irked me. It`s a
    great community as long as you`re part of it or support their games but to tell
    someone who is talking about it that you`re not really a fan they are almost
    instantly "wise to you", "sure he`s probably a rugby snob". Obviously I 'm not
    tarring all GAA fans with the same brush but the minute I tell people that "No,
    sorry I didn`t watch the match, I`m not a fan really to be honest" the common
    reaction is a look of "what kind of a wierdo doesn`t watch the All Ireland".
    Could have fooled me.


    checkyabadself wrote: »
    The GAA are a reasonable well run organisation that provide a great sense of joy
    and togetherness as long as it`s on their terms
    Could you tell me more about these terms please?
    checkyabadself wrote: »
    When was the last time you saw a collection outside a church for a kids rugby team, or an atheist GAA manager.
    I see collections for other sports all the time.
    Atheist GAA manager?? Can't think of one off the top of my head, but I would be fairly certain there are lots.

    Jack Boothman, former president of the association and one of its most conservative leaders was Church of Ireland.


  • Options
    #145
    c_man
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,436 ✭✭✭c_man


    Happyman42 wrote: »
    This was in Tyrone...'GAA always have close links with the RUC' ...yeh, right!

    Ah c'mon, no facts please!


  • Options
    #146
    darced
    Registered Users Posts: 7,056 ✭✭✭darced


    This post has been deleted.


  • Options
    #147
    c_man
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,436 ✭✭✭c_man


    checkyabadself wrote: »
    The comments around the GAA being a great community have always irked me. It`s a great community as long as you`re part of it

    So it's not a great community, if you're not part of the community... Right.


  • Options
    #148
    Happyman42
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,066 ✭✭✭✭Happyman42


    darced wrote: »
    This post has been deleted.

    I know a girl, who knows the great uncle twice removed of another girls cousin who swallowed a lizards egg on holidays and never went to the doctors and the lizard grew inside her and ate her from the inside out over 4 and half weeks. That may or may not be an urban myth, I'm not sure, but please accept it as fact, because this is the interweb.





    * I'm not sure if it was beyond a joke for the lizard or the girl though. But it was for one of them.


  • Options
    #149
    flanzer
    Registered Users Posts: 3,135 ✭✭✭flanzer


    Word has it that he's on his way to South Africa to do a character reference for Oscar Pistorius


  • Options
    #150
    Halloween Jack
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,658 ✭✭✭Halloween Jack


    flanzer wrote: »
    Word has it that he's on his way to South Africa to do a character reference for Oscar Pistorius

    Hope it's better than the one he did for fritzl...


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #151
    darced
    Registered Users Posts: 7,056 ✭✭✭darced


    This post has been deleted.


Advertisement