If the Unionist population has an issue with any government body, council or broadcaster, then it is no good whining to your family or friends you need to lift the phone, type a letter or e-mail. We need to contact the offending body or broadcaster and register our complaint.
If we continue to sit back on our collective backsides, we will see a greater erosion of Unionist principals and values and a gradual slide into a united Ireland. We can see it now that we are being conditioned to think and act more and more Irish. Not that we should not enjoy our unique British Irishness, but that does not mean we need to be card-carrying top O’the mornin speakers.
We are starting here with the BBC, UTV and the GAA, and we are requesting the broadcasters to stop broadcasting all GAA matches and programs. Firstly, we all recognize the GAA has large numbers of participants and fans and we do not question this, it is quite obviously a unique popular nationalist organization. What we are questioning is the underlying sectarianism, politicization and Anti Unionist ethos within the GAA.
The principal point of this Blog is not with the participants or the fans but with the institutionalized sectarianism and republican political ethos of the GAA. And the issues around the political stance the GAA has taken over the events of recent times, on the use of GAA facilities for hunger strike and political rallies.
The GAA in all its forms is an institutionalized sectarian and a political organization on many levels. From its founding in 1884, to it’s members forming part of the volunteers or citizens army of 1916, the commemoration of bloody Sunday at Casement Park, on November 21 1920, also how serving members of the PSNI must register their membership of the GAA. Moreover, the way this republican organization names its grounds, pitches and competitions in honour of dead Irish republican terrorists.
The GAA by it's acts or inactions has shown to be giving tacit support for the sectarian and political events that have taken place on or at their grounds.
At this point, I would like to make you aware of the GAA’s rules 7 and 44. You can get this information at the GAA web site.
Rule 7 & 44 states:
Rule 7
Non-Party Political/Non-Sectarian
(a) The Association shall be non-party political. Party
Political questions shall not be discussed at its
Meetings, and no Committee, Club, Council or
representative thereof shall take part, as such, in any
party political movement. A penalty of up to twenty
four weeks suspension may be imposed for
infringement.(b)
The Association shall be non-sectarian.
Rule 44
CONTROL OF ASSOCIATION PROPERTY
Uses of Property
(a) All property including grounds, Club Houses, Halls,
Dressing Rooms and Handball Alleys owned or
controlled by units of the Association shall be used
only for the purpose of or in connection with the
playing of the Games controlled by the Association,
and for such other purposes not in conflict with the
Aims and Objects of the Association, that may be
sanctioned from time to time by the Central Council.
(b) Grounds controlled by Association units shall not be
used or permitted to be used, for Horse Racing,
Greyhound Racing, or for Field Games other than
those sanctioned by Central Council.
(Note: Central Council shall have the power to authorise
the use of Croke Park for games, other than those
controlled by the Association, during a temporary period
when Lansdowne Road Football Ground is closed for the
proposed development.
Congress has approved that Rules 3, 4, 5, 44, 46, 47, 76(e)
and 146(a) shall allow for this for a temporary period, at
the end of which all these Rules stated shall revert to their
pre-Congress 2005 position.)
GAA Rules 7 and 44 are both being blatantly ignored both north and south of the border, again with the tacit support and knowledge of the GAA central Council.
Both Finna Fail and Finna Gale Irish republican political parties use GAA facilities for party political purposes in the Irish republic, and the GAA in Northern Ireland have shown over the years that they are an overtly sectarian, overtly political and an Anti Unionist organization
IRA terrorist Mairead Farrell, killed by the SAS in Gibraltar 1988, has a GAA Camogie Tournament named after her.The GAA in recent times, have permitied the naming of a girls camogie competition in honour of dead IRA terrorist Mairead Farrell. A book launch and GAA pitch naming in honor of dead INLA hunger striker Kevin Lynch in Dungiven. And permitted the use of Casement Park for a hunger strike and political rally on Sunday 13th August 2006.
These acts are not the acts of an organization that is non-sectarian or non-political.
Martin McGuinness Sinn Fein/IRA
Nickey Brennan, GAA President
Taking that prominent role at the book launch and pitch naming was Sinn Fein/IRA's Martin McGuinness and GAA President Nickey Brennan, who officially opened the new GAA pitch in honour of the dead INLA terrorist and hunger striker Kevin Lynch.
The attendance of GAA President Nickey Brennan at the ground naming can only be seen as a full endorsement from the GAA's governing council to the glorifying of a dead Irish republican terrorist!
Is this the acts of a non-sectarian and non-political, alleged sporting organization?
Kevin Lynch INLA hunger striker
The Antrim County GAA board fully endorsed the permission, for Sinn Fein/IRA to hold a hunger strike and political rally at Casement Park on August 13 2006. Dr John McSparran chairman of the Antrim County GAA board defended his position and the position taken by the Antrim County GAA board on this matter. He stated that Casement park was paid for and built by the local nationalist population, and he fully endorced its used by the nationalist population for this hunger strike and political rally.
What he did not state was that the events of the 13th of August was in direct contravention of the GAA’s rules. Another thing he did not say was that, Government and National Lottery money paid for a refurbishment of the facilities at Casement Park?
Dr McSparran went on to condemned Unionist political parties for politicizing this issue at the expense of the GAA, over the use of Casement Park by Sinn Fein/IRA. However, Dr McSparran needs to be reminded that it was his council’s decision to permit the use of Casement Park for the hunger strike and political rally. It was the GAA’s decision that made this a sectarian and political issue, not the Unionists. Dr McSparran made his defence of his decision on BBC Radio Ulster’s Good Morning Ulster program. This is more evidence the GAA is taking a sectarian stance and moving into the political arena.
