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Certainly a huge improvement on what passes for a football competition presently.
ONdeDITCH (Limerick) - Posts: 873 - 27/07/2021 22:09:56 2364902 Link 1 |
I don't think any right-headed GAA man would want to play for a team (in any sport) called the Cromwell Invaders - so why would a Brit want to play for a 'Padraig Pearses' GAA club? It cuts both ways. As a non-northerner, I can't fully relate to the points you've made - so I'll grant you this - even if we showed more olive branch via club naming gestures - perhaps certain bigotry would not subside ? omahant (USA) - Posts: 2582 - 27/07/2021 22:26:18 2364907 Link 1 |
Ah for sure I'm not saying they would straight away. But down the line if there is to be some form of reunited country there will have to be reconciliation. Historically many leaders of the various Republican movements from 1798 onwards from Wolfe Tone and Robert Emmet, Henry Joy McCracken to Roger Casement and Erskine Childers were Protestants. There are many GAA clubs named after some of these men. Every Republican movement there has been in this country has religious equality as a core principle. Hurling and Football are great sports. For a United Ireland to be viable long term more Protestants in the North will have to want to be part of it. Small steps like the newly formed "East Belfast GAA club" can only be a good thing for the GAA and the country at large. Projects like this need support from the organisation not dismissed by lads in Donegal. Anyway I said I wouldnt get into politics but I felt you deserved an answer.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 11841 - 28/07/2021 09:44:30 2364972 Link 0 |
I'd imagine kerry are only favourites as they only have to beat Tyrone or monaghan which should be handy enough, where dublin have to beat kildare and mayo to make it to the final which is allot tougher, if dublin do make it through to play kerry in the final I suspect that dublin will be the slightest of favourites.
Royal.Legend (Meath) - Posts: 665 - 28/07/2021 13:25:18 2365070 Link 0 |
There are lots of Irish people of "nationalist" background who have inferiority complex towards anything Irish. Most evident in their preference for TV soccer and soap opera and "reality" TV and tabloid rags. It is not even a political thing judging by the voting preferences of some of the "west Brits" I know in Dublin! Could have been born in Birmingham for all the nationality in them. At least the northern unionists have some sort of cultural reason for not being GAA people! Which is their own business and in event of a united Ireland that would hardly change. We seem to be obsessed with having others approve of our own culture as if that provides some sort of validation. You don't preserve something by diluting it, that's for sure. BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 2554 - 28/07/2021 13:37:38 2365075 Link 1 |
Spot on, two fairly evenly matched teams and one is already in the semi final before the other has even played their provincial final, it's common sense that Kerry would be slight favorites at this stage.
AfricanGael (UK) - Posts: 1947 - 28/07/2021 14:00:55 2365087 Link 0 |
There's no evidence to back up or even suggest "lots of Irish people of "nationalist" background have an inferiority complex towards anything Irish". Just because someone doesn't like the taste of black porter or doesn't find Hurling or Gaelic football as being the sports for them doesn't mean they have an inferiority complex towards anything Irish. The worst thing anyone can do is try and force someone to like something they do. Calling someone a West Brit just because they don't like what you do just gives them a good excuse to keep their kids away from Gaelic sports and look down at you as being inferior and uneducated. AfricanGael (UK) - Posts: 1947 - 28/07/2021 14:37:41 2365105 Link 3 |
You would want to be in a pretty low state of affairs for the people I'm talking about to be looking down at you! I don't particularly care what they do, nor their low cultural level, and wouldn't be bending over backwards to get them involved in anything, least of all the GAA. Each to their own as you imply. BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 2554 - 28/07/2021 14:49:48 2365114 Link 1 |
Good grief - Londonderry - where's that? You forgot about Queen's County at 23 and King's County at 24.
