The Republican Party

[fergalr]

In today's Fiver from the Guardian:

"This one's brilliant: Irish TD (that's Member of Parliament to you) Barry Andrews has declared that profits are now clearly ahead of sport at Man Utd and it would be unacceptable if Irish parents are under pressure to pay for increased ticket prices and even more merchandising. "I fear that if ticket prices were to increase, this form of entertainment will once more be denied," said the Fianna Fail politician from the city that's home to League of Ireland sides Shamrock Rovers, Shelbourne, St Patrick's Athletic, Dublin City, UCD and Bohemians."
http://football.guardian.co.uk/fiver/0,8783,415657,00.html

Speechless is what I am, speechless ....

[superfrank]

Yeah, it is pretty bad. Obviously he turns his nose up at eircom League football, disgraceful. :mad:

[Poor Student]

To add insult to injury it's them ridiculing him and not us. What does he mean by once more denied? When was it ever?

[BohDiddley]

Ironic that it takes a British newspaper to point that out (though it probably came from an honest Irish hack).

You can tell him what you think here (http://www.barryandrews.com/contact.asp)

This should also be duplicated on every club forum. I'll do gypsies-web.

[jofyisgod]

Ha! What a fool. Just e-mailed him his quote followed by me asking him 'WHY?'.
Shows the ignorance towards our league from our leaders though. I'm sure Bertie's even more devastated...

[harpskid]

Just emailed him myself there - won't be holding my breath waiting on a response though

[jofyisgod]

When i e-mailed a TD before, i got the usual automated shíte. Still, hopefully if he gets enough he may think before talking shít next time.

[dortie]

One thing about up here, I regularly see Martin McGuinness, Pat Ramsey, Mary Bradley, Peter Anderson, Jim Clifford (SF & SDLP representatives) at the Brandywell.....although they have done feck all to highlight our stadium plight into the matter.

Fecking plastic Premiership fans are my pet hate and their 'Irish promoters'.

Ive added this to our BPSC forum.

[BohDiddley]

One thing about up here, I regularly see Martin McGuinness, Pat Ramsey, Mary Bradley, Peter Anderson, Jim Clifford (SF & SDLP representatives) at the Brandywell.....although they have done feck all to highlight our stadium plight into the matter.

Fecking plastic Premiership fans are my pet hate and their 'Irish promoters'.

Ive added this to our BPSC forum.
Well done. I think Mr Andrews' contact details warrant stickie status on every football forum in the country.
Not that he's going to be too pushed about your vote for a few decades yet ;)

[dortie]

Not that he's going to be too pushed about your vote for a few decades yet ;)

Ack, constitutional and non-constitutional republicans will see to it quicker than you think lad, and i dont mean the type in the 26 counties ;)

[patsh]

I've sent him this email. Wonder will I get a response?
********************************************
Mr. Andrews,
According to The Guardian, you seem extremely worried about tickets prices to football games involving a club in a different country. While I realise that the leader of your party is just one of the many who are obsessed with the minutiae of the "Red Devils", do you not think that the financial decisions of a business owned by private shareholders, and based in England, is outside your remit as a TD?
If you are actually worried about the expense to parents of having to pay for their, and their offspring's, travel to watch football at Man Utd. PLC, maybe you could do them a favour and point out the advantages of watching football here at home. In your own city, there are 6 clubs who provide "entertainment" in the form of professional football. Bohemians, Dublin City, Shamrock Rovers, Shelbourne, St Patrick's Athletic and UCD, are all clubs based in Dublin, whose games can be seen easily and cheaply. Bus travel to a game and entrance fee would be well under €20 for children, thus dramatically reducing the financial burden and stress on their parents.
Indeed, you might even point out to your leader that a whole professional league exists in this country, as I'm sure that such a sports mad fan such as himself will be only delighted to learn that we have our very own football league here at home. Maybe you could point out to him that Tolka Park is very near his constituency office, and that Dalymount, Inchicore and Belfield are not to far away either. Maybe the two of you could even find your way to one of these grounds and see that we have clubs that do not charge the earth for games, merchandise or entertainment, have links with local communities, and encourage youngsters to join up and play.
It also might interest you to know that very recently, an all Ireland competition was run off very successfully between teams from leagues in the North and South, a very worthwhile exercise involving teams representing both traditions on this island.
So, if you will excuse me, here is a little suggestion for an ambitious and concerned politician such as yourself.
Encourage parents to send their children to local football games. Our own clubs try to promote their local communities, give opportunities for healthy living by organising local football teams for all ages, foster cross-border relationships by their ties to clubs in Northern Ireland, and are a local team that children can identify with and support as their own.
I'm sure you will agree that these would set a much better example to our children than simply preparing them to spend weekends in pubs watching English clubs play on television.
Thank you for your attention,
Patrick Shine.
(A supporter of Cork City FC.)

[dcfcsteve]

Superb letter Patsh. I hope you get a response, and look forward to seeing it myself !

I'm going to fire a mail off to him as well.

Would be good if anyone who is in his constituency wrote to him and pointed out that they are a potential voter as well.

