Ireland Play Home games In England

cournioni

Why didn't the FAI just approach the GAA for the use of Croke Park and not be going to the Government and the press about it. If the FAI had been handling it properly they could be playing in Croke Park next year. All they are doing now is trying to make the GAA look bad.

The Muppet

If the FAI had been handling it properly they could be playing in Croke Park next year.

Why expect them to change tha habits of a lifetime and actually do something right for a change.

All they are doing now is trying to make the GAA look bad.

Thats true but anyone with enough savvy to see the whole picture will not be fooled by them as is evident from the latter replies in this thread.

Serbian

This really is an incredible situation to be in right now. Forgetting about all the stadiums that have been promised in the last couple of years, Lansdowne Road itself should have been upgraded and made an all seater years ago. If this had happened then the FAI could use the stadium until they had sorted out and built a suitable replacement.

As it stands, it is increasingly likely that Ireland will be forced to play competitve matches (the only ones that actually matter!) in a different country. The GAA simply are not going to allow Soccer to be played in Croke Park in the forseeable future.

One point I would like to make in regards the Eircom stadium. I could very well be wrong here but I seem to remember that the promise of the Bertie Bowl was the whole reason why the FAI didn't go ahead and build the Eircom stadium as they would no longer have to fund the construction of their very own stadium. I know this doesn't justify the fact that they no longer have a stadium capable of hosting international games of any significance, but it widens the blame from our short sighted football association to our short sighted government.

As for possible solutions, I guess obvious places for Ireland to play matches in Britain would be Anfield and Celtic Park. Anyone know the capacity of Windsor Park? The fact that no-one has suggested it probably means it is in the region of 15,000 or so.

In relation to this:

- Would soccer agree to not play there between May and October?

Soccer generally takes a break between June and August (unless World Cup / Euro Championship is on, but that's not going to be in Ireland!), but there are usually 2 significant games in June and one in September, so alternative arrangements would have to be made for these games. i.e. Even if the GAA did agree to allow soccer in, we would still have to play abroad for these months.

If Soccer was a 32 county sport in Ireland, do you think the GAA would have the same problems with it?

Walter Ego

In Britain, when there are Internationals on, the Premiership is suspended for the week to allow the players represent their country.

In Ireland no such measures are necessary as no Irish League / League of Ireland players actually play for Ireland.

Much as it pains me to say so, it is appropiate that Ireland sshould play its home matches in Britain as that is the real home of all the players, with very few exceptions.

We wouldn't know what to do with a National Soccer Staium if we had one.

Let's stop codding ourselves we don't have an Irish Team, Britain has an Irish Team.

ella minnow pea

Originally posted by B-K-DzR

Building a second large stadium in Dublin is stupid.

[/B]

because we all know that no capital cities have more than one stadium....

dRNk SAnTA

Originally posted by ella minnow pea
because we all know that no capital cities have more than one stadium....

I would think he means another stadium like croker. Dublin is smaller than most capital cities and Ireland is considerably smaller than many of such countries. Eitherway, its not about what other capital cities have, the point is we don't need another stadium like croker.

Lansdowne road may be rebuilt now with a capacity of 50,000, but croker should still be opened for the large games. Not because the GAA owe the public but because the GAA owe something like 80 million euro due to its redevelopment of croker. So theres no reason why they shouldn't be handsomely compensated for opening their doors, but their seems to be a childish attitude of 'ha ha, you should've built your own when ya had the chance'. Theres a good reason the FAI didn't build their own stadium, its because they have no money. And when they tried the government messed it up. The FAI don't own lansdowne road, the IRFU do. The FAI have had some successful with the national team but don't forget that soccer is a professional game so they don't have the same luxury the GAA do when they receive money.

uberwolf

Originally posted by Imposter
Here we go again!

