National Forum

No Tricolour or National Anthem at GAA Matches

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I am patriotic and I love the national anthem been played before every game and I love seeing the tri-colour flying. The GAA was founded on the basis for the preservation and cultivation of the national pastimes of Ireland.

OLLIE (Louth) - Posts: 12224 - 29/11/2016 23:03:52    1937411

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Can someone tell me a country that has an anthem that's not 'outdated'?

keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 29/11/2016 23:33:26    1937414

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Replying To hill16no1man:  "It's kind of the Meath county boards fault that they don't have a proper version not the gaa"
No its cause its played before a O'Byrne cup game but not before a Leinster semi final,
Can you circle that square peg. Why in your opinion is it played before a O'Byrne cup game and not a Leinster semi final, now maybe you one of this who don't go into first game if dubs in second but it is never played prior to first match. Even though this game is always on tv. Explain

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 30/11/2016 07:50:01    1937446

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As someone born and raised in London, before Sky / Setanta etc was widely available, to watch games we had to go to the Catholic Club and watch the TV there.

The large crowd gathered in the bar, whenever the National Anthem was played before the game started, everyone would stand and face the flag. I think this gave people like my parents who'd been in London since the 50's the feeling of belonging and being at "home".

Gaelic games are being played more widely around the world, even by people that have no Irish connection whatsoever, the games are intrinsically Irish and part of Irish heritage. Something that those not living in Ireland, but of Irish descent, hold very dear.

Even though not everyone may know all the words to the National Anthem, it does not mean it should be abandoned. It is part of the tradition of Gaelic games. No-one tells New Zealand to abandon the Haka as it is an outdated war dance ! The only version of God Save The Queen that I know all the words to is by the Sex Pistols.

I'd be for keeping both - Anthem before games and fly flag.

KerryLondoner (Kerry) - Posts: 41 - 30/11/2016 08:19:34    1937449

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Replying To royaldunne:  "No its cause its played before a O'Byrne cup game but not before a Leinster semi final,
Can you circle that square peg. Why in your opinion is it played before a O'Byrne cup game and not a Leinster semi final, now maybe you one of this who don't go into first game if dubs in second but it is never played prior to first match. Even though this game is always on tv. Explain"
Excuse you in probably in the ground before you are on Leinster semi finals.
the reason is because it's always played once on a day and when the largest amount of people are there for the second game.

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 30/11/2016 10:52:15    1937485

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Replying To rebelfan:  "I'm ok not playing the anthem, maybe only play it in finals, but I'd be against removing the irish flag, maybe remove it when Northern Irish teams are playing, but other than that I'd be against removing the flag"
''northern Irish teams'' do you mean Ulster teams or just 6 of them????? Sure while we are at it why not stop play matches in Ulster (or NI) on a Sunday to suit the other side as well. will they stop play GSTQ @ ni soccer matches and stop flying a flag the too?
The Anthem and flag must stay as it is as much a part of the GAA culture as anything else.
If someone wants to play GAA our flag and Anthem will not stop them

redbomb (Tyrone) - Posts: 167 - 30/11/2016 14:00:16    1937559

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Replying To MesAmis:  "If we can do anything to reclaim it from Republicans then im for it.

What does that even mean?

It's the flag of a Republic. It is a republican flag.

How can you "reclaim" a republican flag from republicans?

As daft a thing as I've seen in awhile."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiTrGDyGgOw

Offside_Rule (Antrim) - Posts: 4058 - 30/11/2016 14:25:56    1937565

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Replying To redbomb:  "''northern Irish teams'' do you mean Ulster teams or just 6 of them????? Sure while we are at it why not stop play matches in Ulster (or NI) on a Sunday to suit the other side as well. will they stop play GSTQ @ ni soccer matches and stop flying a flag the too?
The Anthem and flag must stay as it is as much a part of the GAA culture as anything else.
If someone wants to play GAA our flag and Anthem will not stop them"
I thought that a curious statement too from rebelfan. Especially given that it is talking hypothetically on post Brexit leading to a UI. In that hypothetical scenario there would be no "Northern Irish" unless rebelfan is talking from a Georgraphical perspective and in that case who are these "Northern Irish" counties in particular and what would they have done to not be deserving of the flag being flown? If rebelfan is talking basing it on the current North/South split on the Island then again I would ask why would you think it is OK that the Irish in the 6/9 Counties don't get a flag flown but the 26/23 do get to fly it?

Offside_Rule (Antrim) - Posts: 4058 - 30/11/2016 14:33:30    1937569

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Replying To royaldunne:  "No its cause its played before a O'Byrne cup game but not before a Leinster semi final,
Can you circle that square peg. Why in your opinion is it played before a O'Byrne cup game and not a Leinster semi final, now maybe you one of this who don't go into first game if dubs in second but it is never played prior to first match. Even though this game is always on tv. Explain"
The anthem is always played only before the second game of a double header.

Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4226 - 30/11/2016 16:47:25    1937616

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Replying To OLLIE:  "I am patriotic and I love the national anthem been played before every game and I love seeing the tri-colour flying. The GAA was founded on the basis for the preservation and cultivation of the national pastimes of Ireland."
Exactly Ollie.
I love hearing the Anthem and to see everyone facing the flag.
It gives us identity. One I am proud of.
There's something wrong with anyone who is embarrassed by our flag and Anthem.

Cavan_Slasher (Cavan) - Posts: 10253 - 30/11/2016 17:25:44    1937629

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Replying To Cavan_Slasher:  "Exactly Ollie.
I love hearing the Anthem and to see everyone facing the flag.
It gives us identity. One I am proud of.
There's something wrong with anyone who is embarrassed by our flag and Anthem."
I'm not trying to be smart Cavan_Slasher but it's our genetics that makes us who we are, not a polyester flag with a few colours on it or one particular song (which was originally wrote in English don't forget), neither of which are even 200 years old yet, they're barely a blip in the 100million+ history of this Ireland.

