Not going to discuss the nuances of my family history on a public MB. If it's really that fascinating PM me and I'll respond tomorrow night.
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That's fair enough BB...I think you were right in slagging them about their "Dual Nationality" though.;)
If they read the British Citizenship laws, they'll have a fit.:D
The Republic Of Ireland affords me "Dual Nationality" as a birthright....kinda messes up your arguement a bit.:D
PM me a link, with relevant legislative dates and we'll see.
But they neither want to be or are 'British' AFAIK. ;)
In the absence of anything else I don't think we have a choice. For lots of reasons, I dislike GSTQ. In fact I dislike national anthems in general and I stand and stare at my shoes when GSTQ is played at NI games. But for me it's a case of fairness. I have stood in Dublin for the SS and I think it's fair to expect that gesture to be reciprocated in Belfast. And also GSTQ means a lot to some in NI, in the same way that the SS means a lot to some in NI and the RoI. In an all-Ireland set up, I don't think those feelings should just be dismissed.
Fair enough GR keep going. Your pedantic, weak and frankly juvenile diatribe has amazed and amused me all day. I've often been hesitant to subscribe fully to the notion that NI is infected by a siege mentality. You sir have somewhat eroded that hesitation. Thank god for some rational NI posters like NB. And you're relieved we didn't make it to the WC? Add deplorable pettiness to the list above.
you've likely already pidgeon holed me, and no doubt wrongly, but now it's in your head you will fight to make it right.
do you still think your little "walk and talk" sessions are actually representative of almost 2 million people and will still purport them to be so to everyone? even when you are shown to be incorrect you still persist holding on to what on the surface appear to be, at the least, pretty uninformed views and make unwarranted, disparaging remarks. isn't that trolling?
i should try gathering my views the way you do sometime? no thanks, i prefer to try using facts over the coloured bitterness of wherever your opinions came from.
i've met a builder from ardee, maybe everyone in ardee is a builder?
i've met a junkie in dublin, maybe all dubliners are junkies?
i've met a ukrainian who was a chef, maybe all ukrainians are chefs?
i've met a protestant bigot in northern ireland, maybe all protestants in northern ireland are bigots?
no matter, there doesn't seem any point telling you things aren't all as you see them because you will probably revert back to the view you wish were reality anyway and continue spouting garbage.
open your eyes sometime ardeebhoy and stop letting others fill your head full of prejudice.
There is a certain rationale in what you say JohnB. Your point about fairness is one that I understand, i.e; you want there to be/think there should be, an anthem that caters for the Unionist people from Northern Ireland who attend Irish rugby matches. This is, crucially, different from an anthem that represents NI as a whole, and it represents a catch-22 situation for the IRFU.
It is my view that using GSTQ to represent the Irish rugby team is no way appropriate. Obviously, the IRFU also know this, certainly strategically and probably by a majority belief within the organisation. If the IRFU did allow GSTQ to played before a match at Ravenhill, there would be an uproar in the Republic and the team would haemorrhage support. The IRFU is not going to go down that route, so, what should it do?
The fairest and most equitable way, would be, to just play Ireland's Call. I wouldn't have a problem with that. Alternatively, in the event that an official Northern Ireland anthem does come about, that would be then be used. This is the more likely outcome, in my view.
The central problem of course, as it pertains to NI, is that there is no collective Northern Ireland identity.
(but maybe the clock is ticking on that one........who knows)
To Lamb,
If you dont engage with people how else do we find out their views....
May not agree with NB, but at least we get a view of sorts.
Whereas all you want to do is say I'm 'wrong' !
Obviously from the 'reasoned' line of argument !
You could have a point there: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEAyPcezEGA
Always glad to help, old boy ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Scooby Doo
I don't know whether this has been covered yet but you can't just decide to join up football federations willy nilly. FIFA has very strict criteria for this type of thing. All countries must be real countries (politically). That is everyone of more than 200 members. The only exceptions are the 4 'countries' of the UK who are allowed to remain as they are because they were the original countries who played soccer.
You cant just say an All-Ireland team works for the rugby so lets have one of those for the soccer too. It wouldn't be allowed until we have a united Ireland politically.
Not quite sure how that situation works - they have a form of home rule and are NOT in the EU, unlike Denmark. But I can see that different possibilities might be accepted by FIFA.
However, I dont know of any composite teams (as they call them in rowing) being allowed by FIFA