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GAA Should Campaign For A United Ireland.

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Replying To Gator:  "You're still ignoring that letter was written after the foundation and its author then took things in a very specific direction. No re-writing of history here. The intention was to revive our sports, the intention of the gaelic league was to revive our language and culture. Both organisations were apolitical in the founding and people politicized them after the face to varying degrees. Most unionists don't want anything to do with our games or language and its not because the origins of them. Its because some sought to use them politically.

I figure we have to agree to disagree on this but its my take on it anyway."
From the GAA website history section, paragraph 1 '1884 Foundation of the GAA
At the behest of Michael Cusack seven men met in Hayes Hotel, Thurles on November 1, 1884 and founded the Gaelic Athletic Association for the preservation and cultivation of our national pastimes. Maurice Davin was elected President, Michael Cusack, John Wyse Power and John McKay elected Secretaries and Archbishop Thomas William Croke, Charles Stewart Parnell and Michael Davitt were asked to become patrons.'.
Croke (the most nationalist member of the Irish Catholic hierarchy and a big supporter of the Irish land league), Davitt & Parnell were asked to be patrons at their first meeting. Of course they were political at their founding. But subsequently they were also an organisation where different groups within Irish nationalism could meet. They did great work bringing people together after the Irish Civil war where both sides worked together in clubs in various parts of the country.

bdbuddah (Meath) - Posts: 1337 - 28/03/2019 21:24:49    2176089

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Replying To DUALSUPPORT:  "The GAA have already commemorated the 1916 Rising, will probably commemorate the first Dail this year and the signing the of Treaty in 2021, to say the GAA should stay out of politics is picking and choosing. Like I said before the GAA should welcome a peaceful and inclusive United Ireland, it is far from sectarian to welcome such a thing, it wrong, unfair and ignorant to suggest otherwise."
Welcome it by all means, campaign for it ? No.

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 28/03/2019 21:32:18    2176092

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It's a hard one to decide from where I sit. As many have said on here the very foundations of the Organisation lie in the aim of a 32 County national identity so it would only stand to sense that the opportunity for a United Ireland would be in the forefront of it's mind. I get that there are probably many members of the Organisation who either don't care or don't necessary want a United Ireland and also probably many members who see it as a sporting and cultural Organisation and aren't bothered on the Political side. But that doesn't change the founding principles of the Organisation, principles which many do still stand for.

But then there is the other side to it. Given a UI has to be constructed in a correct manner and given some of the players involved, then the GAA being seen to be actively campaigning for a UI would be used to whip up the naysayers in this part of the world. Yes, if it's not the GAA campaigning they will find fault in some other campaign group but I think they would actually love for the GAA to get behind a campaign - can you imagine wee Willie or Seamy B on the airwaves going on with all their GAA/IRA mantras with an aim to anger their own communities and dig their heels in?

There is nothing I want more than to see Ireland brought back to being a Country and not 2 states as it has been for the last century. And to me the GAA is a nationalist Organisation who in normal circumstances I would expect to get out there and get behind a campaign. But I also have been around long enough to understand the Unionist mindset - and not understand it as in agree with it but understand how they work and approach things. So to go back to the start, if I thought that the GAA campaigning would be detrimental in any way then I wouldn't want them to be seen to be actively out there (doesn't stop the unseen though). But if I thought they could reach out in such a way that could help get the 'other side' on board - and by using the sporting side to do this (the cultural aspect might be a bridge too far at the start) then I would welcome it.

If we do get an opportunity for a UI then I just want whatever will deliver. Whoever is campaigning just needs to look at that clusterffff of a Brexit and do the opposite when it comes to planning and executing. Simple really.....

Offside_Rule (Antrim) - Posts: 4058 - 28/03/2019 22:02:33    2176099

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given some of the players involved

Political, not sporting in case there was any confusion :-)

Offside_Rule (Antrim) - Posts: 4058 - 28/03/2019 22:07:23    2176100

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Replying To royaldunne:  "Welcome it by all means, campaign for it ? No."
I never mentioned campaigning for a United Ireland but if the GAA are going to spend thousands of euro celebrating and commemorating the the centenary of the 1916 Rising (a rebellion that looked to establish Irish freedom for 32 counties) then if the issue of a United Ireland border poll comes up the GAA should publicly state they are in in favour of it because it would be hypocritical of them if they don't and that is the truth of the matter whether people like it or not.

