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Firstly, It's similar to me asking you if you're tracking how the England cricket team are doing. I dare to assume you would be vaguely aware of them, without taking much interest, or knowing much detail.
Secondly, as horrible as it sounds it's still dependant on social background. Those from the more deprived, less educated, singleminded upbringings would spit at a GAA crest. Those with a higher education and a more rounded way of thinking ask questions, talk about highlights on sky sports news and pass themselves on it. of course wide generalisation here, but don't think it would be too inaccurate.
TheBigSheep (Tyrone) - Posts: 1 - 08/06/2016 17:05:09
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Yeah know that filling station bumper. The funny thing about Ahoghill is that a number of people are surprised when you say you are going to a Football or Hurling match there and the reaction is not unlike the one you encountered. I suppose people associate Ahoghill as let's just say a good Protestant place and while you would probably struggle to knock on the door of a Catholic in the village the pitch is a few miles outside in the country where there are more Catholics living.
Offside_Rule (Antrim) - Posts: 4058 - 08/06/2016 17:31:52
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This is what the DUP's Gregory Campbell said after Tyrone's 2008 All- Ireland win:
"I passed on my best wishes to Co Tyrone GAA football team which obviously is a Northern Ireland team in their victory over Co Kerry GAA Team from the Republic of Ireland in the GAA football final.
"It is a factual position that Tyrone is a county in Northern Ireland and Kerry is a county in the Republic of Ireland . This year's GAA final amounted to an 'international' event. In any international tournament involving a team from Northern Ireland competing with a team from another country, I normally support the team representing Northern Ireland .
This is how a significant proportion of Unionists view Gaelic Games. On top of this the "northern brethren" have to deal with anti northern sentiment from a significant number of or southern brethren.
2setsofrules (Down) - Posts: 99 - 08/06/2016 17:36:06
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i dunno what animosity there is between unionist/nationaist communitys in general,but i was in dublin the saturday night and sunday morning before the armagh and tyrone all ireland final in 2003 .that was animosity between the fans.....i was at lots of all irelands and the banter between the fans is usually great.. this was different..i was astounded
kavvie (Clare) - Posts: 505 - 08/06/2016 18:08:25
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Replying To kavvie: "i dunno what animosity there is between unionist/nationaist communitys in general,but i was in dublin the saturday night and sunday morning before the armagh and tyrone all ireland final in 2003 .that was animosity between the fans.....i was at lots of all irelands and the banter between the fans is usually great.. this was different..i was astounded" A little unfair - this was the first year that 2neighbouring teams from the same province met in a final. If it was Kerry vs cork, dublin vs Meath, Monaghan vs Cavan there would be a bit more animosity than normal.
Brolly (Monaghan) - Posts: 4472 - 08/06/2016 19:20:49
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Replying To 2setsofrules: "This is what the DUP's Gregory Campbell said after Tyrone's 2008 All- Ireland win:
"I passed on my best wishes to Co Tyrone GAA football team which obviously is a Northern Ireland team in their victory over Co Kerry GAA Team from the Republic of Ireland in the GAA football final.
"It is a factual position that Tyrone is a county in Northern Ireland and Kerry is a county in the Republic of Ireland . This year's GAA final amounted to an 'international' event. In any international tournament involving a team from Northern Ireland competing with a team from another country, I normally support the team representing Northern Ireland .
This is how a significant proportion of Unionists view Gaelic Games. On top of this the "northern brethren" have to deal with anti northern sentiment from a significant number of or southern brethren." He fairly sat on the fence there all right.
I think that in Donegal, there is a wide knowledge and awareness from the church of ireland community and beyond about the GAA and how donegal are doing in the championship. Going a step further in fact. Many play and go to the county games too. This is not unusual nor remarkable behaviour in donegal. It is sad that there still is a gap there in the north. I know it exists, but it is bound to. The communities are still a bit polarized and it is not helped by marching season coinciding with the height of the ulster championship (both in july). This is usually when there is most trouble between the communities.
Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3830 - 08/06/2016 19:37:21
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My own club in Portadown had a bullet proof bus in the late 80's early 90's, the thing was that slow it took 40'minutes to get to Lurgan :) Was an ex prisoners transport bus from England. Our club was shot at and attacked on many occasions, bullet proof glass and 3 security doors were just some of the precautions in it.
The GAA community in town and north Armagh in general was in the main met with disdain from the unionist community, not all of course. We had to use back roads to reach the nationalist part of town when returning from big games ( when Armagh were good :( ) as supporters buses were often attacked.
I hope in the future this hatred disappears, one can only hope!!!
sean og (Armagh) - Posts: 1053 - 08/06/2016 19:48:14
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Out of Interest, I have always wondered how the shadow unionist community in the Republic of Ireland feels about the GAA and if they follow it.
I refer to the large number of Unionists from places like Cork, Wexford, Wicklow, Carlow Dublin etc who travel up North every summer to Orange parades. Don't confuse the word Unionist with Protestant, as quite a lot of protestant people play GAA are directly involved.
The southern Nationalist community seemed to forget or are sometimes unaware that there still is a Unionist contingent located all over Ireland, whom are still very deep in their political beliefs. Obviously they must hold strong views if they attend Order parades, but I suppose I wonder how deep those colours run really, like do they still follow the GAA too.
GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3017 - 08/06/2016 20:37:54
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These sort of threads annoy me. How can some people in the south be so ignorant when it comes to the north? The reality is they aren't, and the threads are just a thinly veiled attempts to say "tell me about what goes one there, I wouldn't know as I live in a different country". How are any nationalists in the north going to be any wiser about what goes through a unionists head, as we can see from here. If I had never even been north of the border, I could probably make as educated guess with one click of google to say hardened loyalists wouldn't have anything to do with it, some moderate unionists wouldn't either, some wouldn't be pushed either way and some might take a passing interest, with the very odd one taking an active interest. What a useless thread.
GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts:2387 - 08/06/2016 20:37:54
This point is actually quite interesting. My grandmother was a "southern unionist"/Church of Ireland goer from near Malahide. That general area (Kinsealy Portmarnock etc) would have quite a few heads who didn't go north after partition. She brought me to some churches and area's in Kildare that would have been the same. So I done quite a bit of research on it over the years. These days, apart from the church you go to, the majority of protestants would consider themselves Irish and would follow GAA in the exact same way as anyone else. I know a small minority who would still hold a great affinity to Britain and would be quite moderate but wouldn't really take much interest in GAA. They may watch it with a passing interest if there was nothing else on or would talk to someone about it if they knew that person was interested in the GAA of course. Then you'd have an even smaller minority like this lot: link
My cousin is in young Fine Gael and is a complete eejit. Supports the UUP in the north. SDLP are too republican apparently. So have heard the ignorant nonsense he spouts along with his other "unionist mates". None of these have any affiliation to any sort of traditional unionism (or the north in general), yet have regaled me with stories of going to marches in the north to show how matured they are by "accepting the other side". And I'm not even joking. Reality is, there's a very nasty undercurrent to this lot, who yearn for the grandeur of the British Empire. From my experience , it's this type of southern partitionist who tends to head north for the marches, in their element surrounded by all the union flags. Kind of like the 6th generation Irish American on paddys day, who will outright lie to Irish people about having some sort of tedious link to Ireland. So you've a bit of that going on when they engage with northern unionists....made up connections 3 generations ago etc.
So to sum up, from my experience and from stories I've heard, those who come from actual unionist backrounds generally just carry on the same as anyone else, with their unionist connection being diluted because they are 3/4 generations removed from partition, while a few hardened southern unionists (the type in the link above) and the plastic unionists are the one's who head north for marches and would have no time for GAA. As an aside, you'd be surprised how rife this attitude is in young Fine Gael.
