GAA need to step up

Northerner here, lifelong GAA member and also from a mixed area with a high number of local Orange Order member and bandsmen etc (many of whom I know personally and have worked alongside and socialised with). I would be the first to say that there are cultural and legacy issues to be addressed in fully divorcing Gaelic games and clubs from Republicanism in the North -- with certain club names and organised events at clubs running counter to the work done and continuing to be done to open up Gaelic games for the Protestant community.

Nonetheless, any straight up comparison of the Orange Order with the GAA is ludicrous. The big difference is the pervasiveness of things -- the Republican thread is an element of GAA culture in the North but not necessarily pervasive or popular throughout the grassroots supporters, most of whom just like the sports and where the rivalries are actually between clubs like Kilcoo and Castlewellan rather than of a sectarian nature. I would also say that Republican elements in GAA culture in the North exhibit and exert very little visible intrusion in the wider community.

In the Orange Order, the politics and anti-Popery are pervasive, and the very raison d'etre for the lodges. On top of that, Orangeism exerts a hell of a lot of very, very visible intrusion into wider society -- with parades blocking roads, towns festooned with all manner of Unionist regalia, grotesque bonfires and an overall beligerence and disregard to neighbouring Catholics who for the most part do not reciprocate this in their cultural expression.

As I said I'd change the quote. It should be Irish identity. I didn't think I need to specify that so clearly since I mentioned worldwide. I wasnt suggesting that the GAA promote an Irish identity in Europe above all European identities.

And promoting an Irish identity does not mean putting down the local identity.

Way to miss the point as usual. Even if there were none of the things that hardliners Unionists find offensive, they would still not join because the GAA is Irish. You have even stated you will not take part in sports that represent the 32 Counties of Ireland even if they dont celebrate Republicans or have Nationalist aspirations.. How much more simple and clear can it be.

Also are you not already a member of an All Ireland organisation, namely the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. But I guess that is somehow different.

Absolute nonsense. You'd be as eligible to play for England as you would be to play for Belgium.

Someone from County Down that excels at international sport has to choice to represent either "Ireland" or "Great Britain and Northern Ireland" at a competition like the Olympic games but definitely not England.

They also have the choice of representing "Northern Ireland" at the Commonwealth games irrespective of who they choose to represent at the Olympics.

Boxing is a notable exception where all boxers from the 6 counties (if selected) will represent Ireland at the Olympics.

Luckily for Irish sport world class boxers like Wayne McCullough and Carl Frampton (amongst many others from a Unionist and loyalist background) were not quite as bigoted as you Downcow and represented Ireland with pride and distinction.

No that is my point exactly, anyone who would not even consider representing a 32 County Team in say rugby or hockey is unlikely to ever get involved in GAA regardless of whether there is any sectarian elements involved or not. The mere fact it is considered Irish is enough to rule participation out for the more hardline Unionists.

Interesting you would consider playing for Ulster even though they represent Ireland at international level(European Rugby Cup etc)and include all 9 counties of the historical province as opposed to the Northern Ireland statelet. That would also mean frequent trips to the Republic to take part in an All Ireland league. Fair to say there is a lot of hoops being jumped through in that type of thinking.

You think taking an Irish passport would not make you Irish? If you take an Irish passport you are legally Irish. You might also have a British passport but that means you are also legally British.

Linfield is not the same as ulster. Ulster is a province including northern Irish and Irish provinces. Its even more weird that you say you could play for Ulster, but not the irfu who ulster represent. So you would represent a team that represents 9 counties (Irish and northern Irish) but not a team that represents 32.

Irish is the demonym for Ireland. The rest of Ireland and the Uk and the world will consider people from all of Ireland as Irish. I know this identity implies unity between people north and south which you despise but that is the fact. You have to realise you were brought up in a very sectarian environment that puts a different meaning of what Irish is. A meaning only used in this apartheid environment.

Nobody is denying that part of Ireland is within the UK. But that does not stop you being Irish. under that logic the English and Scottish nation don't exist because they live within the Uk.

Demonym: Irish

The club in the photo is Bellaghy Wolfetones, that is the club where Sean Brown got murdered in 1997. Also it is the village where 2 of the hunger strikers were from. Not all clubs in that area have parades like that it is just because that club in particular has more association with the troubles.

In fact the only parade in my area is when the club organise Santa clause to drive around the houses on a tractor at Christmas.

A proper manger and football org would have banned him for life, but this is the north where bigotry and sectarianism against the Nationalist community is almost 2nd nature. If i was a nationalist either playing or supporting them, i'd stop until the former happens along with sponsors pulling the plug on them too. In another note, I hope Kilmarnock throw the book at him and terminate the bigots contract