View Full Version : Irish Politicians - eircom League
hamish
09/01/2006, 3:30 PM
This is a trifle off topic but in the early 90s we were running the finals of local Primary Schools footie in Ahascragh (yes THAT Ahascragh as in Don't feed the Gondolas:D ) and a few local TDs turned up to spew the usual BS.
Anyway, we noticed that one local TD was missing until he appeared halfway through the proceedings.
TBF to the guy, when we asked him did he get our invite he said he wasn't sure as his secretary may have not passed it on.
So,when I asked him how did he know about the finals. God's truth, this is verbatim as to what he said, "Well, I was on my way home and I saw the crowd so I came in to find out what was going on". LOL
Jaysus, TDs - when they even smell a few potential votes they'll appear.:D
Passive
09/01/2006, 3:33 PM
AFAIK Larry O'Toole (Sinn Féin) is a Shamrock Rovers fan also.
I wouldn't say that to his face - Larry is a born and bred gypo!
hamish
09/01/2006, 3:44 PM
Fianna Fail TD Charlie O'Connor has been at a good few Rovers games.
The late Neil Blaney TD (uncle of current TD Niall Blaney) was President of the FAI from 1968-73.
I remember him getting terrible stick in the papers when, as President of the FAI, he attended a Donegal Gah game in Croker which was on the same time as the FAI Cup Final.:D
Brian Lenihan attended a fair few Athlone Town games in the past. He used to play for Gentex FX in his younger days I believe and was pretty nifty too.
Maybe the Athlone lads here will clarify things about all that.
Mary O'Rourke was supportive too when Town were organising various fund raising schemes etc etc. She always made time to meet us to discuss plans and so on.
Michael D is a Legend in Terryland and has supported Galway since the beginning and is now president of the Club. He is also a gentleman who is might craic had a great chat with him about the latest gift grub CD and the Micky D. Sketch he thought it was hillarious.
Raheny Red
09/01/2006, 4:37 PM
Originally posted by northside hoop
Think he's a boez ****.
Originally posted by Passive
I wouldn't say that to his face - Larry is a born and bred gypo!
My mistake. I just thought he was a Rovers fan. A few seasons ago when Shels played Rovers (in Richmond on a Sunday afternoon - 1-0 Shels, Mark Roberts winner) he was in the stand at the Rovers end. He maybe just a big eL fan and attends as many games as possible!
Schumi
09/01/2006, 4:39 PM
Or maybe he really hates Shels. :D
Carlin
09/01/2006, 5:29 PM
I wouldn't say that to his face - Larry is a born and bred gypo!
Yeah a Bohs member as far as I know and regular European away traveller (when we used to have regular European games):(
Vitruvian Man
09/01/2006, 7:33 PM
Macy and Pete, get a history lesson for God’s sake. And not one of Passive’s arse-over-tit makey-up ones. I suppose, by your logic, the agents of Michael Collins who infiltrated Dublin Castle were West Brit garrison-monkeys just because they shuffled some paperwork for Queen Victoria.
Bohemians were formed in 1890 by an IRB spy ring who had subverted the Dublin garrisons of the British Army (one of the most powerful in the world at the time) but needed a front to meet and pass their information, especially in the winter because the Phoenix park was proving to be pretty cold. By also infiltrating the medical wing of the occupation force they also ensured the deaths of countless Royal Irish Regiment personnel by infecting them with syphilis, known colloquially during the times as “The Hooped Disease” or “The Ringsend Rot”.
Everyone with more than superficial knowledge of Irish history knows that Bohemians have the richest deepest and most vibrant nationalist character of any association football club. For example, the original colours of the Starry Plough flag of James Connolly’s ICA were red and black in honour of Bohemians FC. But, they were changed to green and silver after the original was stolen and burned during a game in 1902 with a team recently formed from Ringsend street-drifters and the unemployed sons of Montgomery Street workers. The flag was changed to the more familiar blue and yellow after a Bohemians game against a different team of Ringsend criminals in 1913 who attempted to turn the Bohemian revolutionaries in to the British Imperial authorities by presenting them with the stolen flag.
