Eunan O'Kane (M Leeds Utd (loaned to Luton Town) b.1990)

[Charlie Darwin]

I do suppose the FAI will be disappointed to hear of all this. After all, wasn't the only reason they poached O'Kane from the IFA because they thought he was a devout Catholic?
Gonna be a very awkward first day the next time he and Keiren Westwood meet up in Ireland camp.

[BonnieShels]

Gonna be a very awkward first day the next time he and Keiren Westwood meet up in Ireland camp.

I always thought Westwood was more a Humanist name than a Catholic name tbh.

[SkStu]

Take a bow lads! :D :D

[seanfhear]

I do suppose the FAI will be disappointed to hear of all this. After all, wasn't the only reason they poached O'Kane from the IFA because they thought he was a devout Catholic?First they came for their Catholics , and then the Humanists......Next it'll be the Protestants......

Believers and Unbelievers welcome....

[Stuttgart88]

Not strictly a football-related story, but an interesting development nonetheless; Eunan O'Kane's fiancée is taking legal against the General Register Office in the north for refusing to officially authorise her forthcoming humanist marriage to O'Kane: http://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/fiancee-can-take-action-over-recognition-of-humanist-wedding-1.3077010
Are they having a humanist wedding cake made? Maybe that's the problem. Cakes can be a big issue up north.

[seanfhear]

Are they having a humanist wedding cake made? Maybe that's the problem. Cakes can be a big issue up north.

Even in the North its still impossible to have your cake and eat it as well...

How did Scrodinger's Cat ever manage to Userp Cake......

[osarusan]

Saw this on RTE site today.


A lawyer for the couple told the Belfast High Court that his clients were being unlawfully denied equal rights with religious groups.

Opening the case in front of Mr Justice Adrian Colton, the couple's lawyer Steven McQuitty said all they wanted was the same protection afforded to those of different belief systems.

Mr McQuitty said as the law stood in Northern Ireland the couple's wedding on 22 June would be "legally meaningless".

He told the court the case was of "huge public interest", highlighting that there were 4,290 humanist weddings in Scotland in 2015, more than those conducted by the Church of Scotland.

"Religious people from Pagans to Free Presbyterians and everything in between enjoy a substantial legal privilege under law," he said.

"In a sense the State gives its legal blessing to such marriages."

He claimed the law "denies the same privilege to equally valid groups".

Humanism is a non-religious belief system that rejects the concepts of a higher deity or afterlife.

Humanists adhere to a scientific view of the world and believe humans steer their own destiny.

Ms Lacole, from Belfast, and Mr O'Kane, from Co Derry, are taking a case against the General Register Office for Northern Ireland and Stormont's Department of Finance.

In Ireland, the civil registration is part of the religious ceremony (it's the bit where you sign your name, and the priest too, who is recognised by the law as a solemniser).
It would seem that this not the case in NI though - is it the case that those conducting humanist ceremonies are not/cannot be recognised as solemnisers in NI?

EDIT: Ok, I see now:

She is challenging the General Register Office's decision not to authorise the ceremony due to be conducted by a British Humanist Association celebrant.

[DannyInvincible]

O'Kane says the plan is to go for the win against Austria this weekend: https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2017/0607/880961-ireland-training/


Everyone is aware of the importance of the game. If the other result goes well, it's an opportunity to open up a gap between us and the teams that are facing us, so we're firmly fixed on getting a good result. There's a clip of Roy saying if anyone thinks we're going out to play for a draw, they're hugely mistaken. That's the case. We want to go into the game to win I don't think there have been any of the games in this campaign, certainly in my time with the squad, where a draw has been the objective. We go to win every game we can and if we can get that win, it's going to be pivotal in pushing us towards qualifying.

...

It's long time now from this one to the next one, so it's vital that we pick up points. It's a very important weekend in terms of the group. Obviously, we don't want to be going into the summer and pre-season having a bad result lingering over us.

[Stuttgart88]

I'd forgotten about O'Kane.

I think the mood music from the camp is different to that pre-Wales. Then it was "don't lose, maybe win" now it's all sights on winning.

[gastric]

I'd forgotten about O'Kane.

I think the mood music from the camp is different to that pre-Wales. Then it was "don't lose, maybe win" now it's all sights on winning.

I love this mood music! Pharrell over Tom Waits like!

