Jarlath Burns has called for no tricolour or anthem at games because
the GAA apparently needs to reach out to Unionists.

Why exactly???It would be good for more Unionists to play and support
the game but they clearly dont want to with a few exceptions.

If they do want to respect the National Anthem.It has always been played,
it is traditional and matches wouldn't be the same without it.

Jarlath Burns is out of touch on this issue.Rugby and other sports have
given in and we ended up with Irelands Call.No chance the GAA should do
the same.

REDANDBLACK30 (Down) - Posts: 1617 - 29/09/2015 10:32:56    1793418

I heard this on the Nolan Show this morning and have to say its a joke for J. Burns to come out with such a statement, this is our game and if we want the tricolour and the National Anthem played then that's up to us, I dont see why we would change anything for them.

On a personal note i have to say I have been lucky to play in a few big days county finals and senior championship matches when the national Anthem is being played it raises the the hair on my neck its a special moment and im sure in an All Ireland final or semi final its the same to them players so i cant see why we would change the culture of our game, im not saying i wouldnt like Protestants to come to the games but dont change what we have!!

youngfella27 (Armagh) - Posts: 110 - 29/09/2015 11:02:32    1793446

'It has always been played' isn't a reason to keep it.
I think he has a point. The fact is, there are people who live on this island who are unionist. If we want to include everyone on the island, we need to find a solution to suit everyone, and not force one faction to make all the sacrifices. I never understood why the national anthem was played anyway. They don't play it before matches in other sports.

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 29/09/2015 11:05:00    1793453

A few months ago Jarlath Burns was saying Gaelic football was dead.

galwayford (Galway) - Posts: 2517 - 29/09/2015 11:10:20    1793455

The Master that is the most honest statement you have ever made , its the bit were you say " you don't understand "
I congratulate for once taking the moral high ground and not using the word fair , its a first .

Damothedub (Dublin) - Posts: 5193 - 29/09/2015 11:15:20    1793461

29/09/2015 11:05:00
TheMaster
County: Mayo
Posts: 14012

1793453 'It has always been played' isn't a reason to keep it.
I think he has a point. The fact is, there are people who live on this island who are unionist. If we want to include everyone on the island, we need to find a solution to suit everyone, and not force one faction to make all the sacrifices. I never understood why the national anthem was played anyway. They don't play it before matches in other sports.


They play god save the queen before the fa cup final in england

dizzydub (Dublin) - Posts: 339 - 29/09/2015 11:20:03    1793464

TheMaster
County: Mayo
They don't play it before matches in other sports.

Have you ever attended a sporting event in America?

I think the question here should be is the Tricolor and National Anthem the only reason keeping Unionists away from our games? Would be also rename our grounds, clubs and trophies named after Republicans?

I dunno about the rest of you but standing and singing the national anthem on All Ireland final day is for me one of the proudest things I have done and been lucky enough to do. A real sense of Irishness and pride comes over me, but that is just me.

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11227 - 29/09/2015 11:24:54    1793473

No they don't.

They sing a hymn called "Abide with me"

Frank Mitchell (Down) - Posts: 1082 - 29/09/2015 11:27:44    1793478

Lets put the foot on the other shoe a minute. We hear from Unionists all the time that Catholics/Nationalists/Republicans (delete as appropriate) have nothing to fear from Unionist Culture (don't laugh) and should come out to OO marches, 11th night bonfires etc etc. Does anyone think for one moment the Unionists would do a similar gesture and remove all flags from every lamp post around the North, stop playing their Sectarian songs (what do you mean Sectarian songs, they're Hymns....) etc etc. Not a fecking chance - sure you take the fleg down from the City Hall so it isn't flying 365 days a year and look what the consequences were. You stop them marching up through a Nationalist area (having allowed them to march down in the morning) and look what happens.

People of a non-Catholic background here who want to participate in the GAA will praticipate and do participate regardless of flags flying or Anthems played. Removing the flag or the Anthem will do nothing to appeal to those who have such hatred of all things Irish, including the GAA, and in fact it will play right in to their hands as they will see it as diluting the very foundations of the Organisation which we are paid up members and a victory for them. You could even go as far as changing the name of Gaelic Games to Games of the Island of Ireland or Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland Games and it wouldn't change the mindset one iota.

Lord Silverbridge is too simplistic/naive in his outlook.

Offside_Rule (Antrim) - Posts: 4058 - 29/09/2015 11:30:28    1793482

Well heres my take on it, instead of hiding our national flag how about explaining to those few, and it will only be a small few, protestants who might be interested in taking up our games, the true meaning of that flag and what it represents. Maybe, just maybe, that may sow the seeds of reconciliation and respect as to why you will never see the need for nationalists to parade the Tricolour in triumph through their districts unlike the union flag. The GAA really don't need to be spending too much time and energy on enticing the PUL population, the real challenge now is to encourage the new Irish, the immigrants that have and continue to change the whole face of Ireland, that's the hidden goldmine and that's how you go about integrating the younger generation of immigrants. I look forward to the day when there are second generation Afghans, Eritreans and Latvians lining out in the famous red and white of Tyrone at Croke Park, now wouldn't that be a greater achievement by the grassroots GAA?

brendtheredhand (Tyrone) - Posts: 10897 - 29/09/2015 11:32:00    1793484

They play god save the queen before the fa cup final in england

Better still, they play it before the Irish Cup Final in the North too!

