Come to Cork this March 17

[liam88]

I know what you're trying to get at, and i suppose it could be seen as a cultural event in a way. But it should be religious culture, ie Christianity, rather than the celebration of nationality which, it has become. You know, kiss me I'm Irish hats, green beer, it's pretty much an americanised perversion of what the day was supposed to be.

Very very good poitn Andy.
Guess over internationally it's a day when people recognise Irishness-i put culture as I took it as read that it is a primarily Christian ceromony; good point raised!

[lopez]

I know what you're trying to get at, and i suppose it could be seen as a cultural event in a way. But it should be religious culture, ie Christianity, rather than the celebration of nationality which, it has become. You know, kiss me I'm Irish hats, green beer, it's pretty much an americanised perversion of what the day was supposed to be.

Strictly from a Christian point of view, St Patrick wouldn't get much of a fan base amongst dissenters. Only the RC and the CofI believe in saints. The point about Irish-Americanism is valid. In fact there are some Irish Americans that see this event as denigrating their community with what is considered a day of unadulterated boozing. Once again, The Simpsons got it right, when it parodied the Springfield St Patrick's Day Parade. Sidestepping slightly, in Christian (or rather Catholic) terms, St Patrick's Day is not solely an Irish event. The day is listed on Spanish calenders (a saint for nearly every day) and he is honoured in Murcia as there was a battle against the Moors won on that day and so the victory was granted by St Patrick's blessed intervention.

[Troy.McClure]

Any one can celibrate and take part in St.Patricks day festivities..
Only Prodestants can take part in a OO march

Think the 2 should be seperate..

Look up the meaning of hypocrisy

[razor]

The point here is that we all know the OO is a bigoted sectarian group.

No more so than the GAA and surely they can march.

[Soko]

couldn't agree more. I remember hearing an interview with a youth group from the Shankill who were on some exchange trip in Kerry (helping rebuild that famine boat I think) and one of them said he was shocked when he came down- he expected the place to be full of priests and nuns! The only way to change opinions is to educate.

They must have right thick *******s so. This invitation was a disaster from the beginning and thankfully the OO have decommited from their trip down south. If I never talk to a person from the North again or have to go there again I'll die a happy man. Scum filled,sectarian cess pool of hate, they can leave all up there for all I care, whatever side they are on.

[patsh]

No more so than the GAA and surely they can march.

There is an ocean of difference between the two organisations, and it's that kind of lazy comparison which do no good at all and just make the situation worse.
If you think for even one minute that the two organisations are similar, then you know nothing about either of them.

[Éanna]

No more so than the GAA and surely they can march.

I can't stand the GAA, but that is well wide of the mark IMO. The OO is absolutely and utterly sectarian in its intentions- i.e. only Protestants can join. Thats not the case with the GAA.

[Andyh]

If I never talk to a person from the North again or have to go there again I'll die a happy man. Scum filled,sectarian cess pool of hate, they can leave all up there for all I care, whatever side they are on.

We love you too..........

[Green Tribe]

Soko, how can u be so general about people from Northern Ireland? The only way you can come to a valid conclusion IMO is to spend some time there, actually live there, get to know the people. Yes , there are some bitter nasty people, but u get that everywhere. I don't know where you have encountered these type of people or when, but for me i only encountered sectarianism and anti-irish/catholic sentiments when i came to scotland a few years ago. in nearly 20 years in northern ireland i experienced no personal sectarianism. as for the shankhill group who came to help build the famine boat and were shocked not to find the country filled with priests and nuns, they were probably having a laugh. i knew one girl from dublin who did not know who the OO were! but i don't assume everyone from Ireland is so misinformed. WHy don't u try to come here with an open mind? i hate discussions about northern ireland, young people from there are fed up with it(sure andyh will agree), but i couldn't sit back and let soko spout his nastiness about my people. hello davros, good to see u are back alive and well, if not unhappy.....

[Green Tribe]

:d :d :d :d

[Green Tribe]

ok that didn't work...

[Troy.McClure]

You can see the OO's main site here. Some interesting and fair points made on it IMO, although I think they have a slightly 'slanted' view on some things (but Im sure I do too).

Check out the Mr Orange in the shop

[liam88]

re.NE Ulster.....some of the best people you could ever meet........

Aye! Agree with you there....a certain hotoculture expert spring to mind
Also met a really nice bloke from Derry in the ice house up Camden......turns out he was from Kerry just had a bit to much to drink

[Lionel Ritchie]

I can't stand the GAA, but that is well wide of the mark IMO. The OO is absolutely and utterly sectarian in its intentions- i.e. only Protestants can join. Thats not the case with the GAA.

Eanna - I think there are sectarian elements and individuals within the OO -but it's hardly reasonable to call them a sectarian organisation because only Protestants can join. It's a protestant, religious organisation -it strikes me as perfectly reasonable that they only allow fellow protestants join -in much the same way that I understand why the (at LEAST as sinister) Opus Dei is for Roman Catholics only.

Where OO sectarianism IS explicit is in it's forbidding it's members to marry RCs ...though the RC church through 'ne temere' puts implicit stumbling blocks in the way. Granted the RC church won't boot you out but it's making sure it doesn't lose out on your offspring.

Similarily the GAA enshrines implicit sectarianism through it's demand that members uphold what are by any reasonable evaluation Irish Nationalist values that Unionists (20% of the Irish population) could not sign up to.

[Lionel Ritchie]

Not interested generally in the views of archaic dinosaurs........suffice to say that this organisation has practiced indoctrination & discrimination @ virtually every opportunity......until they apologise for this,the GAA by contrast are benign.

I thought it was the GAA you were on about til I got to the last bit

[Éanna]

Eanna - I think there are sectarian elements and individuals within the OO -but it's hardly reasonable to call them a sectarian organisation because only Protestants can join. It's a protestant, religious organisation -it strikes me as perfectly reasonable that they only allow fellow protestants join -in much the same way that I understand why the (at LEAST as sinister) Opus Dei is for Roman Catholics only.

being honest, I'm deeply suspicious of organised religion as a whole, but particularly the more sinister groups like the OO, Opus Dei etc.,

[Peadar]

I'm deeply suspicious of organised religion as a whole, but particularly the more sinister groups like the OO, Opus Dei etc.,

Don't forget the Stonecutters...

Welcome to the sacred order of the Stonecutters who since ancient times have split the rocks of ignorance which obscure the light of knowledge and truth. Now let's all get drunk and play ping pong!

[Lionel Ritchie]

Don't forget the Stonecutters...

Welcome to the sacred order of the Stonecutters who since ancient times have split the rocks of ignorance which obscure the light of knowledge and truth. Now let's all get drunk and play ping pong!

Who-holds-back-the-elec-tric-car?
Who makes Steve Guttenburg -a star?

WE DO WE-EE DO!!!!

[Éanna]

Who-holds-back-the-elec-tric-car?
Who makes Steve Guttenburg -a star?

WE DO WE-EE DO!!!!

doesn't quite have the same ring to it as the sash (eh, ruairi ) , but a good tune nonethless.