About the GAA/Croker:

- Australian rules was never played there. Compromise rules was and that is governed by the GAA.

perhaps not, but I'm sure a boxing match once was, and I know american football once was. The rules state that central council has to grant permission for games deemed in contravention with the aims of the GAA to be played in ANY property owned by the GAA. neither of the above games fit this bill cos they ain't played here or draw from the playing pool as GAA. This was drawn up in the same mentality which prevented my grandfather watching my dad playing in a JCT final. He was working on having it removed at the time(the ban that is). Any member of the GAA found attending/viewing any other "foreign" game could be kicked out of the assoc.

The Muppet

Normally if you want to use something that belongs to someone else you ask politely.
Going the media route trying to create bad press and force The GAA into a decision that they are not ready to make is unlikely to ingratiate The FAI with those that govern the GAA. IMO the current campaign to force the GAA to open Croker is yet another fine example of mis judgement mismanagement or both and is sure to fail.

nlgbbbblth

Originally posted by Serbian
This really is an incredible situation to be in right now. Forgetting about all the stadiums that have been promised in the last couple of years, Lansdowne Road itself should have been upgraded and made an all seater years ago. If this had happened then the FAI could use the stadium until they had sorted out and built a suitable replacement.

As it stands, it is increasingly likely that Ireland will be forced to play competitve matches (the only ones that actually matter!) in a different country. The GAA simply are not going to allow Soccer to be played in Croke Park in the forseeable future.

One point I would like to make in regards the Eircom stadium. I could very well be wrong here but I seem to remember that the promise of the Bertie Bowl was the whole reason why the FAI didn't go ahead and build the Eircom stadium as they would no longer have to fund the construction of their very own stadium. I know this doesn't justify the fact that they no longer have a stadium capable of hosting international games of any significance, but it widens the blame from our short sighted football association to our short sighted government.

As for possible solutions, I guess obvious places for Ireland to play matches in Britain would be Anfield and Celtic Park. Anyone know the capacity of Windsor Park? The fact that no-one has suggested it probably means it is in the region of 15,000 or so.

In relation to this:

- Would soccer agree to not play there between May and October?

Soccer generally takes a break between June and August (unless World Cup / Euro Championship is on, but that's not going to be in Ireland!), but there are usually 2 significant games in June and one in September, so alternative arrangements would have to be made for these games. i.e. Even if the GAA did agree to allow soccer in, we would still have to play abroad for these months.

If Soccer was a 32 county sport in Ireland, do you think the GAA would have the same problems with it?

Think Windsor Park is small capacity
otherwise I would like to see our home games played there

at least it is in Ireland - unlike Celtic Park (head) which is as very much in Scotland despite what the Irish contingent of Celtic fans keep trying to ram down our throats

Blackjack

As regards American Football, the game that I remember was between Notre Dame and Navy College - both are College Teams, for which the players do not get paid, are not allowed to accept any sponsorship or do any endorsements. There may or may not have been another game there, I am not sure.
Not sure about the Boxing, but that was a good 20 years ago.
There has not been a concert in Croker for years.

What annoys me the most about this whole issue is that the Soccer and Rugger fraternity had for years been gloating at what a shed Croke Park was (not that they had anything better) and now that it's state of the art they want a piece of the action (without having contributed anything to it in the first instance).
The problem for a lot of people is the fact that the amateur organisation has, through hard work and financial savvy have now got a top class Stadium, and the Professional Organisation (with all of their paid officials and consultants) have nowt.
As regards the financial Savvy, yes they took the cash from the govt - what were they supposed to do refuse?. After all, there are several Stadia around the country that can hold (not seat) over 25,000 each. In McHale Park in Castlebar is an all-seater of 14,000.
If the GAA in Mayo can put that together, then surely the FAI in Dublin can put something together?.

Personally speaking I would have no problem with Ireland playing their Soccer Internationals at croker, but having said that someone made the very valid point earlier about the foot in the door (if one game were played, then that would be it, an expectation from then on).
But when people assume that it's their god given right to do so, I get a little annoyed. Annoyed that people who would normally snort down their noses at the GAA are castigating them for getting it right and building a proper stadium instead of relying on someone else to bail them out (FAI, Eircom Park etc). And before anyone comments on the "being bailed out by handouts", I somehow think that Croke park would be doing quite well without the development grants, maybe not quite as well as it is now, but a very significant portion of what it is now.

