Zinny you are either deluded or just trying to wind people up "it won't be long before there are more playing members of Gaelic Games outside Ireland than in it".
Sounds like your another person who is in the wrong association, honestly I wouldn't join/stay in an organisation if I disagreed so mush with there core principles and beliefs.

benched (Tyrone) - Posts: 534 - 15/09/2015 16:09:55    1787827

Ulsterman

How does the admittance of a regiment of the British Army square with the above, it is an oxymoron, it is totally incompatible with our ethos, history and identity.

Look they've been admitted and now they can enjoy our great games like we do so just swallow it up and get on with your day.

Ps, ethos, history and identity = you can worry about them while the rest of us get on with our day.

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 15/09/2015 16:29:45    1787837

Ulsterman
County: Antrim
Posts: 7360

1787814
I would draw peoples attention to our Rule Book.

Chapter 1 AIMS & ETHOS - 1.2 BASIC AIMS - "The Association is a National organization which has as it's basic aim the strengthening of the National identity in a 32 county Ireland through the preservation and promotion of it's Gaelic Games and pastimes".

Rule 1.4 - "The Association shall actively support the Irish language, traditional Irish dancing, music, song and other aspects of Irish culture. It shall foster an awareness and love of the National ideals in the people of Ireland and assist in promoting a community spirit through it's clubs."

How does the admittance of a regiment of the British Army square with the above, it is an oxymoron, it is totally incompatible with our ethos, history and identity.

How so Ulsterman? I don't see how the admittance of the Irish Guards contradicts any of these aims. I don't see how their inclusion prevents "strengthening the National Identity of a 32 county Ireland through the preservation and promotion of it's Gaelic Games and pastimes" As for Rule 1.4... selling TV rights to Sky Sports is much more egregious fracturing of those aims than allowing a few Tommies in Hounslow kick a ball around.

roundball (Tipperary) - Posts: 2514 - 15/09/2015 16:37:59    1787840

The times they are a-changing benched...

Next thing we know you'll be playing Gaelic football in Tyrone!

;)

roundball (Tipperary) - Posts: 2514 - 15/09/2015 16:39:38    1787841

Lads - I am living and playing football in London for close to 10 years now. I know a few of these lads from the army who are from Ireland and when there was no hope of work at home, rather than sit on the dole for the rest of their lives, they decided to make something of themselves. England has given them and me, far more opportunities than what was available at home and that's been true for decades. You cannot attempt to export GAA around the world and then decide to pick and choose who you let in.

Lazarus1 (Galway) - Posts: 173 - 15/09/2015 16:52:55    1787854

Find_the_space; religion doesn't come into it for me. A person's religious beliefs should have nothing to do with sport. Some of our best and most distinguished members have been from the Protestant faith. Htaem; it may be easy from the detached comfort of Meath to say 'Suck it up and move on'. Not so easy if you are from West/North Belfast, Carrickmore, Lurgan, Ardboe, Bellaghy, the Bogside, Crossmaglen etc and you have gravestones to remind you of the British Army's legacy in the North. That is just fact whether some prefer to bury their heads and ignore it or are just indifferent to what went on in the 6 counties.

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9825 - 15/09/2015 18:24:27    1787864

What happened to the psni Gaelic team that was all over the news a few years back? They had no interest at all, only to stir the sh*t. When the ball went out over the sideline, they all lined up, like in a rugger lineout. Jokers

flack (Dublin) - Posts: 1055 - 15/09/2015 18:25:49    1787865

I can understand why it might not sit comfortably with people up north who were harrassed by the British army or who had loved ones injured or worse by members of the security forces etc. but I think if we are willing to discriminate against certain sections or members of society then what have we become? We need to be all inclusive, and welcome members from all walks of life. We've flown the union jack at HQ, we've had God Save the Queen played there and in my opinion if Willie Frazer wants to play hurling then Willie Frazer should be allowed play hurling. Similarly if Irish born members, or any member, of the British army wants to play GAA then they should be allowed play GAA. If we all think otherwise then we are bigots.