In 1916 Dalymount was considered by the IRA army council as a site for staging the rising due to the staunchly republican nature of the area but Bolands Mills was eventually settled on as they decided that any collateral damage to civilians would be better suffered among the traditional supporters of the British Empire. This theory proved to be well founded as the British Navy gunboat Helga fired on every rebel position within range except the Bolands Mills even though it was the closest.
Bohemians = Nationalist Team.
FACT!!!
chippie0001
09/01/2006, 7:44 PM
Yeah a Bohs member as far as I know and regular European away traveller (when we used to have regular European games):(
Yeah Larry is a born and bred Bohs fan. Have met him at a few away Euro games as well as most venues away in Ireland.
On the opposite side I hear John Bruton is also a Bohs fan, mentioning the 6-4 in Santry against Rovers as one of his favourite events.
Roverstillidie
09/01/2006, 9:13 PM
On the opposite side I hear John Bruton is also a Bohs fan, mentioning the 6-4 in Santry against Rovers as one of his favourite events.
blueshirts.... irish hibernians...shooting ira men.... too easy!!!! :D :D
gspain
10/01/2006, 8:23 AM
blueshirts.... irish hibernians...shooting ira men.... too easy!!!! :D :D
Will you ever stop harping on about clubs being Republican or Loyalist or whatever.
Can you provide any evidence that any club in this country has ever made a political statement or has any political leanings. Bohemians are a football club. Shamrock Rovers are a football club end of story.
BohDiddley
10/01/2006, 10:25 AM
Sheer brilliance.
FACT! :D :D :D
Macy and Pete, get a history lesson for God’s sake. And not one of Passive’s arse-over-tit makey-up ones. I suppose, by your logic, the agents of Michael Collins who infiltrated Dublin Castle were West Brit garrison-monkeys just because they shuffled some paperwork for Queen Victoria.
Bohemians were formed in 1890 by an IRB spy ring who had subverted the Dublin garrisons of the British Army (one of the most powerful in the world at the time) but needed a front to meet and pass their information, especially in the winter because the Phoenix park was proving to be pretty cold. By also infiltrating the medical wing of the occupation force they also ensured the deaths of countless Royal Irish Regiment personnel by infecting them with syphilis, known colloquially during the times as “The Hooped Disease” or “The Ringsend Rot”.
Everyone with more than superficial knowledge of Irish history knows that Bohemians have the richest deepest and most vibrant nationalist character of any association football club. For example, the original colours of the Starry Plough flag of James Connolly’s ICA were red and black in honour of Bohemians FC. But, they were changed to green and silver after the original was stolen and burned during a game in 1902 with a team recently formed from Ringsend street-drifters and the unemployed sons of Montgomery Street workers. The flag was changed to the more familiar blue and yellow after a Bohemians game against a different team of Ringsend criminals in 1913 who attempted to turn the Bohem
ian revolutionaries in to the British Imperial authorities by presenting them with the stolen flag.
In 1916 Dalymount was considered by the IRA army council as a site for staging the rising due to the staunchly republican nature of the area but Bolands Mills was eventually settled on as they decided that any collateral damage to civilians would be better suffered among the traditional supporters of the British Empire. This theory proved to be well founded as the British Navy gunboat Helga fired on every rebel position within range except the Bolands Mills even though it was the closest.
Bohemians = Nationalist Team.
FACT!!!
WeAreRovers
10/01/2006, 10:31 AM
Bohemians are a football club. Shamrock Rovers are a football club end of story.
End of story??? Not a chance, any opportunity for Rovers and Bohs fans to have a go at each other will always be gladly taken. Even if it is some spurious 100-year-story about Brits and the Rising.
For example of how serious we take this stuff see Vitruvian Man's post. Genius, but in a rather disturbing way. ;)
KOH
BohDiddley
10/01/2006, 10:32 AM
I was a huge Accrington Stanley fan back when they were in senior football. Went to all their games, home and and away..... :D
Definitely a garrison club. Full of bloody Brits. :mad:
You should be ashamed of yourself. Your only hope is to beg forgiveness from the SRFC thought police :eek:
BohDiddley
10/01/2006, 10:39 AM
Getting back on, or at least towards topic, does anyone know of any national (ROI) politician who has done anything tangible for Irish football, and in particular EL football? As a proper-football arriviste, I am not aware of a single such case, but I'm probably wrong.
