National Forum

Where are all the flags gone

(Oldest Posts First)

There has been some heated debate over the past two weeks with who should receive tickets for the Hill. The Dubs bring great atmosphere to Croke Park, there is no doubt about this. Even Alan Quirke acknowledge the Hill after Cork beat Dublin in 2010. However the past few All-Ireland's have lacked any kind of colour around the stadium.

Look back at the 1999 All-Ireland hurling final, the flags etc. on the Hill during the parade and when Cork finished off the game. I know we use to get hassle of the security going into Croke Park with the size of the flag sticks. I am sick of only seeing chequered in Croke Park. This is a minor gripe but I think the lack of flags inside the stadiums impacting on the overall atmosphere at the finals. It is probably done to too many neutrals getting tickets!!!

The_Bull (Cork) - Posts: 248 - 24/09/2016 15:41:17    1918680

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Replying To The_Bull:  "There has been some heated debate over the past two weeks with who should receive tickets for the Hill. The Dubs bring great atmosphere to Croke Park, there is no doubt about this. Even Alan Quirke acknowledge the Hill after Cork beat Dublin in 2010. However the past few All-Ireland's have lacked any kind of colour around the stadium.

Look back at the 1999 All-Ireland hurling final, the flags etc. on the Hill during the parade and when Cork finished off the game. I know we use to get hassle of the security going into Croke Park with the size of the flag sticks. I am sick of only seeing chequered in Croke Park. This is a minor gripe but I think the lack of flags inside the stadiums impacting on the overall atmosphere at the finals. It is probably done to too many neutrals getting tickets!!!"
I agree but according to a few people there was row on the Hill last Sunday because some Dubs flew a flag that blocked Mayo fans view. They're pretty strict in flags now. I think security sees them as potential weapons if something kicked off.

avonali (Dublin) - Posts: 1990 - 24/09/2016 16:50:36    1918693

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Every flag that fans of mayo and dublin tried to take into the hill last sunday had their poles confiscated by the gardai and stewards. Every single last one. There was a solid 50 to 60 bamboo sticks in a bit when i was going in an hour and a half before throw in. Dont understand it personally. But there ya go. Take away the colour from the hill.

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13654 - 24/09/2016 17:18:28    1918702

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For starters they don't allow you bring flags in the hill for years now.
they take the bamboo off it and snap and put it in the bin and hand you the cloth back. They also search people with bags when I go in before the first game even kids as young as 3 or 4 and elderly people, yet I can't imagine when the rush 15 minutes before throw in occurs they pay a hand on any of the obvious candidates who would be carrying alcohol with them

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 24/09/2016 17:46:27    1918709

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A flag without a pole or a stick to hang off is a banner.

'Hats, banners, flags and headbands' just doesn't have the same hawker's magical ring to it. Political correctness and security-consciousness has gone far overboard.

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7959 - 24/09/2016 19:04:51    1918737

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Replying To GreenandRed:  "A flag without a pole or a stick to hang off is a banner.

'Hats, banners, flags and headbands' just doesn't have the same hawker's magical ring to it. Political correctness and security-consciousness has gone far overboard."
what's it got to do with 'political correctness' ?

stanley (None) - Posts: 434 - 24/09/2016 19:27:52    1918740

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Replying To stanley:  "what's it got to do with 'political correctness' ?"
Maybe over-reacting there on the political correctness remark. But it's being over-protective stopping people bringing sticks for flags into matches. When did they start doing that? Wasn't a problem years ago. Even then people respected each other if they were asked to take a flag down cos it was blocking their view. The vast majority of supporters still have respect for each other. These are GAA matches not Galatasaray v Fenerbache.

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7959 - 25/09/2016 09:57:56    1918822

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Replying To GreenandRed:  "Maybe over-reacting there on the political correctness remark. But it's being over-protective stopping people bringing sticks for flags into matches. When did they start doing that? Wasn't a problem years ago. Even then people respected each other if they were asked to take a flag down cos it was blocking their view. The vast majority of supporters still have respect for each other. These are GAA matches not Galatasaray v Fenerbache."
They only do this going into the hill it seems, there was plenty mayo flags in the cuscak stand when the teams were parading I noticed. Also this buisness of searching people going into the hill is very discriminatory as most people I know that go into the stands say they never get searched or stopped going in. Like elderly people and kids as young as three going into match an hour or more before throw in

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 25/09/2016 12:28:23    1918871

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I can't recall one serious incident at a GAA match involving crowd trouble. Is the banning of flags just another rule borrowed from from across the water?

