Not just myself, but I've seen parents tell it to junior infants. There's a certain element of religous sowing the seeds of hatred at an early age tactics there.
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We'd similar literally hammered into us in primary school ...and I'm not talking back in the fog either -this is in the 1980's. The only field games permitted to be played on school property -in or out of school hours, during PE lessons, breaks or whatever were GAA codes. Needless to say there were no Rugby or Football teams fielded by the school either. I don't think it counts as an exception but they did play basketball.
This wasn't a Gaelscoil whose principle was some Peadar MacArmalite either. It was CBS Hassetts Cross. Well known in the city and pretty much in the shadow (well it is now anyway) of Thomond Park Rugby ground.
A fine school in all other respects by the way ...the very first boys primary school in the land to teach home economics! No Sh1t! :)
This was one of those "overheard on the bus" stories. A young fella asked his mother if he could go "training" (obviously a muckabout for the kids) with the local soccer club. His mother responded by saying that soccer was a foreign game and she'd send him over to Na Piarsiagh. The young fella didnt have a clue, and asked what that was. "Its hurling and football, thats what irish people play, not soccer". The young fella seemed a bit puzzled but accepted this with the innocence of his age.
I used to get angry hearing about our 'National Games' and everything else being foreign sports. Now I just encourage the gaaaah heads to make announcements at every opportunity as they can't help themselves appearing to be eejits. It can only help The Beautiful Game.
By the way, a good drinking buddy of mine is just back from his factory in Romania where he has being manufacturing hurleys for the last 2 years. I don't think he was supplying the local market:D Does that conflict with their Nationalistic ethos???
up the GAAAAAAH!! :D
Football is not foreign. It's our game as much as it's anybodies.* Nor is it an "English" sport. They (that is to say -some people who happened to be in England) wrote down some rules to try and define and regularise "the game" (and I thank them for doing so) which was being played with considerable variations in rules and customs at local, regional, provincial and national levels all over England, Britain, Ireland, mainland Europe and beyond.
England and it's FA's contribution has been immense but -to refer to a popular myth -they no more "Gave Football to the World" than Mike Nesmith from the Monkees gave the world Tippex.
*Hence the term "Gaelic Football" is at best misleading and at worst mischievious. GAA code football (my preferred description) holds no more of a franchise on "Gaelicness/Irishness/Whatever" than the brand new code I've just dreamt up called "Irish-Mega-Gael-Ball-Fisting" which under the articles of it's administrative association -the just now formed "Irish-Mega-Gael-Ball-Fisting Athletic Association" I hereby claim to be the true, antique form of Irish Football.
And is hurling cricket played by savages :D ?
Called ProGaa :). Obviously know whats coming down the line after the thin end of the wedge that is the player grants...
Incidentally, anyone see Bertie get presented with a couple hurleys when in Poland as they (Poland) supply over 30% of the market. Plus there's apparently other eastern european producers (Romania as well I think I heard) under cutting the traditional irish producers.
I think there was a feature on a producer in Slovakia on some sports show or other last year.
Some Irish producer was on the radio moaning about Bertie endorsing foreign hurleys saying the GAA is Irish. His logic doesn't really hold up as surely is GAA people felt the same way they would purchase his Irish hurley instead.