Croker belongs to the GAA - the GAA should be and are allowed to say who plays there and when, and under what terms, end of story. There are many that disagree, but that's just the way it is.

BKtje

Wasn't Croke Park used for the special olympics? You can't really say they don't let other stuff in.

About the foot in the door mentality, if the GAA don't want it played there after a given time (ie enough time to let the FAI sort out the new stadium) then give them a deadline and be strict on it.

I know the GAA financed most of it and i say fair play to them. At least there is one association/body in Ireland which is effecient enough to get a stadium like croker together. However the FAI are a shower of muppets and tbh i dont think the GAA should even comment till an official request is made by the FAI. However once this request is made i'd like it for the GAA to open its doors, even if its only temporarily to allow soccer be played there. I can't speak for the population of the GAA community/fans but i'd imagine that most wouldn't be against it. Especially temporarily.

The above said, i still dont think Dublin needs another large capacity, state of the art stadium.

because we all know that no capital cities have more than one stadium....

No infact most capital cities have a number of large stadiums. However most capital cities have a much larger population and/or the stadiums are used on a very regular basis. We already have two stadiums, Croke Park and Lansdowne road. Lansdowne holds 50k approx for rugby. If a third Stadium is built it would be quite a waist of money imo. 3 stadiums which lie dormant much of the year? makes sense to me.

Redeveloping Lansdowne would be the FAI and IRFU's best bet in the long run but that won't happen over night. Irish soccer needs a temporary home until its done, what im asking and hoping is that Croke park will be that temporary home. (Rugby will also need a temporary home tho but it would be easier for Rugby to go and play in the North than soccer imo. Perfect world Rugby would be let in as well till re-development is over ) Of course all this assumes Lansdowne will be re-developed.

DaithiSurfer

Make the tickets 15-20 each, Also introduce Introduce international season tickets and i bet it would be full for every match. Would that be viable?
Surely there would still be a profit made at those prices.I would bring all of my nephews and neices to every match if the tickets were reasonably priced.

eirebhoy

Originally posted by DaithiSurfer
I would bring all of my nephews and neices to every match if the tickets were reasonably priced.

Well if your nephews and nieces are under 16 they can get schoolboy/girl tickets for about €4/5 for the competitive matches and that has always been the case.

SAXA

Fact : GAA own Croke Park. They get to decide who plays there. It's their property same as someone gets to decide who gets into their house. The GAA have their own set of rules and their members decided (very narrowly) not to allow other sports in.
The Gov grant was given (stupidly) without conditions. If there was conditions layed out the GAA could accept them or regect them and the money. The GAA is not responsible for the financial state of any other sport ot their Grounds. So anyone who condems the GAA for the FAI prediciment is way off the mark. Berti has alot to answer in this Stadium fiasco. He bough the FAI with promises (and because their plan was doomed to failure anyway ie the proposals ran over budget) he bough off the GAA with the grant wich allowed the GAA to finish their Stadium and keep it closed to all outsiders thus increasing the need for the Berti Bowl.

I am in favour of opening up Croker as long as it does in no way damage the pitch for GAA matches. The FAI are a crowd of ejits and the IRFU are at last trying to do something positive.

The GAA is by no means perfect but it is run a hell of alot better the FAI.

Ideally Croke park would only be needed a couple times a year Ireland v England rugby and big WC and european matches plus a CL final would be great.

A 50,000 Ldown rd is big enough for most other games

Villain

Originally posted by Blackjack
As regards American Football, the game that I remember was between Notre Dame and Navy College - both are College Teams, for which the players do not get paid, are not allowed to accept any sponsorship or do any endorsements. There may or may not have been another game there, I am not sure.
Not sure about the Boxing, but that was a good 20 years ago.
There has not been a concert in Croker for years.