32_4_1 (Meath) - Posts: 4122 - 08/06/2016 21:58:42
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I suppose Donegal would have the largest Protestant/Unionist population in the 26 counties but I doubt if many are involved with clubs. But I'd say a lot would have a interest in what way the county was doing and I'd say a lot of them would have watched the 2012 final.
Also years ago ( mid sixties) when I was around 16 an old Protestant farmer used come with us toBallybofey to watch Donegal and iv been to Ulster finals with Protestant friends , one clad out in Green and Gold. I think in Donegal what with mixed marriages ( Protestant / Catholic) the outlook is changing a bit
But it would be different in the 6 counties and I can never see the unionist getting involved in the GAA , maybe a few few but it would be great if they could change their outlook on the GAA
SamOnErrigal (Donegal) - Posts: 1427 - 08/06/2016 22:01:51
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Just to clarify, I wasn't including the border counties on the southern side.
32_4_1 (Meath) - Posts: 4122 - 08/06/2016 22:17:25
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Replying To 32_4_1: "These sort of threads annoy me. How can some people in the south be so ignorant when it comes to the north? The reality is they aren't, and the threads are just a thinly veiled attempts to say "tell me about what goes one there, I wouldn't know as I live in a different country". How are any nationalists in the north going to be any wiser about what goes through a unionists head, as we can see from here. If I had never even been north of the border, I could probably make as educated guess with one click of google to say hardened loyalists wouldn't have anything to do with it, some moderate unionists wouldn't either, some wouldn't be pushed either way and some might take a passing interest, with the very odd one taking an active interest. What a useless thread. GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts:2387 - 08/06/2016 20:37:54 This point is actually quite interesting. My grandmother was a "southern unionist"/Church of Ireland goer from near Malahide. That general area (Kinsealy Portmarnock etc) would have quite a few heads who didn't go north after partition. She brought me to some churches and area's in Kildare that would have been the same. So I done quite a bit of research on it over the years. These days, apart from the church you go to, the majority of protestants would consider themselves Irish and would follow GAA in the exact same way as anyone else. I know a small minority who would still hold a great affinity to Britain and would be quite moderate but wouldn't really take much interest in GAA. They may watch it with a passing interest if there was nothing else on or would talk to someone about it if they knew that person was interested in the GAA of course. Then you'd have an even smaller minority like this lot: linkMy cousin is in young Fine Gael and is a complete eejit. Supports the UUP in the north. SDLP are too republican apparently. So have heard the ignorant nonsense he spouts along with his other "unionist mates". None of these have any affiliation to any sort of traditional unionism (or the north in general), yet have regaled me with stories of going to marches in the north to show how matured they are by "accepting the other side". And I'm not even joking. Reality is, there's a very nasty undercurrent to this lot, who yearn for the grandeur of the British Empire. From my experience , it's this type of southern partitionist who tends to head north for the marches, in their element surrounded by all the union flags. Kind of like the 6th generation Irish American on paddys day, who will outright lie to Irish people about having some sort of tedious link to Ireland. So you've a bit of that going on when they engage with northern unionists....made up connections 3 generations ago etc. So to sum up, from my experience and from stories I've heard, those who come from actual unionist backrounds generally just carry on the same as anyone else, with their unionist connection being diluted because they are 3/4 generations removed from partition, while a few hardened southern unionists (the type in the link above) and the plastic unionists are the one's who head north for marches and would have no time for GAA. As an aside, you'd be surprised how rife this attitude is in young Fine Gael."
gotmilk (Fermanagh) - Posts: 4971 - 08/06/2016 23:01:15
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No, we wouldn't be surprised how rife it is in FG.
sean og (Armagh) - Posts: 1053 - 08/06/2016 23:27:08
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Replying To GaryMc82: "Out of Interest, I have always wondered how the shadow unionist community in the Republic of Ireland feels about the GAA and if they follow it.
