Everybody else in the family is at the Commonwealth Games, so why aren't we?

LordSutch

'Nearly' every country in the world who has even the slightest connection to Britain is there competing in every sport represented, from boxing to athletics, to karate, to rugby, horse riding, shooting, and swimming, yet the ROI is completly absent, leaving NI to go it alone as usual :mad:

Yes, I know the reasons well, and I know that I will probably get a massive backlash for even suggesting that we should be rubbing shoulders with the Welsh, the Scots, the English, Canadians, Aussies, Indians etc etc, but I still can't help thinking that here we are (the closest of all to Britain) yet still sulking & absent as usual since about 1959, when some drunken Dail politician decided on the spur of the moment that "Ireland had now left the commonwealth".

Personally I think we should rejoin for no other reason than to be able to participate in the games. There would of course be a lot of trade opportunities with other CW countries too, that might also come into play with such connections. I think its been a disgrace that we have been absent from the commonwealth family for so long.

What say you?

Sits in bunker with pith helmet on, waiting for the artillery shells to rain in

Lenin Skynard

France is just as close to Britain and they're not in it either.

LordSutch

France is not part of the Commonwealth family of Nations.

SEPT 23 1989

We could have a Commonpoor Games with Spain,Portugal and Greece

Pakistan left, then decided that they were better off in so rejoined.

Lenin Skynard

Tbh I doubt most people would have the slightest idea what the "family of commonwealth nations" is. Is it just something you made up? Ireland most certainly isn't in the commonwealth, so of course it's not in the commonwealth games. We're not in the African Cup of Nations either.

diomed

We have GAA, the greatest sports ever.

SEPT 23 1989

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

We could have a Commonpoor Games with Spain,Portugal and Greece

Poor Span, can't even afford an "i" :P

FierceMild

We actually left the Commonwealth in 1949 with the implementation of the Ireland Act. It wasn't just a drunken Dail deputy.

Also, I quite like having a President instead of the Queen. Michael D is good craic.

7ofBrian

LordSutch wrote: »

France is not part of the Commonwealth family of Nations.

Neither is Ireland.

Sunnyisland

LordSutch wrote: »

'Nearly' every country in the world who has even the slightest connection to Britain is there competing in every sport represented, from boxing to athletics, to karate, to rugby, horse riding, shooting, and swimming, yet the ROI is completly absent, leaving NI to go it alone as usual :mad:

Yes, I know the reasons well, and I know that I will probably get a massive backlash for even suggesting that we should be rubbing shoulders with the Welsh, the Scots, the English, Canadians, Aussies, Indians etc etc, but I still can't help thinking that here we are (the closest of all to Britain) yet still sulking & absent as usual since about 1959, when some drunken Dail politician decided on the spur of the moment that "Ireland had now left the commonwealth".

Personally I think we should rejoin for no other reason than to be able to participate in the games. There would of course be a lot of trade opportunities with other CW countries too, that might also come into play with such connections. I think its been a disgrace that we have been absent from the commonwealth family for so long.

What say you?

Sits in bunker with pith helmet on, waiting for the artillery shells to rain in

I have been waiting for this thread since the games began, so let them start here.... Carry on :-)

Madam

Until about a week ago you would have needed your pith helmet around me. Now I've seen what it has brought to Glasgow I've changed my mind - the place has been transformed and the city is buzzing you just can't help but be upbeat about the whole thing. Yes perhaps it would do nothing but good for Ireland to re join the Commonwealth after all Scotland is staying in and I 'm sure it won't do this country any harm.

kneemos

The sporting worlds equivalent of the school sports day.

SEPT 23 1989

Deleted User wrote: »

Poor Span, can't even afford an "i" :P

they are paying to get their name back in installments

diomed

We should get the Aran Islands into the Island Games.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Island_Games

Frank Lee Midere

Maybe the US should join the commonwealth and win everything.

Madam

kneemos wrote: »

The sporting worlds equivalent of the school sports day.

School sports days don't bring coffers to a countries pot!

Birneybau

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

We could have a Commonpoor Games with Spain,Portugal and Greece

Or, just 'common'

eyescreamcone

kneemos wrote: »

The sporting worlds equivalent of the school sports day.