I don't think the ins and out of the game that was played is important the fact that it was used for a foreign sport is.

As I have said the FAI are muppets but does that mean that only 20,000 Irish citizens should have the privelege of seeing our national team playing while croker lies empty up the road??

You also have to remember the FAI had lined up EIRCOM park but was told by the government not to build because the Bertie bowl would be coming:rolleyes:

To sum it up the FAI are muppets who should approach the GAA and try and work out a leasing agreement to allow Irelands soccer games be played there for the next 5 years while either Landsdown is being rebuilt or the government build a national stadium.

The GAA have allowed other events to take place there so there rule 42 is bull****, now they could be decent and let the IRISH NATIONAL SIDE play there games there and be allowed to be cheered on by 60,000 fans

eirebhoy

Originally posted by SAXA
I am in favour of opening up Croker as long as it does in no way damage the pitch for GAA matches.

The condition of the pitch cannot be made an excuse for the refusal of the GAA to open the doors because there is loads of schoolboy matches and stuff like that allowed to be played. I played in Croke Park for my school twice when I was about 12 and since we were not as good as Kilkenny we probably left the pitch in bits with our hurleys.

SAXA

But you were playing a sport that is governed by the GAA.

What I am saying is that I think if the pitch was left in a ruined condition by say a rugby match then all the old fogies who are against the opening of CP would crawl out of the woodwork again.

I am in favour of sharing CP with other sports but first and formost its a GAA ground

Should not be too much of an issue as the first games generally play in CP are paddies day each year which will probually be moved anyway unless the crowds can reach a level to finance the cost of opening CP. Need 32000 to make it worth opening

Qadhafi

so what if we have to fly to england and put ourselves out for a few years. They would be delighted to have us.

There was only 20,000 seats available so its not like any one has got used to actually seeing a high profile Ireland match anyway.

Mighty_Mouse

People who are anti-gaa are anti-gaa and there isn't much a person can say to convince them otherwise.

There the type of people who even if the GAA break their balls trying to let soccer in , will turn around and still castigate them for not doing it earlier! . People who could only mention the things the GAA do wrong during their hosting of the Special Olympics. ("Its a pity they would let the socccer matches play")

I think everyone here has to agree that the general level lf gratitude from the politicians, media and public in general was pitiful.

Imagine the fact that they never got a word of thanks during the thanking speach!

The anti-GAA attitude is particularly festered in Dublin but I'm sure that there are elements around the country also.

In any argument people make for or against the opening of Croke Park remember two things.................
1. the contribution the GAA makes day in , day out from a national to a local level all over this country-- -for free
2. the GAA is an amateur organisation motivated by the people involved and the sports that are played

Compare the above to the power and money invloved with sports of the IRFU and FAI.

Take your argument to the FAI and IRFU.

Personally I think the GAA are doing the IRFU and FAI a favour by not offering Croker because they know if they do there will never, never be a second stadium built in Ireland.

Maby this is why the IRFU and FAI "HAVENT EVEN ASKED" for croke park yet!!

Do ye actually want the GAA to offer before being asked!

Fianlly

---

ask yourselves who you argument is with -

the FAI/IRFU & Governement or the GAA?

I know what my choice is.

Villain

It's with the FAI and the GAA and the Government there all to blaim here.

First of all let me say the FAI are muppets and as I have said before they are more amatuer than the GAA, but let me also say that the FAI were going to build Eircom Park a nice enough stadium but Bertie said he would build the Bertie bowl, but then Harney the Fat bitch she is said no no.

So we'r at a cross roads, develop Lansdown or wait for Bertie to get his way.

In the mean time it would be nice of the GAA to allow our national sides to play their competitive games in Croke Park

Imposter

Originally posted by irish1
It's with the FAI and the GAA and the Government there all to blaim here.