Offside_Rule (Antrim) - Posts: 4058 - 29/09/2015 11:33:25    1793485

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UW21aCz--Lg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnRj4rbHtZ8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omtCRADrBuo

There you go Frank. Take care, be good, bye bye.

Offside_Rule (Antrim) - Posts: 4058 - 29/09/2015 11:35:52    1793487

Frank Mitchell
County: Down
Posts: 871

1793478
No they don't.

They sing a hymn called "Abide with me"
_________________

Really?

link

brendtheredhand (Tyrone) - Posts: 10897 - 29/09/2015 11:35:54    1793488

Frank Mitchell
County: Down
Posts: 871

1793478
No they don't.

They sing a hymn called "Abide with me"

Yes they do actually. Abide with me and the National Anthem are both sung before the FA Cup final

bubba83 (Dublin) - Posts: 333 - 29/09/2015 11:37:44    1793490

No way should we drop the national anthem at big games.

oldsam_newsam (Meath) - Posts: 638 - 29/09/2015 11:41:38    1793497

Great points Yew Tree and Brend.

I have a great sense of Irishness when I hear the National anthems before games.

The number of Unionists who want to play and support Gaelic games is negligable,
removing the flag and anthem would be pointless as well as misguided.

REDANDBLACK30 (Down) - Posts: 1617 - 29/09/2015 11:50:12    1793502

29/09/2015 10:32:56 REDANDBLACK30
Jarlath Burns has called for no tricolour or anthem at games because the GAA apparently needs to reach out to Unionists.
Why exactly???It would be good for more Unionists to play and support the game but they clearly dont want to with a few exceptions.
If they do want to respect the National Anthem.It has always been played, it is traditional and matches wouldn't be the same without it.
Jarlath Burns is out of touch on this issue.Rugby and other sports have given in and we ended up with Irelands Call.No chance the GAA should do the same. Why do you obsess about 2 minutes of a song played before a match? Why does the national anthem have to be played before a large proportion of matches?
Rugby didn't give in to anything. Rugby is a cross religion/cross cultural sport where both sides are respected which is reason for Irelands Call. Why are you unable to grasp that?
29/09/2015 11:05:00 TheMaster
'It has always been played' isn't a reason to keep it.
I think he has a point. The fact is, there are people who live on this island who are unionist. If we want to include everyone on the island, we need to find a solution to suit everyone, and not force one faction to make all the sacrifices. I never understood why the national anthem was played anyway. They don't play it before matches in other sports. Agree with you except it is in some countries in other sports....
29/09/2015 11:20:03 dizzydub
They play god save the queen before the fa cup final in England 1 game compared to most in GAA???
29/09/2015 11:24:54 yew_tree
Have you ever attended a sporting event in America?
I think the question here should be is the Tricolor and National Anthem the only reason keeping Unionists away from our games? Would be also rename our grounds, clubs and trophies named after Republicans?
I dunno about the rest of you but standing and singing the national anthem on All Ireland final day is for me one of the proudest things I have done and been lucky enough to do. A real sense of Irishness and pride comes over me, but that is just me. Maybe it is just you as I don't feel overly nationalistic during anthems and don't particularly care for things like that. The tricolour and anthem are far from the only reasons keeping British Nationalists away from the GAA. You are spot on about the republicans and club/trophy/ground names

ormondbannerman (Clare) - Posts: 13473 - 29/09/2015 11:52:39    1793503

Jarlath appears to be 'box ticking' in his ultimate aim to run for the GAA presidency down the line. Once again he is trying to reassure and make himself more 'Unionist friendly' but it's futile. The vast majority of Unionists in the North will NEVER embrace or tolerate the GAA no matter what Jarlath Burns does. He seems to think that watering down the Irishness of the GAA and emasculating it of it's Gaelic ethos may make him more acceptable to hostile elements in the North. However I think he is now just sounding offensive to most GAA people, making himself sound foolish and alienating Gaels in Ulster by this embarrassing nonsense. I would say that Jarlath should be far more measured in his words because he is completely disregarding the feelings and beliefs of GAA people in his drive to appease Unionism and Loyalists. In the eventuality that he does run for high office within the GAA he may find that he doesn't have the support of many Ulster Gaels and counties.

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9697 - 29/09/2015 11:52:53    1793505

Well said Offside_Rule. Next Jarlath Burns will be calling for grounds to be re-named as the likes of Pearse and Casement might be too upsetting. Still it keeps him visible in the media, gets him labelled as "progressive" and will no doubt come in handy whenever he decides to go for GAA President.

Ailteoir (Galway) - Posts: 859 - 29/09/2015 11:55:03    1793507

I don't see the problem. The unionist are welcome to enjoy our anthem and salute our flag, etc. Plenty foreign-born players do already, I can't see how it could be a problem for them. And if it really upsets them, just let them do a James McLean on it. I'd glady teach them the words!

flack (Dublin) - Posts: 1054 - 29/09/2015 12:03:24    1793518