Government's skewed priorities to the fore again...

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Originally Posted by Sheridan

We don't have an embassy in Scotland as it's not a country. It's inconceivable that a consulate or embassy would unilaterally protest to another government without consulting with the Department of Foreign Affairs. So yes, this was a government intervention.

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It is inconceivable to you because your knowledge is perhaps very limited on these matters. But however it is easy for you to be so certain about your thoughts.
The letter was forwarded by the First secretary of Irish Community affairs to the Irish Consul General in Edinburgh.
She has a regular meeting with the Scottish Government where the issue was raised.
It is perfectly well within the brief of the Irish Community officer's duty to act in this manner without any consultation with the Irish Gov..

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Originally Posted by geysir

You are still doing sommersaults :rolleyes:
I have quoted another verse but from the same song ffs.
They = Irish , understand?. They rape their children, they spread their evil seed.


You wrote that the song was not offensive to Irish people
"It is however offensive to Roman Catholics and not to Irish people per se"
When it is clearly offensive to Irish people.


And the Government did not get involved, the embassy got involved as they are almost mandated to do in such cases. Forward the letter to the proper authorities.

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Because you (or anybody else) hadn't quoted this new verse referring to Ireland. The song is meant to be offensive to Celtic fans.

It was pointed out above that the child abuse actually applies specifically to Celtic in the 70's and not a general slur on the RC church as I'd assumed. So "they" does not equal "Catholic" or even "Ireland" it equals "Celtic"

The BBC report states that the embassy in London got involved. Last time I checked the Department of foregin affairs was part of our government.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/...st/7617518.stm

My main point is you have 2 foreign football teams playing a game in the UK who typically abuse and sing songs at each other. I don't like one of them being associated with this country and all the sectarian trappings etc.

Strange those Celtic fans were so offended by references to the famine and not by all the stuff on child abuse they are accused in the song of being complicit with. The logiical thing would be to go to the police and complain and leave our government out of it.

To quote Homer Simpson from the episode of the Simpsons about the move of the Springfield Isotopes to Alberquerque:

"Hungry for the Truth"

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Originally Posted by gspain

My main point is you have 2 foreign football teams playing a game in the UK who typically abuse and sing songs at each other. I don't like one of them being associated with this country and all the sectarian trappings etc.

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Whether you 'like it' or not the fact is that one of those teams was formed explicitly for (and by) Irish emigrants in the late nineteenth century. It has been (and is) supported by ex-pats and 2g and 3g Irish since it's inception. The matter of you liking it or not is immaterial.

Are Celtic an Irish football club? No
Are Celtic a football club of Irish extraction? Yes

Many Irish (myself included) only started following Celtic when living overseas and as a football club (and institution) it is very identifiable for ex-pats. My support continued even after returning home. My children (born in the UK) are Irish and many native Glaswegians are Irish too.

can't see why people have to drag there negative attitude towards celtic into everything. Instead of reading the story and giving their opinion they have to start with the anti celtic crap.

I dont care about everyone's feelings towards celtic, but when i see a team regardless who it is making a joke an being abusive about an era in irish history that killed over a million irish and forced another million to emigrate, i won't be happy unless i know that someone has taken this seriously within our government at least. As was said before if it was about the holocaust it would be outrageous but because its against celtic it's alright to have a go at the 'plastic paddy's'.

There are a large following of celtic supporters that are proud of their irish heritage and are part of the irish diaspora in glasgow. They are a scottish club but whether people like it or not there is an irish connection.

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Originally Posted by gspain

Strange those Celtic fans were so offended by references to the famine and not by all the stuff on child abuse they are accused in the song of being complicit with. The logiical thing would be to go to the police and complain and leave our government out of it.

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You really don't have a clue do you?? Celtic fans have been up in arms about this song for the past two seasons. This thread was started because the Irish state became involved. If you knew anything about Celtic fans you would know how strongly they feel about the jock song.

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Originally Posted by gspain

Because you (or anybody else) hadn't quoted this new verse referring to Ireland.

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Not true, you just had another blind spot episode.
The link to all the lyrics was given on the first page of this thread.

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The song is meant to be offensive to Celtic fans. It was pointed out above that the child abuse actually applies specifically to Celtic in the 70's and not a general slur on the RC church as I'd assumed. So "they" does not equal "Catholic" or even "Ireland" it equals "Celtic"

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When you read the whole song it is about the Irish and directed at the Celtic support. There is no attempt in the lyrics to separate Irish emigrants from the section of Irish community who are Celtic support.
Overall, in the context of the history of anti Irish bigotry in Scotland, this song is anti Irish, not just anti Celtic.

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The BBC report states that the embassy in London got involved. Last time I checked the Department of foregin affairs was part of our government.

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Pedantically yes, the Emabassy is connected officially to the Irish Gov.
The reality is that this affair is not at all the direct concern of the Irish Gov.
The Embassy has it's Irish Community officers for the Irish community in Britain,
not the Irish in Ireland.
They act on the brief of their job description which is to represent in some way the interests of the Irish Community. A Community officer forwarding a letter via the Consul to proper authorities, about a racially offensive song, is an community officer doing his job.
How many Irish citizens do you think live in Scotland?
All Irish citizens are entitled to receive assistance from the Embassy.
It has sfa got to do with the Irish Government as in the disingenuos hysterical claims here about "Irish government involved" in Scottish affairs.

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My main point is you have 2 foreign football teams playing a game in the UK who typically abuse and sing songs at each other. I don't like one of them being associated with this country and all the sectarian trappings etc.

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You don't like them people being associated with Ireland :rolleyes:
What you like or don't like is not relevant except that it explains your prejudice and your generalisations.
This issue is about Irish citizens and the Irish Community living in Scotland who are entitled to receive the legal protection from material which is deemed to be racially offensive. Irish citizens and others are quite entitled, after their complaints about racial abuse have fallen on deaf ears, to bring Irish related abuse matters to the community officer at the Irish Embassy.

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Strange those Celtic fans were so offended by references to the famine and not by all the stuff on child abuse they are accused in the song of being complicit with.

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Do you think the Rangers football fans could actually sing the whole song at Celtic Park:rolleyes:
And yet you assume that the father of 2 young kids and others were not offended by the child abuse stuff.
I'm afraid it is you Gspain who is displaying a selective prejudice.