First of all let me say the FAI are muppets and as I have said before they are more amatuer than the GAA, but let me also say that the FAI were going to build Eircom Park a nice enough stadium but Bertie said he would build the Bertie bowl, but then Harney the Fat bitch she is said no no.

So we'r at a cross roads, develop Lansdown or wait for Bertie to get his way.

In the mean time it would be nice of the GAA to allow our national sides to play their competitive games in Croke Park

The FAI could still build Eircom park if they really wanted. I think I also remember them saying that the cost of eircom park was too much. Also what size was eircom park supposed to be? According to some people in this or other threads on this topic that capacity isn't enough.

Yes it would be nice if the GAA opened the stadium to other sports but at the end of the day it's their decision and nobody can or should be allowed bully them into a decision.

Villain

Originally posted by Imposter
The FAI could still build Eircom park if they really wanted. I think I also remember them saying that the cost of eircom park was too much. Also what size was eircom park supposed to be? According to some people in this or other threads on this topic that capacity isn't enough.

Well it was very expenisve and basically they would have needed money from Bertie to build it like the way Croke was given money by the government, but Bertie said he would build the Bertie bowl instead.

Not sure of the capacity think it was 45,000

The Muppet

Well it was very expenisve and basically they would have needed money from Bertie to build it like the way Croke was given money by the government,

In other words they were prepared to build it provoided the government paid for it, that was nice of them. I am suprised Bertie didn,t go for it.:rolleyes:

Menton seem to be rowing back from his anti GAA stance of a few weeks ago. I heard him saying that Croke Park was not the answer to their problems and they need to build a Stadium at landsdown in conjunction with the IRFU.

Villain

Originally posted by The Muppet
In other words they were prpared to build it provoided the government paid for it, that was nice of them. I am suprised Bertie didn,t go for it.:rolleyes:

That wasn't what I said, I SAID LIKE THE GAA THEY WOULD HAVE NEEDED SOME FUNDING.

So go roll your fecking eyes somewhere else.

The Muppet

Well it was very expenisve and basically they would have needed money from Bertie to build it

How much were the FAI going to contribute to the project then and what percentage were they expecting to be grant aided?

The cost of building Eircom park in 2001 was around 130 million for a 45000 seater stadium , The GAA got 60 Million ? in grants . Did the FAI have the 70 million difference or did they cancel the project becaus they knew it would bankrupt Irish soccer and used The Bertie Bowl as an excuse.

Posted By Irish1
So go roll your fecking eyes somewhere else.

:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Villain

Originally posted by The Muppet
How much were the FAI going to contribute to the project then and what percentage were they expecting to be grant aided?

The cost of building Eircom park in 2001 was around 130 million for a 45000 seater stadium , The GAA got 60 Million ? in grants . Did the FAI have the 70 million difference or did they cancel the project becaus they knew it would bankrupt Irish soccer and used The Bertie Bowl as an excuse.

I can't answer those questions but I'm sure they could have raised the cash, the fact is your statement

In other words they were prepared to build it provoided the government paid for it, that was nice of them. I am suprised Bertie didn,t go for it.

Is petty and lacking sense.

:cool: :cool:

Cork

I think we need to ask the FAI - Why after world cups in Italy, USA and Japan - Why are they without a basic stadium?

Crole Park is the GAAs Stadium - It is up to them - who they allow play there.

It is nothing at all to do with the FAI, IRFU or the Government.

The Muppet

quote:

I can't answer those questions but I'm sure they could have raised the cash, the fact is your statement
quote:

---

In other words they were prepared to build it provoided the government paid for it, that was nice of them. I am suprised Bertie didn,t go for it.

---

Is petty and lacking sense.

Perhaps if you did a little bit of research on the issue and knew the answers to these questions my Statement would make better sense and seem less petty to you.

Villain

Originally posted by The Muppet
Perhaps if you did a little bit of research on the issue and knew the answers to these questions my Statement would make better sense and seem less petty to you.

No not really

In other words they were prepared to build it provoided the government paid for it, that was nice of them. I am suprised Bertie didn,t go for it.