I'd love to get my hands on that Noel Ahern letter to the IT. Any more detail on it to help in the search?
razor
10/01/2006, 10:44 AM
Apart from a certain SF councillor, No one in Cork stands out as being a City fan. Of course they'll all be there when trophies are given out, anything for a photo opportunity, lechicos the lot of em.
I see some Bohs fans still very touchy about British Army past.
Can you provide any evidence that any club in this country has ever made a political statement or has any political leanings. Bohemians are a football club. Shamrock Rovers are a football club end of story.
Exactly. Football shouldn't involve itself in politics like the GAA.
As a proper-football arriviste, I am not aware of a single such case, but I'm probably wrong.
I doubt you are wrong. But watch them start tripping over themselves in the run up to the election. :rolleyes:
BohDiddley
10/01/2006, 10:54 AM
I doubt you are wrong. But watch them start tripping over themselves in the run up to the election. :rolleyes:
I won't be holding my breath: http://foot.ie/showthread.php?t=32544
I don't think there's much appetite for the garrison game down BIFFO'S way.
Pablo
10/01/2006, 11:01 AM
Dan Boyle and Sean Martin are regulars at city matches
Dan Boyle and Sean Martin are regulars at city matches
I think Dan Boyle used to sponsor a player?
sonofstan
10/01/2006, 11:10 AM
lechicos the lot of em.
Love that word (though it's usually rendered as 'latchiko')
bigmac
11/01/2006, 12:07 PM
pat rabbite is a hoop
Haven't read most of this thread, (first time on net since christmas!!) but didn't Pat Rabbitte come out in the Irish Times recently with a column about what it means to be Irish and mention Man Utd? He might be a hoop, but he should be more vocal about it if he really is one.
Being Irish means being passionate about hurling, the Dubs, Man Utd, Keano, Cork, and almost any other form of sport you care to mention.
NY Hoop
11/01/2006, 12:49 PM
Haven't read most of this thread, (first time on net since christmas!!) but didn't Pat Rabbitte come out in the Irish Times recently with a column about what it means to be Irish and mention Man Utd? He might be a hoop, but he should be more vocal about it if he really is one.
Well when he launched "We Are Rovers" he said he was a patron at the RDS. I've never seen him at a game but thats not to say he doesnt go.
Wasnt aware of the IT piece but it is embarrassing especially the man yoo and traitor bit:rolleyes:
KOH
Speranza
11/01/2006, 12:51 PM
What a ****ing tool. How can he seriously say as a pretty inteligent man that being Irish means supporting a British club.
WeAreRovers
11/01/2006, 2:09 PM
Well when he launched "We Are Rovers" he said he was a patron at the RDS. I've never seen him at a game but thats not to say he doesnt go.
Wasnt aware of the IT piece but it is embarrassing especially the man yoo and traitor bit:rolleyes:
KOH
He was at the 2002 cup-final in his green and white scarf (safe to say he's not a casual so. ;) ) and he's been pretty good to Rovers over the years. And I say that as someone who can't stand the bloke.
The only IT piece I saw was a Sporting Highs and Lows 2005 feature in which Rabbitte said one of his lows was Rovers getting relegated.
KOH
NY Hoop
11/01/2006, 2:22 PM
He was at the 2002 cup-final in his green and white scarf (safe to say he's not a casual so. ;) ) and he's been pretty good to Rovers over the years. And I say that as someone who can't stand the bloke.
The only IT piece I saw was a Sporting Highs and Lows 2005 feature in which Rabbitte said one of his lows was Rovers getting relegated.
KOH
Yeah in fairness he has stuck with us throughout the Tallaght debacle. Forgot about the other IT piece.
Politicans? Whaddya gonna do?!!
KOH
BohDiddley
11/01/2006, 2:27 PM
Rabbitte was wrapping the red flag of the ManU global franchise around himself on December 30. He might as well have said being Irish is about loving a McDonald's and Coke.