I refer to the large number of Unionists from places like Cork, Wexford, Wicklow, Carlow Dublin etc who travel up North every summer to Orange parades. Don't confuse the word Unionist with Protestant, as quite a lot of protestant people play GAA are directly involved.
The southern Nationalist community seemed to forget or are sometimes unaware that there still is a Unionist contingent located all over Ireland, whom are still very deep in their political beliefs. Obviously they must hold strong views if they attend Order parades, but I suppose I wonder how deep those colours run really, like do they still follow the GAA too." GaryMc, I'm not saying you're wrong because there's no way I could really prove that, but out of interest what are you basing that on? I've been over and back from Wexford my entire life, my family know pretty much A-Z of their neighbours (something that always seems unusual to me, growing up in an urban area where making eye contact with others isn't always the greatest of ideas) and I've never, ever heard of one instance of anyone going up north to join an OO parade.
Combined with the other counties you've referenced, are you saying there's a sizeable minority throughout the south east of Ireland? If you are, as I said above, what are you basing that on?
MedwayIrish (Wexford) - Posts: 2324 - 08/06/2016 23:55:16
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Replying To GaryMc82: "Out of Interest, I have always wondered how the shadow unionist community in the Republic of Ireland feels about the GAA and if they follow it.
I refer to the large number of Unionists from places like Cork, Wexford, Wicklow, Carlow Dublin etc who travel up North every summer to Orange parades. Don't confuse the word Unionist with Protestant, as quite a lot of protestant people play GAA are directly involved.
The southern Nationalist community seemed to forget or are sometimes unaware that there still is a Unionist contingent located all over Ireland, whom are still very deep in their political beliefs. Obviously they must hold strong views if they attend Order parades, but I suppose I wonder how deep those colours run really, like do they still follow the GAA too." GaryMc, I'm not saying you're wrong because there's no way I could really prove that, but out of interest what are you basing that on? I've been over and back from Wexford my entire life, my family know pretty much A-Z of their neighbours (something that always seems unusual to me, growing up in an urban area where making eye contact with others isn't always the greatest of ideas) and I've never, ever heard of one instance of anyone going up north to join an OO parade.
Combined with the other counties you've referenced, are you saying there's a sizeable minority throughout the south east of Ireland? If you are, as I said above, what are you basing that on?
MedwayIrish (Wexford) - Posts: 2324 - 08/06/2016 23:55:16
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Replying To gotmilk: "By any chance is he wearing a barcelona top in his facebook profile picture? i've came across one ejit from Meath on social media, who I think in FG youth who actually ticks all those boxes." No, wouldn't have any time for Catalonia, unless to berate them for having the audacity to yearn for independence.
32_4_1 (Meath) - Posts: 4122 - 09/06/2016 00:11:47
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Replying To REDANDBLACK30: "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." That's brilliant, would've loved to have seen a picture of it :D
KerryKillers (Dublin) - Posts: 711 - 09/06/2016 00:22:35
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Most normal people who have an interest in sport enjoy it and want to see you do well. There are pockets of areas on both sides of the community who will never change. I'm a sports fan first and foremost and the people I work with who are educate are the same. In Belfast now a lot are actively getting there children involved and it is being taught in protestant schools.
Its the only way we can go forward. I have protestant/unionist friends who are now going to watch gaelic matches. They have a fear at the beginning but love the sport now
redhanddefender (Tyrone) - Posts: 913 - 09/06/2016 08:55:53
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This probably gives a little insight though you have to view it in the context of the authors
link
I had a scan through the actual report and GAA came up a lot but while this is the more extreme thinking it is a bit of a mixed bag I think. In a lot of cases it is just ignorance but there are also a fair few genuine followers.
Naysayer (Antrim) - Posts: 2071 - 09/06/2016 09:05:24
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This is a a good article describing what GAA members in the 6 counties have to put up with
https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2002/aug/22/northernireland.rosiecowan
Tom1916 (Armagh) - Posts: 2001 - 09/06/2016 09:58:55
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