[BonnieShels]

His ceremony will be recognised now:

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/footballer-and-belfast-woman-win-battle-to-recognise-humanist-wedding-1.3113769

[DeLorean]

Fair play to them.

[DannyInvincible]

O'Kane's humanist wedding is to go ahead on Thursday: http://www.thejournal.ie/appeal-humanist-wedding-allowed-3452917-Jun2017/


An Irish international footballer and model have been given the go ahead with their humanist marriage by the Court of Appeal in Northern Ireland. Laura Lacole and Eunan O’Kane can now have a legally recognised wedding conducted by a humanist celebrant.

Their wedding will be the first legal humanist ceremony in Northern Ireland and the first in the UK outside of Scotland. Lacole, a model and public speaker, and O’Kane, a Leeds United and Republic of Ireland midfielder, plan to get married on Thursday.

[Olé Olé]

As demonstrative as you'll see- O'Kane is just an Irishman. Not a Catholic from the north.

It's an interesting one. You often hear people up the north identifying their Catholicism as their reason for identifying as Irish. Playing Gaelic football and following the Irish soccer team and whatever other little things an Irishman up north does are factors too. Not everyone that identifies as Catholic is religious in that regard. I know I'm not anyway.

[OwlsFan]

Of far more interest is that she claims to be NI's only "glamour model" so a most unusual career to-date. Vice (no pun intended) President of Atheist NI, involved in the first humanist wedding in NI and the only glamour model in NI. Quite a character it would appear.

[DannyInvincible]

A bizarre letter (e-mail) of sympathy for Eunan O'Kane and Laura Lacole in the Belfast Telegraph on account of their decision to have a humanist ceremony: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/letters/humanists-have-nothing-to-live-for-and-nothing-to-die-for-through-their-rejection-of-god-and-his-word-35853294.html


I notice Laura Lacole and Eunan O'Kane have been granted permission to go ahead with their 'humanist marriage' in Northern Ireland (News, June 20). One cannot but have profound pity and feel deep sorrow, not only for this couple, but also all humanists. They have nothing to live for and nothing to die for. They tragically reject all and everything that relates to God. They delude themselves into thinking that everything ends at death. What madness, what folly, what blindness, what delusion. Sadly, both Mr and Ms Humanist fail to grasp that there are no atheists in hell: they now all believe.

...

Our sincere prayer for Laura and Eunan is that God, in His grace and mercy, will redeem them from the spell of humanism and that they are joined together in marriage with Jesus Christ.

The mind boggles. Why does Donald even care or think their relationship and the means by which they wanted to celebrate that is any of his business, considering the couple's marriage (along with the thousands of other marriages that occur outside the confines of a Christian church every day around the world that Donald presumably hasn't been e-mailing about) will make absolutely no difference to his life whatsoever? Religious, holier-than-thou people like this probably genuinely think they're coming across as compassionate and are imparting sound advice with good intentions, but such a patronising message is really just downright insulting. "They have nothing to live for"? Give over. :rolleyes:

[DeLorean]

Haha some things aren't worth analysing, Danny. :)

I hope the mad fella is right about this though and those crazy humanists are deluded...


They delude themselves into thinking that everything ends at death. What madness, what folly, what blindness, what delusion.

[seanfhear]

Following non existent sky fairies drives some people bonkers.......

Sometimes kids have invisible friends.....but as they grow up they sort of disappear....

Sky Fairy following should be outlawed unless some proof of existence can be produced.....which it never has.....

Sky Fairies are consistent....Absolutely no proof for any of them existing.........

[tricky_colour]

Humanists. So pretentious. :rolleyes:


I guess everyone else would be sub-human?

[tricky_colour]

Of far more interest is that she claims to be NI's only "glamour model" so a most unusual career to-date. Vice (no pun intended) President of Atheist NI, involved in the first humanist wedding in NI and the only glamour model in NI. Quite a character it would appear.

Well it sounds to me she is the driving force behind the whole thing, I dunno if he is particularly bothered about the whole thing?

[tricky_colour]

I suppose it would explain why O'Kane is no good on crosses.

[tricky_colour]

Following non existent sky fairies drives some people bonkers.......

Sometimes kids have invisible friends.....but as they grow up they sort of disappear....

Sky Fairy following should be outlawed unless some proof of existence can be produced.....which it never has.....

Sky Fairies are consistent....Absolutely no proof for any of them existing.........


Do you have any evidence God is non-existent?