[patsh]

Got this response. Doesn't really address any of the issues I raised. He seems to miss the point that the very idea that parents should feel "pressure" because of "the corporatisation of English football" is utterly ludicrous.

Guess when you "follow" UCD..............;)
************************************************** ***

Dear Patrick
I have received emails from a number of people this morning about this
issue. As it happens I am a follower of (though not a regular attender at)
UCD, a former programme seller at Glenmalure Park for Shamrock Rovers, a
former coach of Granada FC in the South Dublin Football league, a current
player for Blackrock College over 35s in the AUL and a former player for
Portobello in the UCL.
However I am at liberty to comment on all matters in public life including
the expense and pressure that parents face arising from the corporatisation
of English football.
I hope this clarifies the matter.
Kind regards
Barry Andrews TD

[jofyisgod]

************************************************** ***

Dear Patrick
I have received emails from a number of people this morning about this
issue. As it happens I am a follower of (though not a regular attender at)
UCD, a former programme seller at Glenmalure Park for Shamrock Rovers, a
former coach of Granada FC in the South Dublin Football league, a current
player for Blackrock College over 35s in the AUL and a former player for
Portobello in the UCL.
However I am at liberty to comment on all matters in public life including
the expense and pressure that parents face arising from the corporatisation
of English football.
I hope this clarifies the matter.
Kind regards
Barry Andrews TD

I hate replies when people just list bóllocks they did about 50 years ago. I still can't see how it concerns him-it's a different country ffs! You don't see him commenting on German or Spanish soccer! I recieved a similar one, just without the long list of crap.

[tiktok]

I sent off a complaint too,
If I get a similar response back, i'll be sending another one :rolleyes:

[patsh]

And I replied back with the following: (I really must do some work soon!)

************************************************** ****
Dear Mr. Andrews,
Thank you for your swift reply. It's nice to know that you have had such a long career and interest in football.
However, surely it must strike you that the very fact that Irish parents feel such pressure and have to go to huge expense because of the "corporatisation" of English football is utterly ludicrous?
If you feel that it is a situation serious enough to speak out on, then surely it's an issue for which you might offer some solution, rather than mere comment. Will you soon be making a speech condemning the practice where the tax-payer funded, national broadcaster of this country endlessly hypes the Premiership, thus contributing greatly to this parental pressure to continue to fund English football?
A speech or campaign offering alternatives to this situation could achieve so much. You could offer the solution of the much healthier and cheaper alternative of supporting your local team at a ground in the open air, which would have the following benefits:

Adding greatly to the health of our young people and the nation
A decrease in alcohol consumption
An injection of funds into a business which continues to gainfully employ many of our young boys so cruelly cast aside by the "corporate" entities of English football
Less "peer" pressure and financial stress on parents.
I'm sure you will agree with me that these benefits are a worthwhile goal, and wouldn't do any harm to your continued electoral success either!

Yours sincerely,

[paudie]

Got the same reply.

Will ask him if he issued a press release asking people to support Shamrock Rovers in their current financial difficulties.

[tiktok]

Got the same reply, sent him this back....

Mr. Andrews,

With respect, at no point did I question your right to comment on any matter of public life.

My concern was your suggestion that the only entertaining football experience available to an Irish Person lies across the Irish sea. Your response, rather than clarifying the matter, has left me even more confused. Surely a man with the experience in domestic football that you claim should be all too well aware of the battle clubs like your own UCD face in attracting new supporters and the negative image comments like yours cast.

As a former programme seller at Shamrock rovers you can't have missed the plight that the club currently faces and how the negative aspects of the situation are dealt with in the media with more interest than the positive aspects have ever been.

Your comments have given the British press and the Irish Public at large the opportunity to demean our league and those involved in it and you should apologise.

[patsh]

I got this, 2nd, reply:

*************************************************
fair point
*************************************************

Thats it in it's entirety, and so ends my brief relationship with Barry Andrews!.....:p

[pete]

As it happens I am a follower of (though not a regular attender at)
UCD, a former programme seller at Glenmalure Park for Shamrock Rovers, a
former coach of Granada FC in the South Dublin Football league, a current
player for Blackrock College over 35s in the AUL and a former player for
Portobello in the UCL.

So this means he went to 1 UCD game, sold programmes for Rovers when a kid, helped drive kids to traing for Granada (are they a tv company?), plays 5 a side with the lads & played with a pub team. Hes just great although all those matters are of no concern.

:rolleyes:

I don't think matters what he says about Man United just hilarious that is a foreign newspaper that making fun of him...

[BohDiddley]

Granada are a (not bad) kids team based, I think, somewhere in Shankill, south Dublin.
Fair play if he has had that involvement, but he still needs to address Irish football's problems before issues to do with the game in another country.
I'm feeling left out at this stage, as I haven't got a response (sob!)

[patsh]

I don't think matters what he says about Man United just hilarious that is a foreign newspaper that making fun of him...
You are right, but it is an opportunity to bring the eL to the attention of a TD and that can't be bad.....

[pete]

I wonder if be good to send him a mail thanking him for Man United ripoff to see if he takes the bait...

