Bumpernut - I am thinking of moving to N Korea for a quieter life.... :-)

Offside_Rule (Antrim) - Posts: 4058 - 23/01/2015 16:48:16    1685888

well to be honest wearing a gaa top walking past annadale flats is very naive....belfast is still in the grip of sectarian division and ghettoisation...and honestly some students are very naive to think everything is ok...nothing much has changed in terms of sectarianism,and certainly annadale flats is no place to be wearing gaa tops

mayotyroneman (Tyrone) - Posts: 1821 - 23/01/2015 17:39:15    1685910

Sectarianism was invent to divide the six counties working class, the poor lad who got attacked was a pawn in the whole divide. I hope he recovers.
Late at night in certain parts of Ireland you could also be as easily be attacked for wearing a jersey - there are morans everywhere

zinny (Wexford) - Posts: 1805 - 23/01/2015 18:07:02    1685915

ah stop zinny. As if someone went out of their way to invent a way to divide the "working class", What kind of claptrap is that, so they were all great friends before some bigwig thought of this great scheme? get back to the real world.
Anyway, I hope he gets better soon, I didnt really get any good reason why he thinks it was over his GAA jersey though (from the original story anyway)

flack (Dublin) - Posts: 1054 - 23/01/2015 18:17:11    1685920

flack - really, study your Irish and world history.

Anyway the point was as you say there is no proof it had anything to do with a gaa jersey and the gaa jersey is not a superman shield in any town or city in Ireland and is more likley to get you abuse in the big cities than anything

zinny (Wexford) - Posts: 1805 - 23/01/2015 18:36:50    1685924

thats just makey-up pinko history spouted by studenty types who havent anything at all to do with what they call the working class.
Anyway, i wasnt doubting the story, but an outsider walking past corpo flats is apt to get a dig sooner or later. I couñldnt count the number of times Ive got an unprovoked dig in Dublin, and it wasnt ever anything to do with me clothes!

flack (Dublin) - Posts: 1054 - 23/01/2015 18:44:56    1685927

Wayno, if you live in Belfast "that part" can be across the road from your home. Catholics living in Ardoyne on other side of city and Short Strand (not far from where the chap was attacked) were subject to ongoing attacks and murders over the decades. There are unfortunately still only too many people who will see a GAA top (or a Glasgow Celtic one) as an invitation to violence.

Zinny, I'm afraid sectarianism goes back to the 1600s when Ulster was taken over by settlers. No need for any cunning capitalist plot to divide the working class.

hurlingdub (Dublin) - Posts: 6978 - 23/01/2015 19:02:51    1685933

Offside_Rule
County: Antrim
Posts: 1932

1685850
Could put your theory to the test waynoi - come you up in your Dublin top and we'll give you a list of areas to walk through. I will walk through the same areas in my normal clothes a few minutes after and lets see if there is any difference to the reaction we get.

------
In fairness we'd be used to that type of hassle anywhere outside of the capital. I've every sympathy for the bloke if in fact it was a sectarian attack but what was he doing walking through a 'loyalist estate' with a GAA jersey on him and him presumably being a student, reasonably intelligent, and from Tyrone, semi aware of the dangers of walking through a loyalist area with a GAA jersey on his back. That's akin to a Shamrock Rovers fan walking through the Ballymun flats and hoping to get off scot free. Did he not foresee an element of risk? Sorry, just playing devil's advocate here.

Joxer (Dublin) - Posts: 4700 - 23/01/2015 19:27:55    1685945

I have to agree with Mes Amis, in that the attacker may not have known the Identity of the Jersey the victim was wearing.

Two reasons I believe this is possible.....

1. Two Tyrone men got beat up at a Wolfe tones gig down in Wexford a few years back, because those In attendance mistook their Tyrone flag for a Loyalist flag. This was particularly worrying for some, as normally those attending a Tones gig would be quite knowledgeable about such matters of Irish History and Irish symbol's.

2. A Tyrone man walked through a staunch Loyalist area in the Waterside in Derry wearing his white Tyrone Jersey 3 or 4 years ago in broad daylight. The person that spotted him, later came to the conclusion that 2 different small groups of teenagers in the street couldn't distinguish between it and the Ulster Rugby Jersey. They probably didn't look any closer than the red hand emblem, and assumed it was an Ulster rugby top.

So I have to agree that the attacker may not actually have known or looked closely enough to understand it was a GAA Jersey.

Afterall, The origin of the Red hand of the O'Neill, Catholic Chieftain's of Ulster is not a story apparently shared within staunch Loyalist area's.

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3017 - 23/01/2015 19:32:21    1685946

Hurling would you agree that the opposite is also true, say someone in a lingfield or rangers top would be in as much danger in catholic area??
To be honest its speculation at this time but probably well founded. But please the one side is holier than thou attitude is part of the problem on BOTH sides. Cave men exist and until they are marginalized and shown for the out of date idiots they are this will continue. Sectarianism on anybody behalf is wrong. End of story.