More like the Special Paralympics!

kneemos

Madam wrote: »

School sports days don't bring coffers to a countries pot!

Thought sport was about competing against the best.Pardon me.

eyescreamcone

How about reforming the Tailteann Games 

Barry mcguigan won a commonwealth gold for NI when he was 17.

Dunno how he qualified as i dozed off to sleep when he was talking about it.

Favourite event so far was this mornings triathlon mixed relay.

Madam

kneemos wrote: »

Thought sport was about competing against the best.Pardon me.

That too:o

Henwin

Madam wrote: »

Until about a week ago you would have needed your pith helmet around me. Now I've seen what it has brought to Glasgow I've changed my mind - the place has been transformed and the city is buzzing you just can't help but be upbeat about the whole thing. Yes perhaps it would do nothing but good for Ireland to re join the Commonwealth after all Scotland is staying in and I 'm sure it won't do this country any harm.

Scotland haven't voted yet

Nodin

LordSutch wrote: »

France is not part of the Commonwealth family of Nations.

"Family" me hole. It's more like a club for victims of abuse.

LordSutch wrote: »

when some drunken Dail politician decided on the spur of the moment that "Ireland had now left the commonwealth"..

Any other stereotypes you want to fire in there?

bilston

FierceMild wrote: »

Also, I quite like having a President instead of the Queen. Michael D is good craic.

You can be in the Commonwealth and not have the Queen as your head of state so that wouldn't change at all.

Madam

Strawberry Milkshake wrote: »

Barry mcguigan won a commonwealth gold for NI when he was 17.

Dunno how he qualified as i dozed off to sleep when he was talking about it.

Favourite event so far was this mornings triathlon mixed relay.

He changed his nationality - so I'm told.

Lenin Skynard

kneemos wrote: »

Thought sport was about competing against the best.Pardon me.

Come on now, sport doesn't get more elite than Sri Lanka playing a game of quiddich against Namibia.

bilston

Henwin wrote: »

Scotland haven't voted yet

Even if Scotland goes independent Alex Salmond has been pretty clear that the Queen will remain head of state, although even then that isn't a pre requisite of being in the Commonwealth.

Madam

Henwin wrote: »

Scotland haven't voted yet

Oops jumping ahead of myself:)

efb

It's kinda cr@p though even the best athletes don't compete ("injured")

DEFTLEFTHAND

The European games are being introduced next year, so that will give Irish athletes a chance to experience a 'Games' environment before the Olympics.

That said it would be nice to have a southern team competing at Glasgow, and when I wouldn't have any objection to rejoining the CW I think many others would, not worth the hassle really is it. It's a political can of worms that no party would want to open.

LordSutch

Frank Lee Midere wrote: »

Maybe the US should join the commonwealth and win everything.

The point being that we were in the Commonwealth, and then we left without any proper political process, or without any consultation with the people. We just left and that was that . . . .

Leaving the Commonwealth 'the way we did' was the big mistake, according to many down the years, from De Valera right up to many politicians today.

mikeyjames9

wasn't it formerly known as the EMPIRE GAMES

basically a relic of british imperialism

If scotland vote for independence, does that mean they won't be part of team GB at next Olympics?

Sunnyisland

I love after hours.

LordSutch

Strawberry Milkshake wrote: »

If scotland vote for independence, does that mean they won't be part of team GB at next Olympics?

Correct, they will be Team Scotland.

but they will still be in the commonwealth.

Lenin Skynard

LordSutch wrote: »

The point being that we were in the Commonwealth without any proper political process, or without any consultation with the people, and then we left without any proper political process, or without any consultation with the people.

This would be a more truthful reflection of it.

realies

realies wrote: »

I love after hours.

What event's could AH hold? Who would be classed as favourites?

Sitting on the fence relay race?

Strawberry Milkshake

Strawberry Milkshake wrote: »

If scotland vote for independence, does that mean they won't be part of team GB at next Olympics?

Technically speaking GB will cease to exist, without Scotland it would be just Britain (England & Wales) and the UK would be "A United Kingdom of Britain & Northern Ireland"

kneemos

realies wrote: »

I love after hours.

realies?