Now if you like them, then great, each to their own, but to others they're just not as important and personally I wouldn't miss them if they were absent from the Gaa. In fact I'm on record many times saying that I don't even like Amhran na bhfiann, I think it's very dull and lifeless, which is a great shame because we have a rich history of songwriters and poets in Ireland, so surely to jaysus we could have done a lot lot better!

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 30/11/2016 18:34:31    1937644

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I think the National Anthem should only be played for provisional and AI Finals. When you here the anthem it should be a since of achievement. Playing it at every game only waters it down.

Flags should always be flown. No need to change that

pkboher (Cork) - Posts: 49 - 30/11/2016 18:35:38    1937645

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Replying To Htaem:  "I'm not trying to be smart Cavan_Slasher but it's our genetics that makes us who we are, not a polyester flag with a few colours on it or one particular song (which was originally wrote in English don't forget), neither of which are even 200 years old yet, they're barely a blip in the 100million+ history of this Ireland.

Now if you like them, then great, each to their own, but to others they're just not as important and personally I wouldn't miss them if they were absent from the Gaa. In fact I'm on record many times saying that I don't even like Amhran na bhfiann, I think it's very dull and lifeless, which is a great shame because we have a rich history of songwriters and poets in Ireland, so surely to jaysus we could have done a lot lot better!"
Put more eloquently than I could ever do.

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 30/11/2016 18:44:41    1937649

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It's a national anthem so if it's not played then so be it, as the players are representing their counties, not their country.

As for the flag, why take it down? The irish flag is not provocative in any way and represents peace between two communities. Anyone who is offended by it is only looking for a reason to be offended. Anyone who is against the flying of the flag is against the idea of peace on our island.

cavanman47 (Cavan) - Posts: 5012 - 30/11/2016 18:46:42    1937650

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Replying To Htaem:  "I'm not trying to be smart Cavan_Slasher but it's our genetics that makes us who we are, not a polyester flag with a few colours on it or one particular song (which was originally wrote in English don't forget), neither of which are even 200 years old yet, they're barely a blip in the 100million+ history of this Ireland.

Now if you like them, then great, each to their own, but to others they're just not as important and personally I wouldn't miss them if they were absent from the Gaa. In fact I'm on record many times saying that I don't even like Amhran na bhfiann, I think it's very dull and lifeless, which is a great shame because we have a rich history of songwriters and poets in Ireland, so surely to jaysus we could have done a lot lot better!"
Not sure about your genetics theory there haem, you seem to be suggesting someone like the Irish speaking hurler and gaelic footballer Sean og o hAilpin is only half an Irishman? And that kids born to immigrant parents in a country are not of that country at all?

Soma (UK) - Posts: 2630 - 30/11/2016 18:50:40    1937654

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I think the National Anthem should only be played for provisional and AI Finals. When you here the anthem it should be a since of achievement. Playing it at every game only waters it down.
Flags should always be flown. No need to change that
pkboher (Cork) - Posts:11 - 30/11/2016 18:35:38What are provisional finals?

ormondbannerman (Clare) - Posts: 13473 - 30/11/2016 18:50:55    1937655

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Replying To Soma:  "Not sure about your genetics theory there haem, you seem to be suggesting someone like the Irish speaking hurler and gaelic footballer Sean og o hAilpin is only half an Irishman? And that kids born to immigrant parents in a country are not of that country at all?"
All I said was it's our genetics that makes us who we are, that's very undeniable Samo :-) But well spotted, I had a feeling that would stir the pot.

Anyway as for Sean Og and children of immigrants, quite honestly I've never had an issue with them considering themselves Irish, they're more than entitled to do that and I've never felt 'more Irish' than them.

Anyway if we want to get technical with genetics (and my limited understanding of them) aren't we all originally africans?

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 30/11/2016 19:04:42    1937658

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Replying To Htaem:  "I'm not trying to be smart Cavan_Slasher but it's our genetics that makes us who we are, not a polyester flag with a few colours on it or one particular song (which was originally wrote in English don't forget), neither of which are even 200 years old yet, they're barely a blip in the 100million+ history of this Ireland.

Now if you like them, then great, each to their own, but to others they're just not as important and personally I wouldn't miss them if they were absent from the Gaa. In fact I'm on record many times saying that I don't even like Amhran na bhfiann, I think it's very dull and lifeless, which is a great shame because we have a rich history of songwriters and poets in Ireland, so surely to jaysus we could have done a lot lot better!"
"Genetics make us who we are not a polyester flag or song", genetics are individual & identify us individually. Our national flag & national anthem identify us as a nation. Just because you don't like our anthem you want it changed, maybe an X Factor type competition might suit your needs. It's no wonder our country is disintegrating, no pride by the people in their identity & heritage.

moc.dna (Galway) - Posts: 1212 - 30/11/2016 19:39:56    1937663

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Replying To royaldunne:  "Put more eloquently than I could ever do."
We need to team up and teach these poor fools royaldunne, it's a bloody burden being this brainer than everybody else!!! :-)

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 30/11/2016 19:41:46    1937664

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Replying To ormondbannerman:  "I think the National Anthem should only be played for provisional and AI Finals. When you here the anthem it should be a since of achievement. Playing it at every game only waters it down.
Flags should always be flown. No need to change that
pkboher (Cork) - Posts:11 - 30/11/2016 18:35:38What are provisional finals?"
Haha only spotted my mistake there. My bad

pkboher (Cork) - Posts: 49 - 30/11/2016 19:43:03    1937665

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