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 23/01/2015 19:48:16    1685952

I hope the lad makes a quick recovery, this sort of horrible attack should never happen. I see a lot of people talking about religion up north in relation to this attack now we have no detailed proof that, that was a motivating factor but I have to say just from a personal point of view, I'd love to see the day when religion is absent from this planet permanently and superstitions no longer cause divisions.

For me as an atheist all religion is nonsense but I do respect people's freedom to practice is privately, but once it's starts causing division and worse still violence, then we have a serious problem, keep religion out of schools, keep it out of constitutions and please keep it to yourselves.

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 23/01/2015 20:04:35    1685958

why are people on this thread throwing in red herrings like ulster tops and other gaa jerseys...they guy got attacked because he was wearing a gaa jersey...he was walking near anna dale flats...a notorious loyalist ghetto...for many years this area was a no go area for catholics never mind wearing gaa tops...by the way hurling dub short strand is more than a stones throw from anna dale flats...a hell of a long way

mayotyroneman (Tyrone) - Posts: 1821 - 23/01/2015 20:26:41    1685960

Some people on here need to understand that Loyalist and Republican areas of Belfast are not exactly divided in a manner that is clear to people who visit parts of the city. West is mainly Catholic although Shankill etc is included as west. North is quite mixed with certain no-go areas for both sides. East is mostly Protestant and south is probably the most evenly split. The incident happened in south Belfast were it is easy to forget were you are walking. The Lower Ormeau Rd is where a lot of students stay and it is fine to wear GAA gear within that area, however, literally a stone throw away are several Loyalist areas. If you were walking from the student area to the city centre you would have to pass at least one of these areas and at times students have been a target for local thugs. St.Paddy's Day two years ago there was a crowd of them waiting at the top of the Donegal Rd on anyone dressed in green heading towards town. A couple of people were badly beaten before police brought the landrovers round. Can happen to anyone at any time unfortunately.

SaffronDon (Antrim) - Posts: 2386 - 23/01/2015 20:33:32    1685962

its very naive to blame the problem in the north on religion, when its obvious its a territorial question, people who think themselves british (rather than proddy) against those who are Irish. But i suppose some people would just like to blame religion for everything, and theyll always find a way. If the lad was attacked for his jersey it wouldve been for playing/liking GAA (a nationalist, likely) not because the lad who stabbed him reads a different bible

flack (Dublin) - Posts: 1054 - 23/01/2015 20:34:26    1685963

Oh God, sure ya wouldn't be long getting frostbit up there :D

realdub (Dublin) - Posts: 8596 - 23/01/2015 20:40:59    1685965

Don't bother defending the indefensible (religion) to me flack, it has always and will always cause needless problems and divide in the world. I'm also aware of the history of Northern Ireland but to suggest that religion isn't as much a factor for trouble up north as national idenity is ludicrous.

Now you'll have to excuse me that's where I have leave it tonight, happy to argue more at a later date but I'll never concede an inch to peoples superstitions, keep to yourselves.

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 23/01/2015 20:55:31    1685970

fraawhstbut!

flack (Dublin) - Posts: 1054 - 23/01/2015 21:00:16    1685972

Lol @ flack :)

realdub (Dublin) - Posts: 8596 - 23/01/2015 21:17:20    1685980

Aye some folk on here with pretty strong opinions about a subject they clearly understand very little about but sure if it makes you'se feel better about yourselves knock yourselves out.

There are scummers in every society and no matter what guise they go under they would still be scummers elsewhere under a different guise.

Naysayer (Antrim) - Posts: 2071 - 24/01/2015 11:39:19    1685999

Should never be surprised at the level of ignorance exhibited on the forum but many have exceeded themselves on this thread. One lowlight was wearing a GAA Jersey in/near a Loyalist was 'asking for it'...in much the same way as a girl wearing a revealing outfit is 'Asking for it'.

One point worth noting from somene who's lived in South Belfast for 20 years. The lad was walking along the embankment as he did regularly at that time...he was not in Annadale flats ..the lunatic ran at him and returned in that direction. This road is a riverside walk frequented by most people who want to have a walk or run in the area. Sectarian attacks used to be very frequent in the 80s/early 90s in this area but the demography has changed ...many of the flats have been bulldozed and enormous apartment, townhouses have been built beside and slightly further along.

As for sectarianism is attributable in equal proportions to both communities. Utter lazy tripe. Anyone who has lived here knows as my many Protestant friends will openly concede bitterness, sectarianism and bigotry are much more acute to the PUL community. The number and location of racist attacks in Belfast alone support this as the net of bigotry widens to all who are "The People"

Tyronetim (Tyrone) - Posts: 1254 - 24/01/2015 13:56:59    1686013