They weren't looking for the Government to build it, they were simply looking for some finanical backing LIKE THE GAA GOT TOWARDS CROKE PARK

Mighty_Mouse

I'm not sure that there isnt some rule against posting articles but you have to be a member of the site to get this article.

Basically this sums up what the GAA is about for me. Hopefully the people who dont comprehend the difference in supporting Man United or local gaa team will be a small bit enlightened.

Who dont understand why an Irishman should defend the GAA first and second look for reasons after, why as an amateur organisation people should defend the GAAs right to utilise Croke Park in their own best interest and why and the end of the day the fault for a lack of a rugby/ soccer stadium has nothing to do with the GAA.



Eugene McGee: GAA tapestry brings colour to all our lives
Monday December 22nd 2003

THERE I was, desperately thinking about how I would somehow compile a column for today's newspaper, what row would I deal with, what mad manager would I home in on or what GAA official with his mental faculties jammed in a time-warp would I analyse in depth for the benefit of readers. And then I got a flash of inspiration - after all it is the season for that sort of thing - even though I was cold sober at the time. Why, now since it is the end of the year and all that, not just highlight some of the great things that the GAA brings to Irish life year after year? Forget the rows, the controversies, the court cases, the fixtures mess, the Croke Park debts, the quality of inter-county football and even the abolition of Rule 42. Just think of the good times. So here goes . . . THE NEW CROKE PARK: One of the advantages of the extravagant type of democracy practised in the GAA is that every member of the organisation feels they have as much of a say and a right to everything as the top officials. Therefore, the completion of the magnificent new stadium struck a special chord with every GAA member around the country and abroad. What really brought that home to the masses was the use of the stadium for the Special Olympics and the spectacular television coverage of the opening ceremony. Every GAA person stood a bit taller after that momentous evening last June. ALL GAA IS LOCAL: To paraphrase the late Tip O'Neill re politics - nothing gives the GAA such authenticity in the Irish psyche as the club championships from under-14 level to senior. In every county in the land they capture the imagination of young and old, revitalise parishes that have been socially and economically dormant for years and galvanise the local people into a mad outburst of civic pride in their locality that nothing else under the sun can do. In every county every year we see amazing outbursts of joy, excitement and sense of belonging when a team comes from nowhere to win a county title for the first time or to regain a title after a lapse of a generation. This year we saw first time successes for Caltra in Galway, Blackhall Gaels in Meath and the Arles parish in Laois which sent out teams to win both the county senior and intermediate titles after a local row split the parish some years ago. The GAA never worries about a row or two, which is just as well maybe, but usually gets stronger when the combatants have returned their swords to their scabbards. This sort of thing rarely happens in other Irish sports - in the GAA it happens every year on several occasions GAA IS FOR CHILDREN: The massive investment in coaching over the past 20 years has ensured a vibrant
youth structure in the GAA and in every corner of Ireland the happiest GAA faces are to be seen in U-14, U-16 and U-18 teams at parish level as thousands and thousands of young boys and girls give their all for the honour of the local parish. The sheer joy of just participating on a summer evening is all these youngsters want, but if success is added in then so much the better. Nobody has ever tabulated the real extent of this underage activity in the course of a summer's week. That's a great pity because it could be as many as a quarter of a million teenagers every week. What would Ireland be like if that facility for releasing physical and mental tension was not so readily provided for these young people? The GAA doing the government's, and often parent's, work and getting very little thanks for it. THE GREAT THEATRICAL EVENTS: The All-Ireland finals, provincial finals and county finals bring spectacle, drama, excitement and entertainment on the grand scale to the masses of Irish people every year. They are now taken for granted of course which is a pity because massive effort goes into each 'final production'. Players make colossal sacrifices, managers work themselves to the verge of breakdowns, officials do all the background work and the referees conduct the orchestras. The whole thing coalesces into a series of magnificent theatrical events from county final day in every county to All-Ireland final days in Croke Park. Without these spectacles, the lives of millions of Irish people would be so much poorer emotionally and even spiritually and the actual quality of the finals is never really that important. It is the event that counts. We should never take these things for granted when we see how great occasions in some other sports have been besmirched by thuggery, drug-taking or financial avarice and we should pray that the great GAA events will not go the same way. OUR LOCAL HEROES: Possibly the greatest thing the GAA has going for it is that the biggest stars in the game who constantly illuminate our playing fields with their skills and motivate the next generation to attempt to emulate them are all from some local area. They are part of the plain people of Ireland. They are not just pictures on the television or in the papers like the great soccer stars. The GAA hero returns to his native place after every game and the national superstar becomes just a local lad again. He can be met in the local village or town the next day. He might be sitting in front of you at the local Mass on the morning of the big match. He may be a teacher in the local school, a garda in the local station or delivering your post every morning. This local involvement by our top stars differentiates Gaelic games from most of the other major sports. They are living proof that GAA games are of the people and not divided like UK soccer between pampered, spoiled superstars on the one hand who live in a different stratosphere and the plain people who pay good money every week to watch. THE CRAIC AND THE CHAT: There are hundreds of thousands of Irish people whose lives would be totally barren without the opportunity to engage in the chat and the craic associated with matches. Getting there, meeting people, giving out to the ref, seeing famous people from the GAA, spotting former great stars in the crowd, and going for a few jars in a GAA pub afterwards. Take all that out of many people's lives and they would have no wish to keep going on this earth. After the recent famine, they will welcome the O'Byrne, FBD and McKenna Cup games in January like manna from heaven. That's (in part) the GAA for you. All things to all men and women. But where would Ireland be without it? Happy Christmas! E-mail: eugenemcg@hotmail.com