Dr John McSparran Chairman of Antrim County GAA Board
We would like to remind everyone at the BBC and UTV that the hunger strike of 1981, was an attempt by republican terrorists both IRA and INLA to force the Government to grant political status to terrorist prisoners. This is more evidence of the sectarian and political nature of the hunger strike rally at Casement Park. We would also like to refresh the memory of BBC and UTV executives and especially the Championship producers. That during the hunger strike in 1981 the GAA central council endorsed the 5 aims of the terrorist hunger strike prisoners, further evidence of the sectarianism and politicization of the GAA, this time not from the Antrim Council but from the GAA’s central council.
We would also like to remind everyone at the BBC and UTV that the GAA has rearranged a game between New York and Antrim GAA teams. The GAA are changing the venue of this game from Casement Park Belfast to Boston Massachusetts. This is because of the anticipated visa problems with the travelling New York team, and the likelihood members of the travelling team who entered the USA illegally, would be refused re-entry back into the USA.
Therefore, to facilitate the illegal emigrants in the New York GAA team the GAA are moving the venue to Boston Massachusetts. The changing of the venue of this game has only one aim and that is to assist; the illegal emigrants in the New York GAA team evade USA immigration officials. All this takes place with the approval of the GAA central governing body.
So one can only conclude that the GAA’s governing committee is complicit in assisting their members to evade USA immigration officials and effectively the law. Therefore, I ask again what type of sporting organization is the GAA, and what type of game is the GAA involved in. Again, they are indulging in the political arena instead of the sporting arena.
Now no one cannot fail to see that the GAA at all levels is complicit in sectarian, political, Anti Unionist bias and complicit in helping illegal emigrants evade the law
Notwithstanding the issues above, how individual GAA members vote and what political party they belong to is not our concern, but the GAA as an organization leave a lot ot be desired!
However, UTV and the BBC as a public service broadcaster, which we as license payers have all stake in. We feel that UTV and the BBC must now address all of these issues of the GAA’s political stance, sectarianism, involvement in the Irish republics party politics and their duplicity in helping illegal emigrants evade the authorities in the USA.
The GAA’s stance and involvement in Irish party politics north and south, and their involvement in sectarianism, politics and duplicity in assisting illegal emigrants evade the authorities in the USA, in our view contravenes the principals of both UTV and the BBC.
The purpose of the BBC is: The BBC exists to enrich people’s lives with great programmes and services that inform, educate and entertain. Its vision is to be the most creative, trusted organization in the world. It provides a wide range of distinctive programmes and services for everyone, free of commercial interests and POLITICAL BIASE. They include television, radio, national, local, children’s’, educational, language and other services for key interest groups.
UTV have a similar set of principals.
How can UTV and the BBC be called trusted broadcasters if they continue to broadcast programs of an organization such as the GAA, and by broadcasting these programs they are condoning the GAA’s overt political and sectarian stance.
May we ask the BBC to bring the producers of the Championship program, the GAA president and the GAA Ulster county boards, on to the investigative Spotlight Program? We can then hear the views of the producers and the GAA in an open and verifiable platform.
We have shown in this Blog that the GAA, UTV and BBC have fallen short of their rules and principles. The issue now for UTV and the BBC is how can they continue to condone the GAA’s actions, and continue to broadcast GAA programs with these issues still surrounding, the politicization and sectarianism within the GAA.
We have been watching the Championship program form the time we contacted the BBC and they have not address any of the issues mentioned in this Blog. The events at Casement Park was the major news item of the GAA that week and the Championship program ignored all these issues and did not discuss any of the points raised in this Blog. This after Dr John McSparran defended the events of the hunger strike and political rally on Sunday 13 August. Is the BBC NI’s Championship program its presenters and producers, also complicit in ignoring the facts and presenting a sanitized version of GAA events and issues?
In light of the overwhelming evidence set out above, of the sectarianism in the GAA and politicization, of the GAA. We find it inconceivable that the BBC still broadcasts GAA programs! The broadcasting of these programs is in contravention of the BBC’s own Policy of No Political Bias!
We now feel UTV and the BBC should stop the broadcasting of all GAA programs, all GAA radio programs and close the BBC Championship message board until the GAA has addressed all the issues, we have raised in relation to rules 7 and 44, and until they meet the principals of UTV and the BBC.
We would like to challenge any UTV or BBC executive, producer or UTV or BBC GAA commentator to an open debate. As we would like to hear them defend the naming of a competition or ground after a dead terrorist and the use by Sinn Fein/IRA, for a hunger strike and political rally at Casement Park as anything other than sectarian and political?
Therefore, the basis of our Blog to UTV and the BBC still stands. That is, the overt political stance and sectarian nature of the GAA however implicit or not.
We would be delighted to meet with any of the senior management team or the producers to discuses the issues we have raised.
We will give examples of the GAA’s sectarianism and politicization:
Mairead Farrell (IRA, killed by SAS in Gibraltar 1988) has a Camogie Tournament named after her.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/4789097.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/4790255.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/5235220.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/4797367.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/northern_ireland/gaelic_games/5244582.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/low/northern_ireland/gaelic_games/5244582.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/low/northern_ireland/gaelic_games/5055840.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/low/northern_ireland/gaelic_games/5007626.stm
http://www.flickr.com/photos/slainte/sets/72157594240466879/show/
http://saoirse32.wordpress.com/2006/07/31/biography-of-kevin-lynch-is-launched/
http://saoirse32.wordpress.com/2006/08/18/republican-hits-out-at-gaa-probe-into-rally/
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sunday-life/sunday-life-reveals-sports-bodyrsquos-controverisal-memorials-to-dead-ira-members-in-ulster-14521633.html
Today we reveal the first complete list of GAA tributes to men and women who were IRA members. Our map shows how the memorials have spread across the whole of Northern Ireland as controversy over the issue increases.