;)

[pineapple stu]

Got this response. Doesn't really address any of the issues I raised. He seems to miss the point that the very idea that parents should feel "pressure" because of "the corporatisation of English football" is utterly ludicrous.
In fairness, when you have kids in school demanding things, it's very eary to feel pressurised by the likes of United.


As it happens I am a follower of (though not a regular attender at) UCD, a former programme seller at Glenmalure Park for Shamrock Rovers, a former coach of Granada FC in the South Dublin Football league, a current player for Blackrock College over 35s in the AUL and a former player for Portobello in the UCL.
However I am at liberty to comment on all matters in public life including the expense and pressure that parents face arising from the corporatisation of English football.
In fairness, I think he has been pointed out to me a couple of times in Belfield Park. I think it's a fact that Manchester United are an aspect of Irish life, and you can't just turn away from it because you don't like it, especially if you're a politician - your focus has to be Irish life, not just "Made in Ireland". Think it's a very fair comment. However, having said that, your reply made some good points as well which would be great if they were acted upon. Very big "IF" though.


My concern was your suggestion that the only entertaining football experience available to an Irish Person lies across the Irish sea.
:confused: Where do you draw that conclusion from?


Granada are a (not bad) kids team based, I think, somewhere in Shankill, south Dublin.
Dean's Grange/Foxrock area.

[pineapple stu]

A decrease in alcohol consumption
Incidentally, do you honestly think you drink less at an eL game than in the pub on your barstool?! ;)

You forgot to mention money going into our local economy as opposed to leaving the country as well. Still, some good points well made.

[patsh]

Incidentally, do you honestly think you drink less at an eL game than in the pub on your barstool?! ;)

You forgot to mention money going into our local economy as opposed to leaving the country as well. Still, some good points well made.
Well I'm talking about the people who go for the 4 o'clock Sunday "event" and the Monday night "football" "event" etc. in the pub.
I see a lot of families going down to watch the 4 o'clock Sunday game, and after half an hour, the kids are outside of the door of the pub, waiting around for the father/mother to stagger out around 7/8 o'clock.

I think I sort of mentioned the local economy in this point: "An injection of funds into a business which continues to gainfully employ many of our young boys so cruelly cast aside by the "corporate" entities of English football" ??

[pineapple stu]

I see a lot of families going down to watch the 4 o'clock Sunday game, and after half an hour, the kids are outside of the door of the pub, waiting around for the father/mother to stagger out around 7/8 o'clock.
Ah yeah, fair enough. Just was down in Longford at the weekend - drinks in the pub before heading down, cans on the bus, cans during the match, cans on the way home...! Think a lot of people here can relate to that! :)


I think I sort of mentioned the local economy in this point: "An injection of funds into a business which continues to gainfully employ many of our young boys so cruelly cast aside by the "corporate" entities of English football" ??
True, but just to emphasise that going to eL games puts money into the Irish economy as well as stops it leaving the country. It also creates jobs, etc. Still, small points.

[Bald Student]

For the record, Barry Andrews is a big supporter of UCD. I've often seen him in Belfield.

[pete]

Incidentally, do you honestly think you drink less at an eL game than in the pub on your barstool?! ;)


He doesn't know that ;) plus not likely to be drinking during the game.

[pineapple stu]

plus not likely to be drinking during the game.
Em...yeah - not drinking...! :)

[patsh]

He doesn't know that ;) plus not likely to be drinking during the game.
I suppose I would be a bad example, I don't drink too much, even on an away trip to Dublin, I'd only have 4 or 5 pints, absolute maximum, over the course of the whole day.... A LOT LESS than some of the lads on the Sheehan Express.....;)

[tiktok]

:confused: Where do you draw that conclusion from?


"I fear that if ticket prices were to increase, this form of entertainment will once more be denied"

This form of entertainment clearly refers to football, if an increase in ticket prices at OT denies the Irish parent access to 'this form of entertainment' then IMO that says he doesn't consider football in Ireland as a 'formof entertainment'.

[pineapple stu]

Yeah, see where you're coming from now...

[dcfcsteve]

"I fear that if ticket prices were to increase, this form of entertainment will once more be denied"

This form of entertainment clearly refers to football, if an increase in ticket prices at OT denies the Irish parent access to 'this form of entertainment' then IMO that says he doesn't consider football in Ireland as a 'formof entertainment'.

Thius guy is talking out of his arse. If ticket prices go up it won't make a feckin' difference to 99.9% of the parents in Ireland, because they and their kids have never been near Old Trafford. The sad muppsets who spend a fortune travelling over and back tend not to do so as a family unit either, and should be taken for all they've got IMO.

[jofyisgod]

And all you care about is some poxy team who didn't even finish in the top two of their own league and got NO trophy last season.

Hear hear. They're just an average side now-is he going to comment on Charlton in future?

[Mr_T]

I got this, 2nd, reply:

*************************************************
fair point
*************************************************

Thats it in it's entirety, and so ends my brief relationship with Barry Andrews!.....:p

LOL, probably the most honest, un spin-doctored, response from an Irish politician on the Eircom League or indeed any issue, ever.

Fair play to you for a great response to which he had no other answer.

And fair play to him for admitting as much.

TG