DUALSUPPORT (Limerick) - Posts: 1038 - 29/03/2019 09:14:17    2176138

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The GAA didn't spend millions commemorating the 1916 rising. They acknowledged it in the correct fashion. And I'm sure significant national and GAA events will be done in the same way. The likes of Bloody Sunday and the Civil war. The civil war being conflict some our friends north of the border know little about when they lecture us to be as Republican as them. (We struggle to understand the nuances of it down here. )And I liked how the GAA acknowledged the thousands of GAA men that fought in WW1. More Irish men fought in that conflict than was ever realised until the last 20 years. The figures were suppressed as it didn't suit the DeValera dancing at the crossroads ,ceili, Republican agenda. Monuments acknowledging the WW1 regiments and their sacrifice are popping up all over the country...another big WW1 monument in Limerick got the go ahead during the week. I wouldn't try and figure out how many of those boys were Republican or Unionist or didn't care but I think they might have said not to mix politics with sport.

bloodyban (Limerick) - Posts: 1710 - 30/03/2019 07:13:47    2176336

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The GAA should support a united Ireland in my opinion. The Unionists will criticise the GAA if it does campaign but they will get more advantage if it does not. Everyone will automatically expect the GAA to be in the nationalist camp. The Unionists equivicate the GAA with the Orange Order, although there is no equivication. There is no chance the Orange Order will be neutral on a border poll. For a large nationalist organisation not to be on board then the Unionists will say even cultural nationalism doesnt have faith in a united Ireland.

A united Ireland is needed now more than ever. The farce at Westminster shows that London has no regard whatsoever for the North. The DUP are willing to destroy their own grass roots, the Ulster Farmers Union for example, to maintain the link to Britain who will sell them out in a heartbeat if they need to. It would be beneficial if there could be a All Ireland forum set up in which the Unionists could put across their views to try to smooth the transition to a united Ireland. They complained when the weren't invited to a recent civic nationalist forum in Belfast, yet if they were invited they more than likely wouldn't attend anyway.

A border poll should be called in the event of a no deal brexit. Lucid Talk polls have shown that there is a likelihood of a nationalist majority in that case. If it is a soft brexit a border poll will be unwinnable for Nationalism in the short term. A significant minority from the Nationalist community will vote to maintain the Union due to self interest despite the evidence to the contrary showing that a united Ireland would be better for them. For Nationalism then it is about getting the first border poll, as even if it lost, there is provision to hold one every seven years.

REDANDBLACK30 (Down) - Posts: 1617 - 30/03/2019 10:05:21    2176355

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Nice post but those six county "Nationalists" who vote remain are called Unionists. I think the 26 counties are split even on the topic, most of my relatives are not for change. The GAA would be nervous about getting too involved. And then you have the English who would rip up a Good Friday deal or any deal to suit themselves. I just watched the "Bloody Sunday" movie recently and it reminded me that even if you are nice and peaceful they will fxxx you anyway, just like at Amritsar 100 years ago. Keeping the peace is the most vital thing imo and the GAA know this. The E.U. can intervene now and create a Euro Zone in the 6 counties, they have leverage as London is in chaos. This is how it begins.

suckvalleypaddy (Galway) - Posts: 1667 - 30/03/2019 11:57:01    2176371

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Replying To bloodyban:  "The GAA didn't spend millions commemorating the 1916 rising. They acknowledged it in the correct fashion. And I'm sure significant national and GAA events will be done in the same way. The likes of Bloody Sunday and the Civil war. The civil war being conflict some our friends north of the border know little about when they lecture us to be as Republican as them. (We struggle to understand the nuances of it down here. )And I liked how the GAA acknowledged the thousands of GAA men that fought in WW1. More Irish men fought in that conflict than was ever realised until the last 20 years. The figures were suppressed as it didn't suit the DeValera dancing at the crossroads ,ceili, Republican agenda. Monuments acknowledging the WW1 regiments and their sacrifice are popping up all over the country...another big WW1 monument in Limerick got the go ahead during the week. I wouldn't try and figure out how many of those boys were Republican or Unionist or didn't care but I think they might have said not to mix politics with sport."
I know the GAA didn't spend millions on the Easter Rising commemoration I never said that so don't misquote me, I agree with you it was celebrated in the correct fashion I enjoyed every moment of it and It was nice the GAA acknowledging the Irish who fought in WW1 so don't make out I was criticizing there either.

Come off this sport and politics don't mix it always will, how many heads of state are guests of honour at sporting events around the world and the British soccer teams wear poppies every November.

I don't want to get into a tit for tat argument here. My point is the GAA is a sporting organisation first but it has always promoted Irish nationalist culture peacefully and has made huge gestures in the recent past political and sporting, 6 counties of our country are under foreign occupation whether people like to admit or not, if the majority of the population of those 6 counties want to rejoin the Republic of Ireland, the GAA should fully support it in an inclusive manner and adhere to the principles on which the association was founded.