And below, we detail the ways GAA grounds, contests, trophies and even badges are used to honour dead republican paramilitaries from the Troubles.
The sports body insists it is non-party political and republcians have stressed that competitions have been named after paramilitaries because they were veteran GAA members and talented athletes.
But their explanation did not satisfy Sports Minister Nelson McCausland last week.
He threatened to cut public funding for the organisation unless its “glorification” of dead paramiltaries stopped.
Nationalists accused him of using the GAA as a political football to curry favour with voters.
They also blasted him for ignoring loyalist tributes to murderers — such as the annual Brian Robinson memorial march which carries the name of the UVF killer.
Sinn Fein’s Barry McElduff raged yesterday: “Airbrushing history will achieve nothing. I wouldn’t be pushing for a trawl through loyalist bands and their names. We need to move forward.”
Mr McCausland attended his first GAA match yesterday for the International Police Gaelic Football Tournament final at Newforge Country Club in Belfast, hosted by the PSNI.
The GAA’s Ulster president Tom Daly said: “GAA places and spaces have been places where everybody, irrespective of political affiliation or none, has been welcome.” Many of the tributes below were created independently of GAA bosses, who have announced they would co-operate with any Government review.
Kevin Lynch
The GAA hurling club in Dungiven, Co Londonderry, is named after INLA member and former player Lynch.
He was the seventh of the 10 hunger strikers to die in 1981, after being sentenced to 10 years for stealing shotguns and conspiring to disarm the security forces. Lynch was captain of the 1972 All-Ireland-winning under-16 Derry team.
Joe Cahill
An under-12s football contest is played at Cardinal O’Donnell Park, west Belfast, in honour of the IRA veteran who died in 2004.
Cahill joined the IRA aged 18 and was convicted for his part in killing Catholic cop and dad-of-ten, Patrick Murphy, in 1942. He also was a key figure in founding the Provisional IRA in 1969.
Bobby Sands
The Cumann na Fuiseoige GAA club honours IRA hunger striker Sands, who grew up near its base in Twinbrook, west Belfast.
The club’s badge shows a lark, barb wire and a capital ‘H’ representing the H-block in the Maze prison where Sands — who was convicted of arms offences — was the first IRA hunger striker to die.
There is also a Bobby Sands Memorial soccer cup contest, held during the Feile an Phobail festival in west Belfast.
Mairead Farrell
A girls’ camogie championship played in Tullysaran, Co Armagh,
was named after IRA woman Farrell.
She spent 10 years in jail for bombing the Conway Hotel, Dunmurry, and was killed by the SAS in Gibraltar with fellow IRA members Sean Savage and Daniel McCann in 1988 with whom she allegedly planned to bomb an Army band.
Martin Hurson
A commemorative Martin Hurson Memorial cup final is played every year at Galbally Pearses Football Field near Dungannon in Co Tyrone.
The fifth of the H-block hunger strikers to die, Hurson was arrested in 1976 and quizzed over the attempted murder of UDR soldiers in a bomb attack.
The charge was dropped but he was convicted in relation to several other charges.
Michael McVerry
The first member of the IRA in south Armagh to be killed in the Troubles, McVerry was shot by soldiers in 1973 after placing a 100lb bomb at Keady RUC station, helped by five men who fought a running battle with cops after the device exploded.
The Michael McVerry cup is played for in Cullyhanna, Co Armagh, each year.
Gerard and Martin Harte
These East Tyrone IRA brothers were killed in a carefully-planned SAS ambush at Drumnakilly in 1988. Many branded it revenge for the Ballygawley bus attack 10 days earlier, which killed eight soldiers and injured 27 others.
Palyed at Loughmacrory, the Gerard and Martin Harte Memorial cup is now one of Tyrone's foremost under-12 Gaelic football tournaments.
Louis Leonard Memorial Park
The ground in Donagh, Fermanagh, was named after IRA man Louis, who was killed by loyalists in 1972 while working late in his shop in the village of Derrylin.
Loughgall bomber Paddy Kelly
The Paddy Kelly cup was played in Dungannon, Co Tyrone as part of commemorations for the IRA Loughgall “martyrs”. A heavily-armed IRA unit including Kelly and O’Callaghan was trying to blow up a part-time police station in Loughgall, Co Tyrone, with a 200lb bomb when they were gunned down by the SAS.
McDonnell/Doherty Park
The home ground of the St Teresas GAA club in west Belfast is named after hunger strikers and former players Joe McDonnell and Kieran Doherty.
McDonnell had been arrested in 1976 with Bobby Sands following a bomb attack on a furniture store in Dunmurry and Doherty was convicted for possession of firearms, explosives and hijacking.
Jim Lochrie and Sean
Campbell
Lochrie/Campbell GAA Park in Dromintee, south Armagh is named after IRA members Jim Lochrie and Sean Campbell who were killed when a land mine exploded prematurely at Kelly's Road, Killeen in 1975.
Read more: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sunday-life/sunday-life-reveals-sports-bodyrsquos-controverisal-memorials-to-dead-ira-members-in-ulster-14521633.html#ixzz24yUdx8Mi
Cokehttp://cgi.ebay.com/GAA-Ireland-Jersey-Signed-by-Gerry-Adams-of-Sinn-Fein_W0QQitemZ280018697390QQihZ018QQcategoryZ52QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
http://www.sinnfeinbookshop.com/en-us/dept_93.html
Below are excerpts from various sources but all on one subject of the sectarianism and republican ethos of the GAA.