SaffronDon (Antrim) - Posts: 2558 - 25/09/2016 12:41:55    1918877

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If you check the last page of a Croke Park match programme, it has the "Croke Park Regulations". Regulation 6 states "the following are not permitted" and lists off all the things that are banned. Reg 6.8 states "bringing into the ground of fireworks, smoke canisters, bottles, glasses, cans, FLAGS, BANNERS, poles, distress signals, laser pointers and similar articles and containers, including anything which could or might be used as a weapon". So, theoretically, there should be no flags or banners inside Croke Park, at all, if those regulations are to be believed. But anecdotally it seems the rule is only being enforced on the Hill, which seems discriminatory.

On a related subject, I bought a bottle of water at ht in the All Ireland hurling final and the girl behind the counter removed the cap. I asked why and she said it was new health and safety regulations following that muppet from Kerry throwing a water bottle at the ref after the Dublin match the week before. Apparently a bottle of water with the cap on is now deemed a dangerous weapon. Complete joke, if some idiot threw a mobile phone at a ref would all our mobile phones be confiscated for the next match? The biggest joke of it was that I was able to walk into the ground (Cusack stand) an hour before throw in with a full bottle of water, completely unhindered. I just used the cap from the first bottle on the one I bought inside (and no, I didn't use it as a weapon)!

It's just another example of the Croke Park authorities treating the fans like we were hooligans. We're just a hindrance to them, they'd probably prefer if the matches were played inside a closed stadium, except for the corporate boxes which would of course stay open.

ballydalane (Kilkenny) - Posts: 1256 - 25/09/2016 13:10:53    1918887

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Replying To ballydalane:  "If you check the last page of a Croke Park match programme, it has the "Croke Park Regulations". Regulation 6 states "the following are not permitted" and lists off all the things that are banned. Reg 6.8 states "bringing into the ground of fireworks, smoke canisters, bottles, glasses, cans, FLAGS, BANNERS, poles, distress signals, laser pointers and similar articles and containers, including anything which could or might be used as a weapon". So, theoretically, there should be no flags or banners inside Croke Park, at all, if those regulations are to be believed. But anecdotally it seems the rule is only being enforced on the Hill, which seems discriminatory.

On a related subject, I bought a bottle of water at ht in the All Ireland hurling final and the girl behind the counter removed the cap. I asked why and she said it was new health and safety regulations following that muppet from Kerry throwing a water bottle at the ref after the Dublin match the week before. Apparently a bottle of water with the cap on is now deemed a dangerous weapon. Complete joke, if some idiot threw a mobile phone at a ref would all our mobile phones be confiscated for the next match? The biggest joke of it was that I was able to walk into the ground (Cusack stand) an hour before throw in with a full bottle of water, completely unhindered. I just used the cap from the first bottle on the one I bought inside (and no, I didn't use it as a weapon)!

It's just another example of the Croke Park authorities treating the fans like we were hooligans. We're just a hindrance to them, they'd probably prefer if the matches were played inside a closed stadium, except for the corporate boxes which would of course stay open."
This is standard practice at all events everywhere for years now, so Croke Park and the GAA can't be blamed for this.

Breffni40 (Cavan) - Posts: 12321 - 26/09/2016 12:34:34    1919210

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brefnni39

if its standard prcatise why does it only be put in place for one part of the stadium????
also its standard practise to not allow patrons onto the playing surface after the match
only seems to be put in place in croke park too.

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 26/09/2016 12:48:02    1919214

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Replying To Breffni39:  "This is standard practice at all events everywhere for years now, so Croke Park and the GAA can't be blamed for this."
The flags or the bottles?

ballydalane (Kilkenny) - Posts: 1256 - 26/09/2016 12:55:01    1919217

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Replying To ballydalane:  "The flags or the bottles?"
Bottles

Breffni40 (Cavan) - Posts: 12321 - 26/09/2016 13:59:21    1919258

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The 1991 All Ireland Football final between Meath and Down, the Hill was full of red and black flags.

OLLIE (Louth) - Posts: 12224 - 26/09/2016 16:30:02    1919341

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Replying To Breffni39:  "This is standard practice at all events everywhere for years now, so Croke Park and the GAA can't be blamed for this."
Although as we know well enough, the reality is they don't want you bringing in your own bottle and making it last when you should be purchasing vastly overpriced refreshments. Another decision taken for financial reasons rather than safety. Bit like at airports with the fluid volume restriction. Yeah, don't bring more than a thimble through security but stock up all you like in the departure lounge. Another example of people being bent over and shafted.

MedwayIrish (Wexford) - Posts: 2324 - 26/09/2016 16:48:14    1919351

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Replying To MedwayIrish:  "Although as we know well enough, the reality is they don't want you bringing in your own bottle and making it last when you should be purchasing vastly overpriced refreshments. Another decision taken for financial reasons rather than safety. Bit like at airports with the fluid volume restriction. Yeah, don't bring more than a thimble through security but stock up all you like in the departure lounge. Another example of people being bent over and shafted."
Ah yeah it's a pure scam but not the GAA's scam!

Breffni40 (Cavan) - Posts: 12321 - 26/09/2016 17:05:15    1919358

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