Two men, wearing jackets bearing loyalist insignia, were caught on camera removing Down flags from lamp-posts near Belfast on the eve of last Sunday's All-Ireland football final.

The Irish News reports that a woman, who was returning home from Mass on Saturday evening, filmed the two men climbing a ladder and removing the red and black flags at the Carryduff roundabout on the outskirts of South Belfast.

The flags had been placed on lamp-posts in the area by the Carryduff GAA club to celebrate Down's achievement in reaching the All-Ireland final.

The woman, who did not wished to be named, said Down supporters in the area were furious over the flags being taken down.

"Both men were wearing jackets with loyalist logos on them," she said.

"People are really upset. Our club is a new Gaelic club and we have never had any trouble. It's disgraceful that this has happened."

The move came just days after a colourful display of work by schoolchildren in support of the beaten All-Ireland finalists was destroyed by vandals near Castlewellan. However, the children received a boost when Down captain Benny Coulter paid them a visit armed with gifts and new bunting.



Disgrace this thing happening and the sports minister as yet to make a statement on this type of thing going on with flags been removed and poeple complaining bout gaa flags .

Dellboypolecat (Tyrone) - Posts: 15069 - 22/09/2010 14:09:39    781141

disgraceful .. end of story ..

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13654 - 22/09/2010 14:33:50    781178

ah for feck sakes what a nothing story
why is this any worse than the Meath fans tearing down a Dublin flag on the clonliffe road and BURNING it and posting it on youtube?
its just some idiots being idiots. Its harldy newsworthy. No one was hurt. It wasnt even in down.
Few years back we ripped a Kerry flag down from a petrol station in Limerick the week of the Munster final against Kerry. We are not terrorists!!

Mikeynora (Limerick) - Posts: 888 - 22/09/2010 14:53:18    781204

they will always have a small shower that will do this,intelligence and lack of, springs to mind!

the seal (Meath) - Posts: 583 - 22/09/2010 14:54:18    781206

dont be holding your breath for any statement from the minister in question, i stand corrected but is this not the same man who once described the gaa as "the ira at play"

pig.ignorant (Derry) - Posts: 655 - 22/09/2010 14:56:26    781209

unfortunately everytime an ulster team is in the final this sort of story will be reported on, it happened in Tyrone in 03, 05, and 08 and even this yr Ulster Bank were under pressure from unionist politicans to stop promoting / funding gaelic games !

But as always its a minority, when the game was on the outdoor screens in Omagh in 08 both sides of the community were out in force for a drink watching it.

spanner (Tyrone) - Posts: 29 - 22/09/2010 14:57:20    781211

Maybe it was people Loyal to the rebels doing it ......

JJ1 (Kildare) - Posts: 547 - 22/09/2010 14:59:04    781213

Tabloid story from Hoganstand, written to get a reaction from the likes of Dell, ta32 and Ulsterwhine.

paddyogall (Mayo) - Posts: 5110 - 22/09/2010 14:59:29    781214

People removing a couple of flags, I'm sure it happens plenty. Not really a big deal is it

pplocal (Tyrone) - Posts: 5878 - 22/09/2010 15:00:16    781217

Mikeynora

You said that this didn't happen in Down. Carryduff is definitely in County Down.

I live in a part of Belfast where I cannot openly wear my beloved Down top in case some narrow minded idiot might damage my car or house. From June onwards in the North people from both sides have to accept the Union Jacks (& other flags) everywhere around us. I think it's a disgrace that the flags have been removed the day before the All Ireland Final.

ajdoyle78 (Down) - Posts: 520 - 22/09/2010 15:05:15    781222

pig.ignorant

Correct that is the same man that made these comments , ogall you do not like it when your party or group do these sort of things , disgrace in my book.

Dellboypolecat (Tyrone) - Posts: 15069 - 22/09/2010 15:07:21    781224

Mikeynora:

Are you for real this was had to do with "sectarian conflict" where as the meath dublin conflict has to do with a bit of a dislike between them..... the people that took them down were not doing it out of rivilary from an opposing GAA team.... also i never heard about the dublin meath troubles were the were people killed!!

Have a think before you post mate!!

Hag_and_Cheese (Tipperary) - Posts: 6103 - 22/09/2010 15:10:36    781230

'From June onwards in the North people from both sides have to accept the Union Jacks (& other flags) everywhere around us. I think it's a disgrace that the flags have been removed the day before the All Ireland Final.'

The majority of people in Carryduff are Protestant. Is it fair that they have to suffer Nationalist GAA flags being flown in their area? It would be the same as someone pulling down a Union Flag in a Catholic area and I would have no problem with that either

pplocal (Tyrone) - Posts: 5878 - 22/09/2010 15:12:15    781233

The removing of these flags had nothing to do with sport that's the difference.

Hag_and_Cheese (Tipperary) - Posts: 6103 - 22/09/2010 15:12:27    781234

Dellboypolecat
County: Tyrone
Posts: 12945

781224
pig.ignorant

Correct that is the same man that made these comments , ogall you do not like it when your party or group do these sort of things , disgrace in my book.

What will Fianna Gael do next?

paddyogall (Mayo) - Posts: 5110 - 22/09/2010 15:12:57    781235

dell i thought you wolud know by now not to get sucked in by pog

pig.ignorant (Derry) - Posts: 655 - 22/09/2010 15:18:30    781240

PomeroyPlunkett Look we know where you stand of going against gaa things but this is a disgrace and everyone knows it.

Dellboypolecat (Tyrone) - Posts: 15069 - 22/09/2010 15:18:46    781242

i remember in my club a few years back when we put the buntings and dublin flags up in and outside the club house the non dubs asked could they be taking down as some found it offending that their counties colours were not put up also

hipster (Dublin) - Posts: 2509 - 22/09/2010 15:21:20    781244

as a member of the Carryduff community I can dispel the myth that it is a Protestant place. There is a council estate full of the protestant working class in the area but in reality this would make up for a large minority of the population. I would say that it is a mixed area with probably a majority of Catholic middle class families who just do not want the hassle or violence that would be associated in taking a stand against some of the mindless fools that do this sort of thing. You can walk around carryduff in your gaelic tops and even celtic tops without any hassle, as long as you stay away from the kilynure estate.

disappointing what happened as the flags were put up along side union jacks as to show that we were not trying to be offensive in anyway and to show that we are prepared to move forward but some idiots are obviously content to remain in the past.

Streeeeking (Down) - Posts: 41 - 22/09/2010 15:27:08    781254

hipster also find that very hard to believe as am living in a county now where dublin flags, meath,tyrone, down, cork where flying outside houses and not one of us complained so i think more of your vibs .

Dellboypolecat (Tyrone) - Posts: 15069 - 22/09/2010 15:29:40    781257