Irish PM Berty Ahern
Excerpts form a Speech given by Berty Ahern at a book GAA launch of the history of The Gaelic Athletic Association in Dublin 1884-2000
300 Dublin GAA personnel were identified as forming part of the Volunteers or Citizen Army in 1916. Equally, some of the most enthusiastic and committed proponents of GAA in Dublin were also key revolutionary figures - Michael Collins, Harry Boland, Eamon deValera, Dan Breen, Seán McKeown and Eamonn Ceannt amongst them. Michael Collins’ rousing speech to the Kilkenny team in 1921 reflects the strong interlinks between sport, culture and politics at the time.
But just as much as this book focuses on the Dublin GAA’s role in the political development of the State.
The three pillar institutions of the new State – the Army, the Garda Siochána and the Civil Service – played a significant role in the development of the Association. In fact, we are told that the Garda team of the 1920s may have been the greatest hurling team of all time.
Paul Butler Sinn Fein/IRA Councillor
Paul Butler of Sinn Féin on the proposed new stadium at the Maze.
"No GAA player would play on the rubble of H-Blocks and in particular the hospital wing where 10 republicans died on hunger strike"
Paul Butler, Sinn Féin
Senator Brian Hayes Fina Gael
Friday, 4 August 2006
Hunger Strike event should not proceed at Casement Park – Hayes
Fine Gael Seanad Leader, Senator Brian Hayes, today (Friday) has condemned plans to hold a Hunger Strike commemoration event at the GAA West Belfast Stadium, Casement Park.
“I believe it would be deeply regrettable if an event like this went ahead at a GAA ground when the GAA has always prided itself as being apolitical as is clear from its own rules. This commemoration will be viewed as a sectarian event and it should not be held in a public stadium. Imagine what people would say if the UVF was allowed to hold a similar event in Windsor Park. It is important that the GAA, a major recipient of Government funding, is kept above politics.
“It is also the case that this event will be an affront to many people. I am thinking especially of the many members of the Gardaí and the defence forces who were strong GAA supporters and who were killed by members of the provisional movement like Limerick Garda Jerry McCabe and Mayo Garda John Morley, who was shot in pursuit of armed robbers in 1980. For this commemoration to proceed at Casement Park would be a grave offence to the families of those murdered Gardaí and to GAA members and many others all over the country.
“The essence of the peace process requires people to move on. Moving on is not helped by high profile commemorations of some of the worst parts of our recent history. Instead it only helps to fuel suspicion and tension, particularly within the other community in Northern Ireland.”
Pat Darcy, Tyrone County GAA Board Chairman.
"Gaelic clubs were founded in Irish traditions. Both cultures have names that are associated with their traditions. That's the reality and we should all get on with it. We should accept it and stop making an issue of it.
Eddie Carmody Commemoration Saturday 18th November at 8.30pm Ballylonford, Co. Kerry A commemoration for IRA Volunteer Eddie Carmody will take place on Saturday 18th November at 8.30pm, in Ballylongford, Co. Kerry. Starting at the Eddie Carmody GAA hall a march will take place to his monument in Ballylongford village. Two speakers will give orations on the night, Paddy White (Craobh Gal Gréine) and Gerry Mc Geough (Hibernian). Volunteer Eddie Carmody was born in Moyvane, Co. Kerry and at a very young age moved to Ballylongford to work on a local farm. He was an outstanding Gaelic footballer and an all round athlete. He was a man of great courage, honesty and innate chivalry. He was one of the first local men to join Óglaigh na hÉireann becoming at first the Quarter Master of his local company and then a Lieutenant within the IRA. While on his way to an arms dump outside Ballylongford on the 22nd November 1920, he was ambushed by a patrol of Black and Tans. He was severily wounded after being fired upon several times, but still managed to struggle away a few hundred yards. The Saxons following his trail of blood found him after a brief search and dragged him onto the roadway, where he was kicked and beaten with rifle butts. After being stabbed by the soldiers bayonets in a frenzied attack he was shot several times in the face resulting in his death. His body was then put onto a cart and dragged through the village to the local barrack's, where he was left outside in a turf shed till his father collected his body the following day. Eddie Carmody was unarmed at the time of the ambushed and had he being in possession of a weapon would have fought bravely for the freedom of his country in attacking the occupying Crown forces. Eddie Carmody has been honoured every year without fail since 1920, a fitting tribute to a brave soldier of the Gaelic nation. All are welcome to attend his commemoration. Organised by Craobh Gal Gréine Irish Cultural Society
I haven't laughed so hard in a long time. Courtesy of www.upmj.co.uk - an 'ulster-scots' yankee doodle dandy website. just one of the gems on offer. some of ye fellas might get umbridge from some of the shinner bashin, nay baiting, that goes on in the forum. I love this one it starts off as a real happy, optimistic piece of american journalism and descends into the reality of living on the island in which men with horns, baseball bats and shillelaghs roam the streets. classic stuff, i'm calling for sean kelly's resigination as uachtaran of the GAA! Everyone agrees that sport is exhilarating, healthy lots of fun and more than anything its inclusive. Boxing, Basketball, Tennis, Ice hockey, Soccer, Rugby, Surfing, yes all of these and many others are healthy, exhilarating, healthy lots of fun and very much inclusive, which makes them richer by being so. They include people of all colors, religious persuasions, nationalities and capabilities. Sport really has moved on since those early days in Greece, or so one thought. Sadly Ireland as usual is more interested in Irishness than fairness, equality and tolerance, bring on the GAA in Ireland. It has moved backwards over the last few years. The GAA is the sporting dinosaur of the world, Still living in the dark ages as regards inclusiveness and tolerance. It is a sport that is religiously controlled and held back by the evil divisive politics of the Irsih Terrorist and sympathizer, namely SinnFein/IRA and its supporters. The GAA, with its strongly Irish nationalist/republican ethos, has down the years alienated