[Deleted User]

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Technically speaking GB will cease to exist, without Scotland it would be just Britain (England & Wales) and the UK would be "A United Kingdom of Britain & Northern Ireland"

Team B doesn't have the same motivating ring to it lol.

Team NIB???

wendell borton

eyescreamcone wrote: »

How about reforming the Tailteann Games 

The Ras Tailteann is still around.

DEFTLEFTHAND

Strawberry Milkshake wrote: »

Team B doesn't have the same motivating ring to it lol.

Team NIB???

They'd be all better off competing as separate entities imo and doing away with team GB.

Although I suppose its the way the funding is set up over there.

An Claidheamh

LordSutch wrote: »

The point being that we were in the Commonwealth, and then we left without any proper political process, or without any consultation with the people. We just left and that was that . . . .

Leaving the Commonwealth 'the way we did' was the big mistake, according to many down the years, from De Valera right up to many politicians today.

DeValera didn't want to leave the British empire...sorry Commonwealth because the North was not part of Ireland yet. He didn't like British imperialists, monarchy, etc. He wanted to wait until then.

Could you tell us LordSutch what politicians today want Ireland to join the lost colonies of Britain?


It's not the fact that Britain had an empire that I find insulting. That was long ago.

It's the fact that they try to paint themselves as once a leader of a group "of nations" promoting democracy or some other nonsense.

They have a problem with the EU, but not with the British commonwealth ...strange.


Will be hilarious when so many of these "athletes" claim asylum.

An Claidheamh

LordSutch wrote: »

The point being that we were in the Commonwealth, and then we left without any proper political process, or without any consultation with the people. We just left and that was that . . . .

Leaving the Commonwealth 'the way we did' was the big mistake, according to many down the years, from De Valera right up to many politicians today.

I don't remember being consultation to join the then British empire.

An Claidheamh

LordSutch wrote: »

'Nearly' every country in the world who has even the slightest connection to Britain is there competing in every sport represented, from boxing to athletics, to karate, to rugby, horse riding, shooting, and swimming, yet the ROI is completly absent, leaving NI to go it alone as usual :mad:

Yes, I know the reasons well, and I know that I will probably get a massive backlash for even suggesting that we should be rubbing shoulders with the Welsh, the Scots, the English, Canadians, Aussies, Indians etc etc, but I still can't help thinking that here we are (the closest of all to Britain) yet still sulking & absent as usual since about 1959, when some drunken Dail politician decided on the spur of the moment that "Ireland had now left the commonwealth".

Personally I think we should rejoin for no other reason than to be able to participate in the games. There would of course be a lot of trade opportunities with other CW countries too, that might also come into play with such connections. I think its been a disgrace that we have been absent from the commonwealth family for so long.

What say you?

Sits in bunker with pith helmet on, waiting for the artillery shells to rain in

Video won't play: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Aj3KZa1ZCM


I think this sums up the mickey mouse Olympics, Sutch.

"Netball ....like Basketball without the rights."

Nothing wrong with netball! Loved playing WA.

InReality

A commentator said Mo Farah would be disappointed because he wants to win the "top 3" .. of an Olympic gold , world championship gold .... and a commonwealth gold !

Unlikely in my opinion.

Its a s**** competition.

Arthur Beesley

InReality wrote: »

Some commentator said that every athlete wants to win an Olympic gold , world championship gold .... and a commonwealth gold.

Yeah right.

Its a s**** competition.

So you finished fourth again this year?

Better luck next time.

Maphisto

Madam wrote: »

Until about a week ago you would have needed your pith helmet around me. Now I've seen what it has brought to Glasgow I've changed my mind - the place has been transformed and the city is buzzing you just can't help but be upbeat about the whole thing. Yes perhaps it would do nothing but good for Ireland to re join the Commonwealth after all Scotland is staying in and I 'm sure it won't do this country any harm.

bilston wrote: »

You can be in the Commonwealth and not have the Queen as your head of state so that wouldn't change at all.

Personally I don't give a flying fox for the symbolism and I'm not a great sports fan.

I do though think it would be good for the country to rejoin. Great for the athletes. Great for Dublin if we got to host. Great for the economy.

I'll fuck off now and put my tin hat on.