SOS: Would any of the many here who disagree with me on this – and I promise you I don’t mind that at all – but would any of you like/ be in a position to talk on Talkback today? I’m going to be on at 12.30 pm and they would like someone who has a contrary view to me on GAA and flag and anthem…If you would, drop me a word – judejcollins@gmail.com – or even put it up here. Here’s a chance to speak on what many of you clearly feel strongly about…
Cumann Lúthchleas Gael, the BBC and Sky News
Rinne an BBC tagairt don cheist sa tuarascáil inné/The BBC flagged up the issue in the report yesterday. Perhaps a word or two about Oirishness, myths, caricatures and stereotypes given the emphasis placed on the Mayo curse by the BBC.
Peil Ghealach is a different ball game, please let Sky News know their reporter was not talking about an All England final.
It rains during other sporting events.
I rang Talkback to criticise Trevor Ringland. Sometimes they’ve asked if I want to go but this time they didn’t.
I also totally disagree with what you’re suggesting. Even if the national anthem wasn’t played from now on unionists and west brits would want more. There’s no pleasing them and I would do nothing to appease them. Unionists are totally opposed to Irish republicanism and I’m totally opposed to unionists so my opinion is that once they ‘demand’ something-whether it be sport or cultural related then ignore them.
I don’t go to their ‘international’ soccer matches so I lose no sleep about their racist and sectarian chants. So if unionists don’t want to go to GAA games so what. We have great sporting occasions which are free from sectarianism.
Pádraic – I’m unwillingly coming to agree with you. I was on with Trevor Ringland, as you may have heard, and while he is a nice man, it became clear that scrapping the national anthem and the flag for a couple of years would not be enough. And that’s been confirmed by some comments here. Truly sad – my honest wish was (i) to make it easier for unionists/Protestants to enjoy the amazing spectacle that is the GAA at its best; (ii) to find something we can enjoy together. It looks like I was naive…
Jude, if some Protestants don’t want to enjoy the GAA that’s ok. It’s their loss.
There are 100s of thousands of people around the globe who do enjoy it.
Everyone is welcome to enjoy it and I’d advise you to do just that….enjoy it….we are immensely privileged to have it.
Wasn’t it very noticeable,jude, how it moved away from the flag and anthem. Our schools are now to blame. The grounds are named after terrorists, the CLCG uses the Irish language, they play a different game. Why not just scrap the whole thing and everybody play the beautiful game?
Reluctantly, fiosrach, I’m driven to your conclusion. Naive at my age….Tsk, tsk…
Without wishing to make you blush,what would the B B C do if you weren’t so readily available for radio shows like Nolan and Talkback?!!
They’d be the poorer, Argenta…
Jude, I’ve absolutely nothing against unionists playing or going to the games. I just won’t listen to any of them demanding we do this or that