itself from every other community in Ireland and, with its "one nation" historical and cultural baggage, it does not sit easily with other sports, which, in the view of Gaels, are intrinsically British in orientation. The controlling body of the GAA is 100% Roman Catholic and extremely sectarian. Border county clubs are controlled by hard line Irish Terrorists and are holding their ruling council in Dublin to ransom by abusing rules and flouting regulations, unfortunately the powers that be in the ROI seem happy to support this sectarianism in Northern Ireland. For years the GAA have and indeed are the leading opponents in denying anyone who does not conform to the Ultra Irish Nationalist agenda, such citizens are methodically and unashamedly banned and outcast. They close out these people because of their political beliefs religion, where else in the world is this done in the name of sport? They not only promote these rules and practice them, but they also threaten young Catholic sports enthusiasts that if they play soccer that they will never play for their county, or Country. It is a sport that's infested and in many cases controlled by anti British and Protestant feelings coupled with Ultra Irish views. These views are re-enforced by the many clubs that have been named or re-named after IRA terrorists by this republican infestation. Their insistence upon such names, is offensive, provocative and designed as barrier to Protestants who might wish to play Gaelic. The Sports Council that has the responsibility of allocating public funds should enforce the GAA to amend its rules and take steps to end sectarianism with in its ranks. Meaningful steps should have been taken when the UUP was in control of funding sport. This would not be a move to terminate the game but one to help move it away from this SinnFein/IRA agenda and into the arena of all the people in Northern Ireland. Today SinnFein IRA supporters wear GAA shirts as a political statement, gangs of violent thugs roam many streets and sporting venues attacking Protestants, the evidence is overwhelming, assault after assault. The stage has now come when Protestants are afraid to attend sporting venues all over Ulster. In Northern Ireland today any shirt which is not a GAA shirt is prime target for attack, with this in mind we now call on Leisure Centers and other sporting venues to ban GAA tops as they are clearly being used to identify violent republicans and non Catholics. The GAA and sporting venues can no longer be allowed to simply hope this goes away, if anything it getting worse and so those in charge of venues and indeed the GAA have a responsibility to stop this very public form of sectarianism from growing. Protestant Children as young as 7 have been attacked outside leisure complexes for simply wearing an England football shirt, young men have been beaten up returning from football practice, simply for wearing a Manchester United shirt, which to a GAA fan means British in orientation. One 14 year old girl was knocked to the ground and urinated on for wearing a Northern Ireland baseball cap. You can understand why so may Protestants parents are unwilling to let their attend leisure centers when a dozen thugs in GAA tops are hanging around the front door, the management of these venues have a duty to ensure that their complex is free from all forms of intimidation, a good start would be the banning of GAA tops. At every Irish Nationalist riot, Sinn FeinIRA disturbance and terrorist supporting gathering GAA tops are and have been in evidence, THEY DON'T EVEN TRY TO HIDE THEIR HATE. T-shirts supporting the NF or KKK could not be worn virtually anywhere so why should GAA top be any different, the GAA are ultra political, they are sectarian, they are 100% Catholic, they have terrorist members and supporters assaulting, intimidating and insulting INNOCENT people on a daily bases. Worst of all is that the GAA governing body, the media especially UTV and Catholic politicians in general turn a blind eye to it all and simply pretends that it doesn't happen. If the GAA is to drag its self into the century and continue to grow with the support of all the citizens of Northern Ireland then it must NOW take steps to cut out sectarianism. Football thugs all over Europe are identified and banned from attending games and functions, the GAA must now move to identify those within its ranks who are clearly more interested in hate than sport. All citizens of Northern Ireland deserve and demand the right to participate in sport without intimidation or attack, so the GAA and the management of sporting venues need to stop being apologetic about these violent thugs, they simply must act and act NOW. 91% of people who voted in the last election voted for democratic party's with no armed wing, so if sport is for all and democracy is the will of the people what are the GAA and those in power waiting for, ban sectarian GAA tops now and remove the thugs, maybe then we can all get on with life free from intimidation. Its also worth noting here that Sinn Fein IRA do not represent Northern Ireland, they are a very small minority who's view are so left wing that they had to resort to terrorism to be heard. Total population of Northern Ireland is 1,685,267 and in the last election Adams and co could only scrape 144,54, now you can see just how small they really are. Having said that the squeaky wheel gets the oil, and they also have a fully operation terrorist organization behind them. Sponsors also need to wake up, bank with us, buy our petrol, our cars, drink our beer, but don't ask for any pity or support when your child has be hospitalized by members or supporters of an organization that we support and give money to. Some people may think this is harsh but if say the Ford Motor Company sponsored a Skin Head Gig the world would be in uproar and Ford would have to back track very quickly indeed, it wouldn't matter that not all Skin Heads are associated with racism. Many firms sponsor the GAA in Northern Ireland but we firmly believe that until the blatant hatred of Protestants is removed from the organization that these businesses do not deserve one penny from our pockets. As long as the GAA stay silent and do not move to stamp out sectarianism then we must presume that it and its sponsors don't mind how many Protestant kids are attacked, intimidated or left needing 22 stitches for head wounds such as happened recently. Genuine quote from a concerned GAA fan, "I have children of my own who play Gaelic football at under age. They have asked me why would anybody be banned from playing Gaelic