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Question for our Northern Brethren

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When your counties are in big big games towards the end of the summer, now and in the past, what was the general reaction of your unionist friends/colleagues? Apathy? Empathy? Best of luck kinda thing, or pure fckoffary?! Liamwalkinstown (Dublin)* - Posts: 8166 - 08/06/2016 14:06:59 1863629 Link
Pure f*offary. Like I remember that there was a car in Ballymartin that said 80 miles to Croke Park and the Unionists burnt it out. The same club regularly had the top of their goal posts cut down at the Carginagh Road pitch they were using while their own pitch was done up. In fact some Unionists even went as far as writing "Up Cork" on a wall at the time of the 2010 All Ireland final. REDANDBLACK30 (Down)** - Posts: 1618 - 08/06/2016 14:21:41 1863642 Link
Replying To Liamwalkinstown: "When your counties are in big big games towards the end of the summer, now and in the past, what was the general reaction of your unionist friends/colleagues? Apathy? Empathy? Best of luck kinda thing, or pure fckoffary?!" Its probably different from county to county and also where you actually live within that county. For people like me who live in the most republican part of a predominately nationalist county then you really hear very little about it. Most local unionists wont even know its happening. It just doesn't register with them. You have to understand that these are two completely different communities and cultures. Its like if the local cricket, soccer, hockey or rugby team got into a final. I wouldn't even know that its happening. Wally (Tyrone)* - Posts: 913 - 08/06/2016 14:22:48 1863643 Link
i dont mean the local vandals, big mouths or hard men I mean the local normal everyday fella who buys his paper in the same shop as you, salutes you in the street or the bar and stops for a chat kinda fella I appreciate not all will live in that kind of area, I do get that. Many of you most likely live in areas dominated by nationalists. I suppose my question is more aimed at people who work, live and socialise in mixed environments and would have neighbours/colleagues/friends of the other persuasion. Liamwalkinstown (Dublin) - Posts: 8166 - 08/06/2016 14:38:31 1863659 Link
Thank God to be on this side of the shough where many different people of all types of religious beliefs watch our games as there's so much hype about it all. A friend of mine whose family comes from Ballymena is still giving out about Sean Cavanagh stopping Conor mc Manus. I told him to get over it. Yesterday he reckons we are in with a great chance of winning the All Ireland never mind Ulster. border Gael (Monaghan) - Posts: 894 - 08/06/2016 14:42:40 1863662 Link
"Up Cork" on a wall at the time of the 2010 All Ireland final. REDANDBLACK30 (Down) - Posts:1099 - 08/06/2016 14:21:41 Maybe they just really like Cork………….. MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13719 - 08/06/2016 14:44:18 1863664 Link
Replying To Liamwalkinstown: "When your counties are in big big games towards the end of the summer, now and in the past, what was the general reaction of your unionist friends/colleagues? Apathy? Empathy? Best of luck kinda thing, or pure fckoffary?!" From Cavan but lived in Belfast for good while. Dated a girl from North Down too for a few years. A lot of them pretend not to know whats going on in GAA, but I knew a lot of people from the Unionist background had their eye on the All Ireland final in 2008 when Tyrone won, for example. The exes father was once an Irish international rugby player with lots of reasons to dislike GAA, but I know he kept up to speed on Down and his home county when they were playing. He was fit to talk to me about Cavan games too when they had a game. They know whats going on, some even enjoy it when the northern teams go down and get big wins, but very little would admit it to be honest. So basically, some are fine with it, some ask question and some would be fckoffary like you say Loughduff Lad (Cavan) - Posts: 2409 - 08/06/2016 14:52:14 1863667 Link
Replying To Liamwalkinstown: "i dont mean the local vandals, big mouths or hard men I mean the local normal everyday fella who buys his paper in the same shop as you, salutes you in the street or the bar and stops for a chat kinda fella I appreciate not all will live in that kind of area, I do get that. Many of you most likely live in areas dominated by nationalists. I suppose my question is more aimed at people who work, live and socialise in mixed environments and would have neighbours/colleagues/friends of the other persuasion." That is what I mean Liam, Basically there are two types of people within the unionist community. Well maybe that is being a wee bit stereotypical but 95% of unionists can be broken down into the following two groups. 1. Bitter, angry and sectarian. If they hear about a local GAA club/county doing well then they will do everything in their power to disrupt or disgrace the situation. 2. Genuine people with their own culture. These people, although they have no appetite or interest in the nationalist culture or sports still would not do anything to insult or disgrace the situation. Then you do get the very odd person from the unionist community who are so comfortable in their own skin that they take a passing interest in the GAA and might even have a conversation with you about it. Wally (Tyrone) - Posts: 913 - 08/06/2016 15:03:17 1863671 Link