The people of East Germany must have being very lucky the West Germans hadn't the same attitude as some of the free staters we have here in the republic because they would have being left out on there own after the cold war.

DUALSUPPORT (Limerick) - Posts: 1038 - 30/03/2019 12:06:57    2176373

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Replying To suckvalleypaddy:  "Nice post but those six county "Nationalists" who vote remain are called Unionists. I think the 26 counties are split even on the topic, most of my relatives are not for change. The GAA would be nervous about getting too involved. And then you have the English who would rip up a Good Friday deal or any deal to suit themselves. I just watched the "Bloody Sunday" movie recently and it reminded me that even if you are nice and peaceful they will fxxx you anyway, just like at Amritsar 100 years ago. Keeping the peace is the most vital thing imo and the GAA know this. The E.U. can intervene now and create a Euro Zone in the 6 counties, they have leverage as London is in chaos. This is how it begins."
Yeah those from a Nationalist background that would vote for the Union are defacto Unionists although they wouldnt describe themselves as Unionist and would likely vote for the SDLP or Alliance Party. Absolutely I would agree that there is a significant opposition to unification in the Republic. The polls suggest about 2/3 for unification, 1/3 against but you could be right in it being about 50/50. I can understand why some in the Republic might be wary of reunification. Certainly the British always have their own agendas. The North to them is a possession that surprisingly the still seem reluctant to relinquish. Talk of "this precious union". They have been very reticent in calling a border poll up to now. They are happy to keep the North so long as it doesn't conflict with their wider interests, such as Brexit. In those circumstances they would discard it if impedes their other priorities. I think the British hate that their standing in the World is much less than it used to be, hence Brexit and the rise in English Nationalism.

REDANDBLACK30 (Down) - Posts: 1617 - 30/03/2019 13:17:36    2176387

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Replying To DUALSUPPORT:  "I know the GAA didn't spend millions on the Easter Rising commemoration I never said that so don't misquote me, I agree with you it was celebrated in the correct fashion I enjoyed every moment of it and It was nice the GAA acknowledging the Irish who fought in WW1 so don't make out I was criticizing there either.

Come off this sport and politics don't mix it always will, how many heads of state are guests of honour at sporting events around the world and the British soccer teams wear poppies every November.

I don't want to get into a tit for tat argument here. My point is the GAA is a sporting organisation first but it has always promoted Irish nationalist culture peacefully and has made huge gestures in the recent past political and sporting, 6 counties of our country are under foreign occupation whether people like to admit or not, if the majority of the population of those 6 counties want to rejoin the Republic of Ireland, the GAA should fully support it in an inclusive manner and adhere to the principles on which the association was founded.

The people of East Germany must have being very lucky the West Germans hadn't the same attitude as some of the free staters we have here in the republic because they would have being left out on there own after the cold war."
The people of East Germany must have being very lucky the West Germans hadn't the same attitude as some of the free staters we have here in the republic because they would have being left out on there own after the cold war.
DUALSUPPORT (Limerick) - Posts: 463 - 30/03/2019 12:06:57

Equating the partitioning of Germany, into West and East. after the the World ll; with Ireland. is naive and ignorant.

Cockney_Cat (UK) - Posts: 2446 - 31/03/2019 17:11:19    2176679

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There would be a welcome by the vast majority of people in the Republic of Ireland for a
United Ireland. All recent opinion polls by reputable polling companies have found this.
The issue is when will a majority in Northern Ireland support same. If Brexit becomes a
reality and there is a hard border, everything could change, coupled with a nationalist
majority in the next couple of years. It is also likely that some from a Unionist background
could support unity with the benefit of EU membership.

fainleog (Limerick) - Posts: 598 - 31/03/2019 20:02:51    2176763

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Replying To Cockney_Cat:  "The people of East Germany must have being very lucky the West Germans hadn't the same attitude as some of the free staters we have here in the republic because they would have being left out on there own after the cold war.
DUALSUPPORT (Limerick) - Posts: 463 - 30/03/2019 12:06:57

Equating the partitioning of Germany, into West and East. after the the World ll; with Ireland. is naive and ignorant."
Is that the best you can do taking my point out of context to dis-credit my comment and to suit your argument, I didn't equat the partition of Ireland with that of Germany, I know they were totally different circumstances. The point I was clearly making is the people of West Germany welcomed the reunification of their country and with jubilation I might add.

DUALSUPPORT (Limerick) - Posts: 1038 - 31/03/2019 23:01:29    2176844

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