games. Now if I was a bigot I would fill their innocent minds with my own hatred and slanted views, but no, I tell them that some day the GAA will realize it’s a sporting organization and no-one will be banned from playing and taking part." The one time President of the GAA , Pat Fanning stated "the GAA position is clear. Its historical role is not a myth. Our charter proclaims the determination of the GAA to work for a 32 county Ireland. The allegiance of the GAA is to Ireland. That allegiance is unequivocal. "(Irish Times). Croke Park and the GAA appears content to speak to only one tradition on this island. Its refusal even to contemplate sharing its sporting facilities with soccer, is symptomatic of this inward looking approach" (Irish Times). In Northern Ireland the singing of Republican songs and waving of flags at GAA events is a clear sectarian statement to all Protestants, stay away, the singing of the Soldiers song and flying of the tricolor should only be flown when hosting a South of Ireland team or in the Republic of Ireland. Now from the GAA, news that it will support the concept of a new national multi-sports stadium in Northern Ireland is somewhat of a surprise considering the perceived " ourselves alone" policy of that organization. Very likely, the GAA's expressed support for a new stadium may force the Government into going ahead with the development, particularly as soccer and rugby authorities are broadly in favor. However, it would appear that a political game is being played behind the scenes with the GAA up for some of its matches at the new location, sharing the space with the Irish Football Association and the Ulster Rugby Union. From views expressed by the Ulster GAA Council representative it is clear the GAA is not abandoning its ambitious plan to significantly increase capacity at existing grounds: Casement Park, Belfast (to 35,000), Athletic Grounds, Armagh (25,000), Healy Park, Omagh (20,000) and Brewster Park, Enniskillen (20,000). These enlargements will cost an estimated £43 million and, for sure, the GAA will unashamedly be looking to the British Government for substantial grant aid. In view of the GAA giving "green light" endorsement to a new national stadium, will the Government respond quid pro quo by the lifting of the recent freeze on public funding for upgrading of ground facilities, particularly GAA-owned? Of course, the Irish Football Association, if the new stadium takes root, would have to satisfactorily settle affairs with Linfield Football Club over a 99-year lease for internationals of Windsor Park, which incidentally marks its centenary next year. The Ulster Rugby Union would also have to vacate Ravenhill grounds for its games. This would effectively mean that both soccer and rugby's ruling bodies would be concentrating on the staging of all of its major games at the new facility. Not so the GAA which remains determined to hold on to and enlarge its main county venues! As is the case with their supporters the Gaa is Playing A Sectarian Game For Political Goals.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/4492870.stm
I just had to put this on the main board, to see if others had any comment. TrojanHorse started a little blog 2 days ago, which condemned the use of Casement Park for the Hunger Striker Rally at the weekend. It's being discussed on a different thread. However, when I pointed out a little hypocrisy in her response, she said "very different", and closed the blog, allowing no more discussion. So I start again here. People can debate the rights and wrongs of whether or not the rally was a party political event, and therefore in breach of GAA rules. SF claim it wasn't, and I have no doubt if an investigation is held by Central Council, no more action will be taken. However, GAA property is being specifically used for party political purposes by other parties, notably TH's own love, Fianna Fail. In fact, believe it or not, the FF Laois/Offaly selection convention this year, which TH most likely attended, was held guess where ? (looking for the link) In a GAA centre. Directly flouting the "no party political events on GAA property" rule. Did you make any complaint at the time TH ? Here are a few further examples... http://www.fiannafail.ie/person.php4?show=Minister&pid=5&bid=318 Should Tony Killeen continue to hold clinics in GAA centres in Whitegate and Kilkishen ? http://www.ireland.com/focus/election_2002/mediawatch/mediawatch0504.htm Looks like there 2002 convention was held in the GAA centre in Portarlington as well ... I believe that the GAA should be perfectly entitled to rent out their facilities to any group that pays up ... But does anyone smell a hint of hypocrisy here ?
Parochial GAA events could never be an Olympic event.
I would like to start by stating that because the GAA has on overtly Irish cultural aspect; their games will now be referred to as events, they can no longer be classed as sports but cultural events.
Therefore unlike other Olympic sports the GAA events could never become part of the Olympic family.
Let me set out why. The GAA by their own admission clams to be more than a sporting organization, with it's overt emphases as an Irish cultural organization and being a parochial Irish organisation. It could never be considered as an Olympic event.
The GAA's overtly Irish cultural aspect and it's parochial control by Croke Park, render it impossible to ever be part of the Olympic world.
Simply put the GAA's overt emphases on Irish culture would obviously discriminate against other cultures.
The overt emphasis on Irish culture puts the GAA, outside normal participating sporting games, rendering GAA events as, pariahs.
Jerome Quinn has directly implicated the GAA, as having a discriminately predominantly roman catholic ethos and a discriminately Irish cultural aspect.
In his case against the BBC, Jerome Quinn is claiming he was the subject of “conscious discrimination” because of his Catholic and Irish background. Therefore using Jerome Quinn’s logic the GAA are a roman catholic, Irish cultural /Irish republican/Irish nationalist organization. Therefore the GAA has a bias against non roman catholic’s and Irish republican/Irish nationalist participants.
If Jerome Quinn, an expert in GAA matters is right, the BBC will not need to review its policy of showing GAA events. The BBC would need to stop showing or reporting on the GAA in a sporting context. If as he clams it is an organisation with a religious, political and cultural agenda. This would take the GAA out of the sports arena and put it definitively into a political and cultural arena?