Ha given that a lot of them seem to refer to it as "Garlic Football" you can kind of guess what the answer you are going to get over and over is - in general in my experience they either don't know the first thing about it or if they do pretend they don't. You do have the exceptions and I know Protestants who have played and others who do watch the games on TV with a genuine interest. Have a wee read at this to get a feel to the mindset that is quite prevalent out there with not just the GAA but all things Irish: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/mass-cards-gaa-talk-mention-of-childs-confirmation-and-ashes-spark-fear-in-orange-order-civil-service-workers-report-claims-34565484.html But having said that they also released reports on 'Why the Earth is flat', 'How to treat sores on your knuckles' and 'Why Oolster Scutch should be the Language of Choice in the Assembly'. Offside_Rule (Antrim) - Posts: 4058 - 08/06/2016 15:03:18 1863672 Link
Replying To MesAmis: ""Up Cork" on a wall at the time of the 2010 All Ireland final. REDANDBLACK30 (Down) - Posts:1099 - 08/06/2016 14:21:41 Maybe they just really like Cork………….." No it means they we up to speed and following the GAA...either that our they were Armagh supporters:) witnof (Dublin) - Posts: 1604 - 08/06/2016 15:05:24 1863674 Link
Replying To MesAmis: ""Up Cork" on a wall at the time of the 2010 All Ireland final. REDANDBLACK30 (Down) - Posts:1099 - 08/06/2016 14:21:41 Maybe they just really like Cork………….." I would have thought they were more likely to be Armagh fans given their colours??? lol REDANDBLACK30 (Down) - Posts: 1618 - 08/06/2016 15:06:13 1863676 Link
I think around Drumanness area it may have been different as Peter Withnell was a Protestant from that area who played for Down. REDANDBLACK30 (Down) - Posts: 1618 - 08/06/2016 15:08:38 1863677 Link
Replying To Liamwalkinstown: "When your counties are in big big games towards the end of the summer, now and in the past, what was the general reaction of your unionist friends/colleagues? Apathy? Empathy? Best of luck kinda thing, or pure fckoffary?!" We are never in big games towards the end of the summer. Naysayer (Antrim)* - Posts: 2071 - 08/06/2016 15:19:20 1863685 Link
Replying To Liamwalkinstown: "When your counties are in big big games towards the end of the summer, now and in the past, what was the general reaction of your unionist friends/colleagues? Apathy? Empathy? Best of luck kinda thing, or pure fckoffary?!" A bit of everything. It all depends on the person. I know people who would cheer on Fermanagh at any stage, I know lads who have went to Fermanagh games for the beer and craic but not to worried about the game. I know others that would rather walk over rusty nails bare foot than see Fermanagh do well. If you take a look at our elected representatives views on Fermanagh GAA in 2004 and 2008 you would think everyone was backwards in this part of the world. Just for the record I was impressed with the minister for sports position on GAA the day he took office. He didn't act like other members of his party and said he would attend a game. gotmilk (Fermanagh)* - Posts: 4971 - 08/06/2016 15:25:17 1863688 Link
Ive a funny story...well it was at the time anyway About 10 years ago we were heading up to play Clooney gaels, who are from the Ahoghill area in North Antrim in a league game. Needless to say we got lost, obviously before satnav was common place. So one of the bright sparks who was in the car with me, albeit he was a bit younger than me and was a know it all thought we should pull over to the garage on the way into Ahoghill, im sure offside and naysayer may know it! Anyhow, no matter how long I tried to convince him that they wouldn't be able to help he went in anyway. Needless to say he came back looking rather sheepish and informed us when he asked the girl behind the counter the directions to their pitch she replied....'sure theres no GAA club in ahoghill!'....cue roars of laughter in the car. I still do remind him of that story occasionally. Seriously though, the country lads im sure have less heartwarming stories to tell. In the city our only issue was trying to get past annadale flats on the way to cherryvale pitches on the ravenhill road or over to ardoyne maybe driving past the bottom of the Shankill. We had quite a few windows smashed on top of us on one occasion, thankfully nobody was seriously hurt. Ive a fella who works opposite me, who married a catholic girl from south Armagh, he brings his son to St Brigids in Belfast and indeed was helping out with coaching their teams, hes a protestant from Donaghadee originally. So there are a few decent spuds out there. Quite a few are bitter and consider it the 'IRA at play', there are a few who prob just ignore it, i do think though that more and more are starting to watch it, I suppose it depends on levels of their bigotry! bumpernut (Antrim) - Posts: 1852 - 08/06/2016 15:35:35 1863695 Link