I think when you are demanding evidence for someone's belief you should at the very least have some proof for your own otherwise it makes you look rather hypocritical if not reckless.

[Charlie Darwin]

Jesus, we can't even figure out if Harry Arter is 100% committed to Ireland yet we expect to settle the debate over whether there's a higher power?

[tricky_colour]

O'Kane's humanist wedding is to go ahead on Thursday: http://www.thejournal.ie/appeal-humanist-wedding-allowed-3452917-Jun2017/

Why do they need permission all they had to do was get married in a registry office surely?

[DannyInvincible]

Well it sounds to me she is the driving force behind the whole thing, I dunno if he is particularly bothered about the whole thing?

She discussed it with Tara Mills on BBC Radio Ulster's Talkback programme on the 10th of May. There's a segment of the discussion here: https://audioboom.com/posts/5904822-model-lauralacole-tells-us-why-she-s-fighting-in-the-courts-to-have-a-humanist-marriage-in-ni

I can't find the rest of the discussion online as they only make episodes available on the BBC's website for a month or so, but, from what I recall, she said Eunan was from a Catholic background and that she'd managed to convince him to become a humanist. Before this, it wasn't something of which he'd had much awareness, but he seemed keen once humanism was explained to him.


Why do they need permission all they had to do was get married in a registry office surely?

They required authorisation because their desired ceremony - a humanist ceremony conducted by a celebrant accredited by Humanists UK and sharing their outlook on the world - wouldn't have been legally recognised in the north and they presumably didn't want to get married in a registry office (just as a religious couple wouldn't have to get married in a registry office to have their religious marriage ceremony legally recognised).

[CraftyToePoke]

Before this, it wasn't something of which he'd had much awareness, but he seemed keen once humanism was explained to him.

Brilliant. He enjoys nailing her sufficiently, to go along with it so. Basically.

Good lad.

[Kingdom]

Brilliant. He enjoys nailing her sufficiently, to go along with it so. Basically.

Good lad.

"Tell me you love me!" replaced by "Tell me you love Humanism!" as the crucial moment of euphoria....

[Lionel Ritchie]

It's a brilliantly vicious piece of spiteful malice aforethought dressed up as concern. Can't just mind his own *****ng business. And of course any low point in life that follows hereafter will be down to the madness, folly, delusion and blindness of their not signing up to his preferred edition of poorly or politically translated and edited latin transcribings of hebrew and aramaic middle eastern folk tales.

[tetsujin1979]

This isn't the theology thread.

[Charlie Darwin]

Well I've signed up for the wrong forum then.

[KrisLetang]

http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/images/a/ar%7Dpha2.gif

This is the Humanist Flag. Meh. Dr.PeePee could design a better one at 3AM with his eyes closed.

[DannyInvincible]

As demonstrative as you'll see- O'Kane is just an Irishman. Not a Catholic from the north.

It's an interesting one. You often hear people up the north identifying their Catholicism as their reason for identifying as Irish. Playing Gaelic football and following the Irish soccer team and whatever other little things an Irishman up north does are factors too. Not everyone that identifies as Catholic is religious in that regard. I know I'm not anyway.

The term "Catholic" in the north is often interchanged with the word "nationalist" and can be used as another term to describe someone from the Irish nationalist community without necessarily possessing strict religious or theological connotations. I prefer to avoid the term myself as it feeds into the sectarian "two warring religious tribes" narrative of the "Troubles" and subsequent political tension, which is an insidiously false portrayal of Irish history, as far as I'm concerned, that seeks to relieve a very important third party, Britain, of its primary role and responsibility in the conflict.

Britain, rather, prefers to portray itself as having been a neutral or peace-keeping referee that was fundamentally external to the discord. The evidence, however, says otherwise. The conflict was one between national identities over disputed territory, or the constitutional status of the north of Ireland, in other words. Britain, in defending, or asserting even, its colonial/imperial and economic interests, obviously played a massive primary role - throughout centuries of Irish history up until modern times - in contributing to the disagreement and violence. Religion became a sort of internal social marker, but sectarianism was secondary to the real roots of the conflict, which were political and national.

As I was saying above, I heard Laura Lacole on the radio in the middle of May discussing her and Eunan's plans for a humanist wedding. She described Eunan as having been from a Catholic family background, although I recall getting the distinct impression from her words that he wasn't particularly religious or devout himself and it seems he was fully open to a humanist "conversion" once she outlined her humanist outlook to him.