Let’s look at the GAA rules and the structure of the GAA.
This is the first paragraph form the GGA rules and ethos.
The Gaelic Athletic Association today is an organisation which
reaches into every corner of the land and has its roots in every Irish parish.
Why do they use the term Irish parish?
The term Irish parish is a direct inference that the GAA has a bias in favour of the roman catholic religion. Therefore other religions cannot be on an equal basis within the GAA.
We do not deny that there will be people of other religions and non taking part in GAA events. However that is a personal decision that does not distract form the institutionalised GAA bias against other religions.
The paragraph below is taken from the next paragraph in the GGA rules and ethos..
Those who play its games, those who organise its activities and those who control its destinies see in the G.A.A. a means of consolidating our Irish identity.
In this sentence it quite clearly states that, anyone taking part in and controlling GAA events are consolidating their Irish identity. The GAA puts Irish identity before all others, and therefore other identities are then classed as inferior to Irish identity. This smacks of Nazi Germany, where the mythical Aryan Race was promoted above all others, and we know what happened there!!! Could it be they are looking for the Final Solution, the elimination of Protestants and Unionists.
What of the Unionist British culture within the GAA here in Northern Ireland. It is obvious that the Unionist identity does not have equality within the GAA?? To exclude any identity over the Irish nationalist/republican identity is biased and sectarian.
Next paragraph:
The games to them are more than games - they have a national significance - and the
promotion of native pastimes becomes a part of the full national
ideal, which envisages the speaking of our own language,
music and dances.
More exclusion for non Irish cultures.
Next paragraph:
The primary purpose of the G.A.A. is the
organisation of native pastimes and the promotion of athletic
fitness as a means to create a disciplined, self- reliant, national minded
manhood. The overall result is the expression of a
people’s preference for native ways as opposed to imported ones.
National minded manhood! That is a direct political statement, inferring that Irish national politics take president over other political views.
The GAA, by their actions and rules are a sectarian organization. The GAA are not an organization designed to bring peoples together, it is structured and designed to keep communities and people apart. If your not part of the solution you are most defiantly part of the problem.
The next part of the aims of the GAA are the most political referring to as it does, games and customs of another nation. Then we have the reference, to govern her own affairs! It’s a strange organization that as part of its make up it wants political upheaval, and it continues to strive for the removal of a community and people who do not have the same political views and aims as the GAA ?
The overall result is the expression of a
people’s preference for native ways as opposed to imported ones.
Since she has not control over all the national territory,
Ireland’s claim to nationhood is impaired. It would be still
more impaired if she were to lose her language, if she failed to
provide a decent livelihood for her people at home, or if she
were to forsake her own games and customs in favour of the
games and customs of another nation. If pride in the attributes
of nationhood dies, something good and distinctive in our
race dies with it. Each national quality that is lost makes us so
much poorer as a Nation. Today, the native games take on a
new significance when it is realised that they have been a part,
and still are a part, of the Nation’s desire to live her own life, to
govern her own affairs.
en.wikipedia.org/wik...
www.gaa.ie/content/d...
CHAPTER 1 - AIMS AND ETHOS
1.1 Name
The name of the Association is:
“The Gaelic Athletic Association”.
Basic Aim
The Association is a National Organisation which has as
its basic aim the strengthening of the National Identity
in a 32 County Ireland through the preservation and
promotion of Gaelic Games and pastimes.
What
National Games.
The Association shall promote and control the National
games of Hurling, Gaelic Football, Handball and
Rounders, and such other games, as may be sanctioned
and approved by Annual Congress.
1.4 Additional Aims
(a) The Association shall actively support the Irish
language, traditional Irish dancing, music, song,
and other aspects of Irish culture. It shall foster
an awareness and love of the national ideals in
the people of Ireland, and assist in promoting a
community spirit through its clubs.
(b) The Association shall promote its aims amongst
communities abroad through its overseas units.
(c) The Association shall support the promotion of
Camogie and Ladies Gaelic Football.
(d) The Association shall use all practical endeavours
to support Irish Industry especially in relation to
the provision of trophies and playing gear and
equipment.
1.5 Dedication
The Association and its resources shall be used for and
dedicated solely to the above aims.
1.6 Irish/English Versions of Rules
The Rules of the Association shall be printed in Irish and
in English, and in the event of conflict the Irish version
shall prevail.
CHAPTER 1 - AIMS AND ETHOS
1.2
1.3
6
1.7 Use of Irish in Official Documents/Correspondence
Official documents and correspondence shall have the
following in Irish:
(a) The name of the Club/Committee being
represented (where a Club/Committee is involved).
(b) The signature of the sender, subject to Rule 4.5(d).
(c) The name and address of the addressee, where used,
including on envelopes.
(d) Printing and signatures on official cheque books
and cheques in payment of fees.
(e) Full names of players and signature of Secretary or
Assistant Secretary, or in the case of Under 16 and
younger grade competitions, the authorised Officialin-
Charge of the team as per Rule 4.4, on official list
of players for games.
Correspondence and documents not complying shall
be ruled out of order, but may, subject to any time limit
specified by Rule or by the Committee-in-Charge, be
resubmitted in compliant form.
Exceptions:
(1) In the cases of unusual surnames or where there
is more than one form of a surname in Irish, the
English form of the surname may be added for the
purpose of identification.
(2) In cases where there is no Irish form of a name.
(3) N ames mentioned in Referees’ Reports may be in
English.
