Eligibility proposal

**Blanchflower** · 21/12/2007, 7:47 AM

Originally Posted by kingdomkerry

Everyone who wants to play for Ireland [sic] can if they want

Nonsense.

1. You have to be eligible under the rules.
2. You have to be picked by the manager.

**Blanchflower** · 21/12/2007, 7:48 AM

Originally Posted by RogerMilla

so I'm not allowed to call the rugby team I support "us" ? and by extension the all-ireland soccer team if it ever came about "us"? not that i am in any way advocating one or want one , or advocating political union either.

In the context of the discussion, by "us" it read like you meant "ROI", i.e. as if the Ireland rugby team was an ROI team.

**Blanchflower** · 21/12/2007, 7:53 AM

Originally Posted by lopez

Don't support us then! Set up your own team with your own anthems and your own easily offended players then! As long as any player from any part of Ireland (or their descendants) can continue playing for the current Irish team, good f*cking riddance to you.

If that is the attitude of Southerners to the all-Ireland rugby teams, one wonders why they are surprised at people from NI who don't want an all-Ireland football team.

**Blanchflower** · 21/12/2007, 7:56 AM

Originally Posted by RogerMilla

Because the Ireland Rugby team is on a progressive course to becoming more inclusive as evidenced by the anthem and flags and in that spirit anyone who is a rugby fan on the island who finds it impossible to support them should give them another go.

Many, including myself, would have agreed with you about the "progressive course" up until the Italy match last year. Up until then we had been told that the policy was to use the Soldier's Song and Southern flag when home matches were played in the South, and GSTQ and the Union Flag when they were played in the North (it just so happened, of course, that no home matches were ever played in the North!). Then, however, we got a home match in the North and suddenly the policy was dropped. That was surely a regressive step?

**Blanchflower** · 21/12/2007, 7:58 AM

Originally Posted by RogerMilla

I didnt say that I said if it sang GSTQ it would no longer be the Irish rugby team.

Why?

An all-Ireland team using the anthem of Southern Ireland is Irish, but an all-Ireland team using the anthem of Northern Ireland is not?

That doesn't make sense.

**Blanchflower** · 21/12/2007, 8:02 AM

Originally Posted by lopez

The IFA have miles to go to match the IRFU in its quest for inclusiveness with regards to the anthem - In fact, with the exception of Dublin, the SS has never been played at any of its games.

I thought the Soldier's Song was used for all games, home and away, until fairly recently?

**Blanchflower** · 21/12/2007, 8:03 AM

Originally Posted by RogerMilla

My refusal to accept GSTQ is because I'm not English or even British.

But many Irishmen and women are British.

And many Irishmen and women are not Southern Irish, so why should they accept the Soldier's Song?

You don't seem to have a very even-handed approach!

**Blanchflower** · 21/12/2007, 8:04 AM

Originally Posted by kingdomkerry

Here here!!!

In the case of rugby why should members of the irish rugby team not sing the irish national anthem?

1. The phrase is "hear, hear".

2. They shouldn't sing the Southern anthem, because it is an all-Ireland team.

**ifk101** · 21/12/2007, 8:18 AM

Originally Posted by Blanchflower

They shouldn't sing the Irish National Anthem, although I do find it to be a catchy tune, because it is an all-Ireland team.

Edited

**Blanchflower** · 21/12/2007, 8:55 AM

You do realise that Ireland is partitioned?

**Drumcondra 69er** · 21/12/2007, 8:55 AM

Originally Posted by Blanchflower

I thought the Soldier's Song was used for all games, home and away, until fairly recently?

Don't think so. What do you consider fairly recently to be?

And what are people debating egg chasing on a football (or soccer if people want to be pedants) forum? Sh1t sport in any case.

**gspain** · 21/12/2007, 8:56 AM

Originally Posted by Blanchflower

I thought the Soldier's Song was used for all games, home and away, until fairly recently?

No it is/was only ever used for home games. I don't think it has ever been played for an Ireland rugby team outside of the RoI.

Word I heard from a very reliable source is that the Ulster Branch agreed to no GSTQ in return for all the tickets for the Italy game. I posted this on OWC in late Feb/early March long before the issue was decided and it proved to be correct. My club got no tickets for the game.

**Blanchflower** · 21/12/2007, 9:02 AM

Originally Posted by Drumcondra 69er

Don't think so. What do you consider fairly recently to be?

Originally Posted by gspain

No it is/was only ever used for home games. I don't think it has ever been played for an Ireland rugby team outside of the RoI.

I stand corrected, then. Was no anthem used for away games prior to "Ireland's Call"?

By "fairly recently" I meant pre-"Ireland's Call".

**Not Brazil** · 21/12/2007, 9:07 AM

Originally Posted by RogerMilla

. Perhaps one day they will have a home game in Belfast with an agreed anthem. ( I would not be backing GSTQ down at paddypower though).

They had an away game in Belfast recently, with the agreed anthem.

That agreed anthem should be the ONLY anthem played, WHEREVER the Ireland rugby team play, be that Dublin, Belfast, Paris etc...

**ifk101** · 21/12/2007, 9:18 AM

Originally Posted by Not Brazil

That agreed anthem should be the ONLY anthem played, WHEREVER the Ireland rugby team play, be that Dublin, Belfast, Paris etc...

Absolutely not.

Miniority interests should be respected but majority interests should be adhered to. If matches are to played in the country of Ireland, out of respect to its people and the state, the national anthem should be played every time an international sporting event takes place within its territories.

**Blanchflower** · 21/12/2007, 9:40 AM

Originally Posted by ifk101

Absolutely not.

Miniority interests should be respected but majority interests should be adhered to. If matches are to played in the country of Ireland, out of respect to its people and the state, the national anthem should be played every time an international sporting event takes place within its territories.

If Lansdowne Road/Croke Park hosted, say, a World Cup semi-final between South Africa and France - are you saying that the Soldier's Song should be played?

Was the Marseillaise played at this year's World Cup final?

By your logic, God Save the Queen should have been played at the Italy match. Is that your position?

**Blanchflower** · 21/12/2007, 9:41 AM

Originally Posted by Blanchflower

I stand corrected, then. Was no anthem used for away games prior to "Ireland's Call"?

By "fairly recently" I meant pre-"Ireland's Call".

Incidentally, what about flags? What flags were/are flown to represent the Irish rugby team at away matches?

**Not Brazil** · 21/12/2007, 9:43 AM

Originally Posted by ifk101

Absolutely not.

Miniority interests should be respected but majority interests should be adhered to. If matches are to played in the country of Ireland, out of respect to its people and the state, the national anthem should be played every time an international sporting event takes place within its territories.

Great arguement for the retention of GSTQ at Northern Ireland matches.

Basically, the "Ireland" rugby team, is a ROI rugby team, with a few folk of "minority interest" invited to play.

As a proud Irishman, I can assure you that the Soldiers Song and Tricolor will never represent my nationality.

**ifk101** · 21/12/2007, 9:46 AM

Originally Posted by Blanchflower

If Lansdowne Road/Croke Park hosted, say, a World Cup semi-final between South Africa and France - are you saying that the Soldier's Song should be played?

Was the Marseillaise played at this year's World Cup final?

By your logic, God Save the Queen should have been played at the Italy match. Is that your position?

No my position is that minority interests should be respected but majority interests adhered to.