Replying To bumpernut: "Ive a funny story...well it was at the time anyway About 10 years ago we were heading up to play Clooney gaels, who are from the Ahoghill area in North Antrim in a league game. Needless to say we got lost, obviously before satnav was common place. So one of the bright sparks who was in the car with me, albeit he was a bit younger than me and was a know it all thought we should pull over to the garage on the way into Ahoghill, im sure offside and naysayer may know it! Anyhow, no matter how long I tried to convince him that they wouldn't be able to help he went in anyway. Needless to say he came back looking rather sheepish and informed us when he asked the girl behind the counter the directions to their pitch she replied....'sure theres no GAA club in ahoghill!'....cue roars of laughter in the car. I still do remind him of that story occasionally. Seriously though, the country lads im sure have less heartwarming stories to tell. In the city our only issue was trying to get past annadale flats on the way to cherryvale pitches on the ravenhill road or over to ardoyne maybe driving past the bottom of the Shankill. We had quite a few windows smashed on top of us on one occasion, thankfully nobody was seriously hurt. Ive a fella who works opposite me, who married a catholic girl from south Armagh, he brings his son to St Brigids in Belfast and indeed was helping out with coaching their teams, hes a protestant from Donaghadee originally. So there are a few decent spuds out there. Quite a few are bitter and consider it the 'IRA at play', there are a few who prob just ignore it, i do think though that more and more are starting to watch it, I suppose it depends on levels of their bigotry!" Spot on bumber. There are a number of unionists who are mellowing to it. I've noticed lads who have a keen interest in sport and rugby in particular will be more liberal when it comes to GAA. Those who march or have a strong link to the OO would have no time for it. Bumber and whammo and co, i'm sure you have noticed the marchers come out in full force whenever theres a big game in brewster. I was late into Enniskillen this year but the last two years there has been an OO march about 1 hour before the game up through the middle of the town. gotmilk (Fermanagh) - Posts: 4971 - 08/06/2016 15:49:30 1863705 Link
I heard that prior to the All ireland final in 1993, a village in Co Derry, one of the ones with red, white and blue kerbs, had a banner up outside saying 'Good Luck Londonderry, bring home Samuel.' If true, I thought it was a nice touch petejoeduff (Donegal) - Posts: 329 - 08/06/2016 16:02:02 1863710 Link
Replying To gotmilk: "Spot on bumber. There are a number of unionists who are mellowing to it. I've noticed lads who have a keen interest in sport and rugby in particular will be more liberal when it comes to GAA. Those who march or have a strong link to the OO would have no time for it. Bumber and whammo and co, i'm sure you have noticed the marchers come out in full force whenever theres a big game in brewster. I was late into Enniskillen this year but the last two years there has been an OO march about 1 hour before the game up through the middle of the town." Probably just doing their bit to develop an inclusive carnival atmosphere. I seem to remember reading that Big Tom wasn't to happy with fermanagh bunting/flags but that another UU councillor said that he was on the edge of his seat watching the Fermanagh/Mayo semi-finals in 2004 neverright (Roscommon) - Posts: 1648 - 08/06/2016 16:44:07 1863738 Link
I have a few protestant friends who have attended matches and enjoyed them but still wouldn't be keeping track of results every week or joining any clubs etc. I guess you could call that, tolerating the game without embracing it fully. it has to be tough for them because they didn't grow up with it and wouldn't feel as included, even if they enjoy the spectacle at the time. It was like a time I went to a Glentoran match with a protestant friend, i had a decent time but the odd banner and chant made me feel like a bit of an outsider tbh. I wasn't rushing for tickets to the next game anyway. I still brace myself going through places like Portadown and Lambeg on the train from AI finals as a brick came through a window on the opposite side when I was returning from a match at a young age, but those areas would certainly be sectarian hotbeds and not representative of every unionist. I'd say relations have definitely improved but far from ideal. SaffronDon (Antrim) - Posts: 2389 - 08/06/2016 16:48:38 1863740 Link
Replying To MesAmis: ""Up Cork" on a wall at the time of the 2010 All Ireland final. REDANDBLACK30 (Down) - Posts:1099 - 08/06/2016 14:21:41 Maybe they just really like Cork………….." Ah yea Cork is a lovely spot :) waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13650 - 08/06/2016 16:56:47 1863746 Link