(4) In the Electronic Registration of Members and
Players (Rules 2.2 and 2.3), it is optional to have the
addresses in either Irish or English.
1.8 National Flag and Anthem
(a) The National Flag should be flown at games in
accordance with protocol.
(b) Where the National Anthem precedes a game,
teams shall stand to attention, facing the Flag, in a
respectful manner.
Tull: I do not dispute that Protestants play or take part in the GAA. They obviously espouse the GAA ethos of Irish nationalism. Many Protestants have been Irish nationalists.
I however, am not an Irish nationalist, I am an Ulster Unionist. I do not espouse the GAA Irish nationalist ethos, therefore I am de-facto excluded form the GAA, by their rules!!!
How does a sport have a nationalistic ethos anyhow??? If they have a nationalistic ethos they are obviously not a sport but a quasi political organisation.
I wonder if the GAA would grant us permission to open a GAA club on the Shankill Road, called the Lenny Murphy Heroes Club. We can fly our National flag, the Union Flag and play our National Anthem God Save Our Queen??? We can also sing our anti Irish nationalist songs, ban the Irish language in favour of Ulster-Scots.
We can then have a venue to hold a political rally for the UVF. To commemorate the murder by Irish nationalists of Lenny Murphy, and many other of the UVF, RHC, UDA and UFF and the rest of the Loyalist freedom fighters murdered by Irish nationalists. We can then hold a commemorative dinner to remember the release of all the Shankill butchers and all the other Loyalist paramilitaries.
If I write to the GAA do you think we will get the go ahead for the above named club. Would Nickey Brennan, GAA President, come to us to open our club, as he is keen to open clubs with Irish republican terrorist connections???
sluggerotoole.com/20...
After all the GAA are an all Ireland association, and as you describe them a non sectarian sports organization. Then I as an Ulster Unionist and others who would be described as having a Loyalist ethos would have full equality within the GAA???
Kevin Lynch
The GAA hurling club in Dungiven, Co Londonderry, is named after INLA member and former player Lynch.
He was the seventh of the 10 hunger strikers to die in 1981, after being sentenced to 10 years for stealing shotguns and conspiring to disarm the security forces. Lynch was captain of the 1972 All-Ireland-winning under-16 Derry team.
Joe Cahill
An under-12s football contest is played at Cardinal O’Donnell Park, west Belfast, in honour of the IRA veteran who died in 2004.
Cahill joined the IRA aged 18 and was convicted for his part in killing Catholic cop and dad-of-ten, Patrick Murphy, in 1942. He also was a key figure in founding the Provisional IRA in 1969.
Bobby Sands
The Cumann na Fuiseoige GAA club honours IRA hunger striker Sands, who grew up near its base in Twinbrook, west Belfast.
The club’s badge shows a lark, barb wire and a capital ‘H’ representing the H-block in the Maze prison where Sands — who was convicted of arms offences — was the first IRA hunger striker to die.
There is also a Bobby Sands Memorial soccer cup contest, held during the Feile an Phobail festival in west Belfast.
Mairead Farrell
A girls’ camogie championship played in Tullysaran, Co Armagh,
was named after IRA woman Farrell.
She spent 10 years in jail for bombing the Conway Hotel, Dunmurry, and was killed by the SAS in Gibraltar with fellow IRA members Sean Savage and Daniel McCann in 1988 with whom she allegedly planned to bomb an Army band.
Martin Hurson
A commemorative Martin Hurson Memorial cup final is played every year at Galbally Pearses Football Field near Dungannon in Co Tyrone.
The fifth of the H-block hunger strikers to die, Hurson was arrested in 1976 and quizzed over the attempted murder of UDR soldiers in a bomb attack.
The charge was dropped but he was convicted in relation to several other charges.
Michael McVerry
The first member of the IRA in south Armagh to be killed in the Troubles, McVerry was shot by soldiers in 1973 after placing a 100lb bomb at Keady RUC station, helped by five men who fought a running battle with cops after the device exploded.
The Michael McVerry cup is played for in Cullyhanna, Co Armagh, each year.
Gerard and Martin Harte
These East Tyrone IRA brothers were killed in a carefully-planned SAS ambush at Drumnakilly in 1988. Many branded it revenge for the Ballygawley bus attack 10 days earlier, which killed eight soldiers and injured 27 others.
Palyed at Loughmacrory, the Gerard and Martin Harte Memorial cup is now one of Tyrone's foremost under-12 Gaelic football tournaments.
Louis Leonard Memorial Park
The ground in Donagh, Fermanagh, was named after IRA man Louis, who was killed by loyalists in 1972 while working late in his shop in the village of Derrylin.
Loughgall bomber Paddy Kelly
The Paddy Kelly cup was played in Dungannon, Co Tyrone as part of commemorations for the IRA Loughgall “martyrs”. A heavily-armed IRA unit including Kelly and O’Callaghan was trying to blow up a part-time police station in Loughgall, Co Tyrone, with a 200lb bomb when they were gunned down by the SAS.
McDonnell/Doherty Park
The home ground of the St Teresas GAA club in west Belfast is named after hunger strikers and former players Joe McDonnell and Kieran Doherty.
McDonnell had been arrested in 1976 with Bobby Sands following a bomb attack on a furniture store in Dunmurry and Doherty was convicted for possession of firearms, explosives and hijacking.
Jim Lochrie and Sean
Campbell
Lochrie/Campbell GAA Park in Dromintee, south Armagh is named after IRA members Jim Lochrie and Sean Campbell who were killed when a land mine exploded prematurely at Kelly's Road, Killeen in 1975.
