what is it with some of you Down people and Tyrone? Mickey Harte went out of his way for interviews many times for RTE, the least you'd expect in return is a bit of decency when tragedy hit his family, he's just right to disassociate with them. As for his players, it was made public that the players had the freedom to speak with RTE if they wanted to, the fact that most choose not to shows you what they think of the situation. In a situation like this, who really cares about your viewing pleasure, topdownfan!

SaffronDon (Antrim) - Posts: 2386 - 25/04/2016 11:51:37    1849037

+1 Saffron don
MH has made his choice and tyrone players have made theirs . Fair play to them .
If Tyrone make the all-ireland final then we'll have a half empty studio the night before on Up the match or whatever they call it . RTE should make the required grovelling apology now ,Its an absolute disgrace that they havent to be honest. Also they could probably do with the services of his son as a pundit too , he's excellent on TG4 but , again , probably not petty and controversial enough .

Finsceal (None) - Posts: 559 - 25/04/2016 12:05:04    1849054

John Murray's show was shelved by RTE - the Harte controversy contributed a lot to that shows demise. That should be the end of the matter if I remember rightly the dispute with Harte and Tyrone was also over the make up of RTE's commentary team - which was ridiculous. The only people getting hurt by this boycott is Tyrone GAA.

arock (Dublin) - Posts: 4897 - 25/04/2016 12:40:02    1849078

It's not even off the air 12 months arock. The sketch happened 5 years ago. Don't think it was the reason it was taken off the air.

gotmilk (Fermanagh) - Posts: 4971 - 25/04/2016 12:44:06    1849085

Harte and Tyrone are bang on with this issue.
Fair play to them!
MesAmis

They are not.
By all means, take issue with the people involved if so inclined. But the reality is, the entire RTE production company was not involved. It is the equivalent of banning the entire team for one guy getting a red card.

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 25/04/2016 12:50:43    1849090

Realistically, RTÉ (despite what Tyrone believe) are not out to get Tyrone and don't have anything against them. Regarding Mickey's reasons for not talking to RTÉ, it was a small faction of RTÉ and I'm pretty sure it wasn't done in spite over such a sensitive issue. RTÉ have since apologised and to be honest, I think it's now become pathetic and Tyrone are just making shows of themselves and directing negative attention towards themselves.

MissDownFanatic (Down) - Posts: 411 - 25/04/2016 13:01:45    1849104

RTE are out of order...

RTE should make a public apology ( not this half-arsed attempt in private)..... they were and are in the wrong......well done Tyrone on and off the field

cuchulainn35 (Armagh) - Posts: 1676 - 25/04/2016 13:05:45    1849107

Harte and Tyrone are bang on with this issue.
Fair play to them!
MesAmis

They are not.
By all means, take issue with the people involved if so inclined. But the reality is, the entire RTE production company was not involved. It is the equivalent of banning the entire team for one guy getting a red card.

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts:15426 - 25/04/2016 12:50:43 1849090

An entirely fatuous analysis , followed by daft analogy.
Do you or do you not think that RTE owe MH and family an unreserved apology . ..?

Finsceal (None) - Posts: 559 - 25/04/2016 13:10:12    1849115

First of its notable again that "the 2 Down" fans on here can't get enough of Tyrone,what's with that?
Secondly,Mickeys absolutely right not to talk to RTE and most people in Tyrone support him as do many other people all over the country as can even be seen on this thread. People referring to them as "the national broadcaster" is also meaningless to many people and especially to people from Tyrone and other Ulster counties. They promote the views of those that pay them and nobody else. They are an elitist organization that promotes the views of an elite for the most part,with their outrages salaries etc. Hardly an organization of the people now.

seanie_boy (Tyrone) - Posts: 4235 - 25/04/2016 13:23:39    1849131

http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/rte-apologise-to-harte-for-offence-163387.html

I think RTE did apologise.
As far as I recall, Harte had cut off RTE before the sketch because RTE didn't give some job to Carthy and Harte being unhappy with that decision.

BlastCalyle (Mayo) - Posts: 206 - 25/04/2016 13:24:53    1849135

I wasn't aware of that incident, thought it was football related......if I was aware of it I hardly would of asked what would rte have to apologies for now would i

southmeathgael (Meath) - Posts: 890 - 25/04/2016 13:29:53    1849140

Seanieboy - firstly, we hold opinions, some happen to be about Tyrone - get over yourself. Secondly, very surprised to see a Tyrone man criticising the national element of RTÉ, you suggesting that the British Broadcasting Corporation is the national broadcaster of the 6 counties? As an Irish republican I think that's a bit of a pathetic argument - RTÉ isn't fixated on the GAA (nor Tyrone believe it or not!) so don't blame the whole institution for a small faction of it. Look what Micky Harte does, who he speaks to, who he doesn't it's his business, but the bitterness now is a bit too far. Of course he had the right to find what happened offensive, again it wasn't on purpose or done out of spite - as a man who preaches about religion you'd think he'd maybe consider accepting Rté's apology and moving on. As an outsider looking in I think that Tyrone themselves have taken this a little too far, at the end of the day, it was allegedly offensive to Mickey and his family, not Tyrone, therefore why are the whole of Tyrone suddenly anti-RTÉ? Is it a case of Mickey's stance is our stance? If Mickey says jump we say how high?