ErneSheugh (Fermanagh) - Posts: 3 - 28/07/2021 15:23:56 2365135 Link 2 |
What I found in areas of Donegal where there was a 50/50 split between GAA and soccer you always had the narrative that the GAA were bigoted and the "grab all association" and all that rubbish.In reality nearly all GAA players would dabble at a bit of soccer while very few soccer people had much interest in the GAA.If Donegal had a big game on there was always some reason why they couldn't go or even watch it on tv.GAA wasn't seen as "cool" by certain people although I think that has changed a bit in recent years. gunman (Donegal) - Posts: 1056 - 28/07/2021 15:29:29 2365141 Link 2 |
OK I take your point re your knowledge of the north, I don't see how me stating what I see as plain obvious is politicising sport, I have protestant friends myself, the best of people but they just don't identify as Irish and the GAA to them is as alien as the orange order is to us, even though I know there's no comparison between the 2 things but that's kind of how it is and I don't see it changing for a very very long time if ever, I wish were all pulling together, no doubt we could unearth some fantastic players from the other side of the house. As for our own English premiership loving anti GAA folks well I just can't figure them out at all, at least I understand the unionists point of view. Tirchonaill1 (Donegal) - Posts: 2747 - 28/07/2021 15:47:03 2365154 Link 1 |
But you see what I mean Barney you are separating "them" from yourself and your own view point, who are calling West Brits and why ? I believe being Irish is more of a state of mind than anything else nowadays, same with all nationalities really, it doesn't make you more Irish if you drink more porter or eat more potatoes. Lets take one example, Johnny Giles, do you think Joe Canning is more Irish than Johnny Giles ? Of course he's not but maybe someone like Giles or Brady you might categorize as "West Brit". I'm just interested to know what makes you believe that there are "lots of Irish people of "nationalist" background who have inferiority complex towards anything Irish" ? And what your definition of being Irish is. Are you and I not "West Brits" seeing that we are doing the most English of things anyone can do, communicating in the English language, even though we are "supposed" to be Irish. AfricanGael (UK) - Posts: 1947 - 28/07/2021 15:58:58 2365162 Link 1 |
I watch a variety of different sports. Even slow 1s like baseball and cricket. But Hurling is by far my favourite followed by Football, rugby and soccer. I agree that people following English and American sports rather than their own is frustrating. It's like they think these sports are better because they're bigger, international or because theres more money involved. Certainly the premiership has a marketing system unrivalled in Europe. I know down here there was a little social bias as lads from the estates in the village or the cottages in the country had the perception that players were often picked based on how many acres their fathers farmed. I havent found this to be the case in my time. Soccer has always been a massive thing in Wexford but generally underage and local league the seasons dont clash as soccer is played in the winter. Certainly the 2 shouldn't be mutually exclusive. Rugby has been increasing in popularity too since it went professional especially. Some top hurlers and footballers have gone on to play professional soccer, rugby or AFL and you cant blame them for wanting a career. Overall I think the GAA from top to bottom is trying to be as inclusive as possible which will stand to it going forward.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 11841 - 28/07/2021 16:04:33 2365163 Link 0 |
Imagine what George Best couldve added to Down in the 60s?!!!!!
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 11841 - 28/07/2021 16:09:02 2365168 Link 2 |
Imagine what George Best couldve added to Down in the 60s?!!!!!
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 11841 - 28/07/2021 16:14:27 2365174 Link 0 |
George would have been some player to have alright, think he might have enjoyed being with the 'party boys' back in the day with Donegal more though!!
Tirchonaill1 (Donegal) - Posts: 2747 - 28/07/2021 16:21:27 2365176 Link 1 |
It's the one thing wrong with all sports these days. Lads arent let have fun or they are accused of everything. Letting themselves down. Letting the team down. Letting the supporters down. Even the amateur sports are gone too serious!
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 11841 - 28/07/2021 21:05:59 2365270 Link 0 |
Nail on head, could start with midweek football or at least Saturday evenings. This lets them get out on Sat nights. Others doing gym work at 6 in the morning and this is only 2nd division club I'm talking about.
Saynothing (Tyrone) - Posts: 2012 - 28/07/2021 22:00:13 2365303 Link 3 |
Yes it must be boring as hell being a county player now, a great honour but a dull life for a young man looking to enjoy his youth, think we done things a lot better years ago, but I seem to think that about lots of stuff these days.
Tirchonaill1 (Donegal) - Posts: 2747 - 28/07/2021 22:42:36 2365321 Link 0 |
I'm still curious, Bennybunny, if you know of Barry's HQ area ?
omahant (USA) - Posts: 2582 - 29/07/2021 01:51:49 2365344 Link 0 |