I suppose I'd consider my self a "cultural Catholic" (if I was going to apply such a label at all) even though I'm really an agnostic atheist in a philosophical sense. Also, if one is applying for a job in the north, they must submit an equality and diversity equal opportunities form along with their CV or application pack. In England, these forms list a number of ethnicities from which to choose in order to identify your ethnic or cultural heritage and look like the following:

http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc12/poguemahone85/Capture_zpsowllrrdt.png

In the north, you might sometimes find a similar section (which isn't a legal requirement (http://www.equalityni.org/Employers-Service-Providers/Large-Business/Registration-and-monitoring/Monitoring), but is recommended by the Equality Commission) to the following on such forms:

http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc12/poguemahone85/Capture3_zpscwzyfrwo.png

But you'll also find the following in all cases, as it's a legal requirement:

http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc12/poguemahone85/Capture2_zpsh2xcetj2.png

I would tick the box corresponding with "I am a member of the Roman Catholic community" there. I know it's not really asking me if I believe in transubstantiation or if I go to Mass every week.

[KrisLetang]

Danny your posts have gotten way to long man. Seriously almost every one is a novel. This is getting crazy.

[DannyInvincible]

Danny your posts have gotten way to long man. Seriously almost every one is a novel. This is getting crazy.

I don't think there's a rule on length and I've got three images in there. Anyway, I'd been under the impression you were ignoring my posts seeing as you frequently avoid answering any questions I pose to you in replies... ;)

[tricky_colour]

Brilliant. He enjoys nailing her sufficiently, to go along with it so. Basically.

Good lad.

It's a small price to pay. I'd fake it myself personally.

[tricky_colour]

I suppose in a way Humanism is a bit like decaffeinated tea or non-alcoholic beer.

Or maybe even sniffing the touchline?

[DeLorean]

Signs a new four-year deal at Leeds. Hopefully that's a good sign and he becomes a more certain starter. Of course, with Leeds, they could have a new manager at any time - https://www.leedsunited.com/news/team-news/22174/eunan-extends

[Lionel Ritchie]

Had a great game for Leeds today bossing midfield at the City Ground. Murphy did okay for Forest. Plenty of threat but lacked the finish.

[SandwichBoy]

This lad is a lovely baller anytime I've seen him. Deserves a proper go with the national team.

[IsMiseSean]

Eunan O'Kane hasn't been given a squad number at Leeds this season. Not in Marcelo Bielsa's plans it seems.

[Fixer82]

I hope he get a good move. very tidy player.

[Kingdom]

Eunan O'Kane hasn't been given a squad number at Leeds this season. Not in Marcelo Bielsa's plans it seems.

Maybe Marcelo doesn't believe in Humanists either? Maybe Eunan tried to explain that he is a deep-laying midfielder, rather than a deep-lying midfielder and therefore the difference between lying and laying in his Northern accent, and Marcelo thought he was too crazy? Although that seems a bit far-fetched seeing as Bielsa is as crazy as it gets.

[OwlsFan]

Surplus to requirements at Leeds http://www.insidefutbol.com/2018/08/09/leeds-united-may-have-to-accept-loan-offer-for-out-of-favour-star/385644/

[CraftyToePoke]

Into L1 with Luton till January. Not good.

- https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/45370425

[liamoo11]

broke his tibia and fibula yesterday unfortunately. Hope he makes good recovery

[Lionel Ritchie]

https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/football/leeds-united/latest-leeds-united-news/eunan-okane-opens-over-injury-woes-and-moment-he-was-told-he-had-no-leeds-united-future-819090?fbclid=IwAR0qA78Qbp4NBFK_vBQnY-YA_9yACzid175WdVSW5Y42VvArrbEMCJYOi7w

Update on his progress. Training at Thorpe Arch. Needed further surgery. Back on the pitch in a couple of weeks. Hopes to get a move away in January. Curiously Leeds could use someone with a bit guile and subtlety on the ball but he hasn't a hope there. Big fan of Bielsa but he's a deeply pig headed man at times.

[DeLorean]

Rejoins Luton Town on an 18 month deal - https://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/2020/january/eunan-okane-returns/

[tetsujin1979]

It's a strange one, both clubs have described it as an "arrangement", neither have called it a transfer, or a loan

[DeLorean]

Didn't even spot that.

[DeLorean]

Back on the pitch - https://www.the42.ie/eunan-okane-return-two-year-absence-5178057-Aug2020/