Joxer (Dublin) - Posts: 4748 - 15/09/2015 18:29:57    1787867

At the same time, I wouldn't mind playing hurling against the british army, I'd bring a couple of heavily banded hurls to wear off them, and send them squealing off down the green and lovely lanes of killeshandra!

flack (Dublin) - Posts: 1055 - 15/09/2015 18:30:20    1787868

Zinoy, the difference being of course that China doesn't occupy a quarter of our island.

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9825 - 15/09/2015 18:33:39    1787870

No one has answered this. What happens if this team is eventually successful and goes on to compete in National junior, intermediate and senior competitions, potentially against Ulster sides? There is a strong possibility, indeed certainty, that most Ulster sides will simply refuse to play against them. Where do we go from there? I don't think the potential ramifications of this have been totally assessed or realized.

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9825 - 15/09/2015 18:50:36    1787880

Lazarus1
County: Galway
Lads - I am living and playing football in London for close to 10 years now. I know a few of these lads from the army who are from Ireland and when there was no hope of work at home, rather than sit on the dole for the rest of their lives, they decided to make something of themselves. England has given them and me, far more opportunities than what was available at home and that's been true for decades. You cannot attempt to export GAA around the world and then decide to pick and choose who you let in.

Hang on. I moved abroad for work as well when the economy really hit the skids and the job offers dwindled. I appreciate what the country I'm in now has given me, but I also appreciate what Ireland gave me, its not the useless dump everyone makes it out to be. Above all else, it gave me a great education to a Masters degree level, the kind of education my contemporaries in the US had to go into tens of thousands of debt in tuition alone, to get. You can appreciate where you are, without dumping on where you came from.

And while I don't have an issue with a British Army team competing in a British GAA competition, this idea of Irish lads joining because it was better than being on the dole in Ireland is a bit off. Lots of people emigrated for work, they managed to find work that didn't involve shooting people. And I'm not talking about the North, I'm talking about joining an army that was actively involved in caustic wars in the middle east. To be honest, if I had to choose between the dole, and being part of a machine that is basically destroying an entire region, I'd take the dole.

And I don't mean that to be anti-British, most British people I know would say exactly the same.

Marlon_JD (Tipperary) - Posts: 1823 - 15/09/2015 18:52:00    1787881

Ulsterman

I'm just talking about sport, not political history, the 2 should never meet.

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 15/09/2015 19:11:42    1787894

Never had any trouble from the British army when i was traveling up to play in north in 80s always courtesy and joking. I found the opposition supporters much much more hateful cause we were from Meath aka free state.
These are mostly Irish lads who went to England and joined the army and want to continue playing their sport. Of course some bigots whose only interest in the gaa is as a wing of republicanism (it hasn't been for a long long time) are against Irish men born in all parts of this island with Irish parents and Irish passport's playing Irish games , and wait for it their reason??? Cause what they work at, lets not forget that some of these people held belief's (and maybe still do) that the gardai and Irish army were not the legitimate police and defense of this country. Actually they were considered legitimate targets. So the less attention we give to that element the better.
Fair play to London for welcoming our own into their association.

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 15/09/2015 19:12:25    1787897

Ulsterman
County: Antrim
Posts: 7363

1787880
No one has answered this. What happens if this team is eventually successful and goes on to compete in National junior, intermediate and senior competitions, potentially against Ulster sides? There is a strong possibility, indeed certainty, that most Ulster sides will simply refuse to play against them. Where do we go from there?

----
Same as we do when any team refuses to play another, we give the opposition a walkover. Given that the Irish guards may in fact be Irish citizens it would indeed be a shame if Ulster teams refused to play against them. Indeed it would be bigotted.

Joxer (Dublin) - Posts: 4748 - 15/09/2015 19:59:07    1787925

Never had any trouble from the British army when i was traveling up to play in north in 80s always courtesy and joking. I found the opposition supporters much much more hateful cause we were from Meath aka free state.

Yeah and sure didn't Hitler get Time Magazine Man if the Year in 1938.

Offside_Rule (Antrim) - Posts: 4058 - 15/09/2015 20:38:22    1787936