For those with access ... http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/opinion/2005/1230/838438969OP30RABBITTE.html
There is a fascinating blind spot in the Irish psyche when it comes to British football, that has to do with the early coverage on television and subsequently Sky-ification. I don't think anyone can claim to be immune. I'm happy to confess that I still have a fond spot for Leeds United that goes back a (erm, very) long way, but I certainly won't be adding it to some oddball collection of qualities that makes me Irish.
I can't imagine the leader of a major political party in any other country making a statement like Rabbitte's, still less his getting away with it as if he has just said nothing of note.
It's as if football in this country didn't exist outside of the E. Premiership hype machine. Weird but, unfortunately, very real.
NY Hoop
11/01/2006, 2:34 PM
Rabbitte was wrapping the red flag of the ManU global franchise around himself on December 30. He might as well as said being Irish is about loving a McDonald's and Coke.
For those with access ... http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/opinion/2005/1230/838438969OP30RABBITTE.html
There is a fascinating blind spot in the Irish psyche when it comes to British football, that has to do with the early coverage on television and subsequently Sky-ification. I don't think anyone can claim to be immune. I'm happy to confess that I still have a fond spot for Leeds United that goes back a (erm, very) long way, but I certainly won't be adding it to some oddball collection of qualities that makes me Irish.
I can't imagine the leader of a major political party in any other country making a statement like Rabbitte's, still less his getting away with it as if he has just said nothing of note.
It's as if football in this country didn't exist outside of the E. Premiership hype machine. Weird but, unfortunately, very real.
Quality post for a gypo:D but spot on. It's the sheep mentality. The most popular clubs here are liver fluke and man yoo. Why? Because they won everything in the 80s and 90s respectively so everyone "supports" them because everyone else does. Largely the blame for this is the media.
KOH
Apart from a certain SF councillor, No one in Cork stands out as being a City fan. Of course they'll all be there when trophies are given out, anything for a photo opportunity, lechicos the lot of em.
Thats not correct nor fair.
Batt O'Keeffe FF used to go a good bit when games were on a Sunday before he was made a Junior Minister, he used sponsor Patsy Frayne in the bad old days.
Dan Boyle of the Greens is a regular and always sponsors thinkgs like mascot competitions and family enclosure sweets etc
Seán Martin is always there
John O'Brien is a die hard
HarpoJoyce
11/01/2006, 6:23 PM
ex- Minister David Andrews :-
Belfied Park Stadium regular on Sunday afternoons.
Anto McC
11/01/2006, 6:52 PM
Which team is more nationalist :rolleyes: you're all tools!!
Passive
12/01/2006, 10:52 AM
Re: Rabbitte, for those without access to ireland.com:
"Being Irish means being passionate about hurling, the Dubs, Man Utd, Keano, Cork, and almost any other form of sport you care to mention"
Bizarre statement, indeed.
Being Portugese is all about loving Real Madrid.
Being French is about being passionate about Bayern Munich.
The definition of being Scottish is being obsessed with Arsenal.
All true Brazilians would die for Boca Juniors.
Edit: didn't see the quote on the previous page.
Block G Raptor
13/01/2006, 12:21 PM
AFAIK Larry O'Toole (Sinn Féin) is a Shamrock Rovers fan also.
Correct me if I'm wrong!!
you couldn't be any more Wrong if you said he was a rangers fan
Better hope he doesn't find out !!:D
Da Real Rover
13/01/2006, 6:17 PM
Rosaleen O'Grady, Mayor of Sligo, is Conor O'Gradys mother, shes been ta the odd game.
Saint Tom
15/01/2006, 5:39 PM
saw that labour euro candidate ivana bakic coining votes in mcdowells after a game hasnt been seen since. i'd be labour- leaning but blatant attention seeking does my head in
anto eile
17/01/2006, 10:26 AM
you couldn't be any more Wrong if you said he was a rangers fan
Better hope he doesn't find out !!:D
i wouldnt want Larry the Tool supporting Rovers. he's a total plank
Risteard
17/01/2006, 11:55 AM
Dan Boyle in the echo pictured at the rebel army ball.
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