MissDownFanatic (Down) - Posts: 411 - 25/04/2016 13:48:04    1849154

If MH or Tyrone don't want to speak to RTE then fine. if the sponsors are happy with it then also fine. what's the issue MH and Tyrone make themselves available for all other media outlets and the interviews are widely available.

i remember when Alex Ferguson refused to speak to the BBC over the treatment of his son, Man Utd always put up his assistant for interviews. I think that was because they HAD to. It was written in the rules somewhere. Obviously there are no rules governing such circumstances with RTE and the GAA. btw, well done to Tyrone yesterday. excellent team who will give anyone a run for their money this year.

s goldrick (Cavan) - Posts: 5518 - 25/04/2016 14:04:35    1849164

TopDownFan I find it quite ironic that a Down supporter is on advising tyrone county board how they should deal with their manager after the disgraceful behaviour of your own to Jim McCorry.

An finally ...........MISSDOWNFANTASTIC has come out of the woodwork to sound of about Tyrone and Mickey Harte. I hope you enjoyed the league and I am looking forward to see how Down get on lol!

All sponsors aware of the situation, county board behind him, clubs behind him, outside that nobody else really matters!

redhanddefender (Tyrone) - Posts: 913 - 25/04/2016 14:07:09    1849166

I support Mickey Harte's stance on this, and while I accept that the majority of people in RTE had nothing to do with what went on, they as an organisation still must face up to responsibility of what hits our airwaves. And I believe a full public apology should be issued, if only to address the hurt caused to the Harte family.

As for Tyrone GAA sponsors possibly taking issue with Harte not conducting interviews, I hardly think that would be the case. Tyrone jerseys will still be on the tv and will still be in all the papers, so hardly think they will care.

As for RTE, They should also issue an apology for consistently having Marion Finucane as one of the top 3 of 4 highest paid presenters on their pay roll, not to mention the other overpaid nobody's. How can a channel funded by the taxpayer justify such payments to somebody who is presents a low rating radio show? Michael Lyster is a good man, likeable and very honest in how appraises teams.

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3017 - 25/04/2016 14:27:47    1849191

Missdownfantastic you really haven't a clue in fairness and you seem to have an above average amount of opinions on Tyrone. To me personally RTE is little more than the mouthpiece of the establishment,which is essentially at this point pro partition and anti republican and anti united Ireland. How can you not see that if you say you are a republican. RTE as the so called national broadcaster does nothing to realize these ideals. I'd say they are fairly put out with all this nationalism that they are having to spout of late. I don't know what you brought the BBC into it for as I never mentioned them. As far as Mickey Harte goes it's called standing with your friends when they need you to and I couldn't care less if he never speaks to RTE again.

seanie_boy (Tyrone) - Posts: 4235 - 25/04/2016 14:29:31    1849196

Seannieboy, question, why would you want to be part of a group who by your own admission dont want you?
Reminds me of the old Groucho Marx saying, I wouldn't want to be part of a club who would want me as a member.
You see what fails to resonate with many in the 6 is Irish unity and partition (a word only used by northern Irish and shinners) is way way down the list of majority of those of us in the republic, and all this they against us blah blah is baffling. There is even evidence to support that if a border poll was to be taken it would fail in both parts of the island, I think in ire today there is alot more pressing issues than reunification, you may not understand or like that, but if rte as you say are pushing the issues that you speak of, has it crossed your mind that they are only representing the majority of those they broadcast to?

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 25/04/2016 14:50:33    1849225

Royaldunne,not sure if you are speaking for the whole of the population of Ireland but I'll give you that leeway for now. Who said I/we up here want to be part of "your group"? As a republican minded person I want to see an eventual reunification of the country. That would be a complete overhaul in many ways of government and other institutions all over the island leading to a completely new dispensation. I know for many in the republic,obviously yourself being one,this is not a priority. That's your opinion and your welcome to it. It's also the opinion of many others that the country should be united under one government at some point as can be seen in the ever changing political representation that's being realized all over the island. Most people at the very least harbour a sentimental desire to see the country united.At least for these people the sham tokenism of the Easter 1916 celebrations have a deeper meaning. For those that could care less,don't honoour these men with your presence at any of their commemorations because not one of them died for a 26 county republic. Least of all the first signatory of the proclamation,Tyrones Tom Clarke.

seanie_boy (Tyrone) - Posts: 4235 - 25/04/2016 15:40:27    1849275

An entirely fatuous analysis , followed by daft analogy.
Do you or do you not think that RTE owe MH and family an unreserved apology . ..?
Finsceal

No it is a very accurate analysis actually, and analogy also. There is no justification for a group punishment based on the actions of one faction in the group. Nothing fatuous or daft about that Im afraid.

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 25/04/2016 15:54:12    1849282

Well said Seanie (and that's from a second generation Irishman by the way). While we're on the subject of honouring Tyrone men, a premature one ahead of the anniversary for Patrick Kelly, Padraig McKearney, Eugene Kelly, Seamus Donnelly, Tony Gormley, Declan Arthurs, Gerry O'Callaghan and an honourary Tyrone man, Jim Lynagh.

MedwayIrish (Wexford) - Posts: 2324 - 25/04/2016 16:03:33    1849290