Mighty_Mouse

I havent read all the post but for those of you interested in facts -

Fact - the GAA have even been asked for the use of Croker
Fact - the people at faullt for no stadium = IRBU/FAI +Government
Fact - funding/grants/tax have nothing to do with the use of faciliteis and is a stupid argument
ie ---should cricket, horsejumping, gymnastics all be let use faciliteis of the GAA

AmenToThat

Originally posted by Rodney Trotter
My ar5e!

Typical Sinn Fein (IRA) attitude.

Celtic are not Irish and never will be Irish, they are British.
They have, in Ireland, a bunch of thugs, singing sectarian, IRA songs, trying to make them out to be an "Irish" team. I don't subscribe to the notion that Irish people must follow Celtic, because they're Irish. The new breed of Ireland based followers of Celtic make me sick.
How a bunch of Paddies can publically proclaim their hatred for Rangers (a.k.a. Gers/Huns etc), a team in a foreign country, is beyond me. Maybe it's the closest thing that they can get to having a real team of their own.

Anyone else know Panathinaikos? They wear Green, they were founded by an Irish Priest, thay have a clover/snamrock on their crest and they are based in a foreign city! Let's all support them and hate their big city rivals?

Pity my first post here has to be to reply to this drivel but such is life I suppose
While I have no wish to see the ROI football team have to play there games outside of the country the attitude of people this half makes me hope we have to play our qualifiers in Paradise!
Petty I know but such bile tends to have that effect on me!

Villain

In reply to Rodney Trotter Originally posted by irish1
That post is what I would call a display of ignorance.

I support Celtic and I hate Rangers, I support Aston Villa and I hate Birmingham, my ex supports Kerry and hates Cork, see where I'm going mate!!!!!

So grow up and smell the coffee

I wrote the above reply to Rodney Trotter's post but for some reason he never replied:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

The Muppet

I wrote the above reply to Rodney Trotter's post but for some reason he never replied

Think he was banned in a cull a while back which might explain the lack of a reply.

The_B_Man

everything aside, if it came down to a toss up between playin in croker or playin abroad, i'd choose croker.

i'd be ashamed if our national team had to play abroad.

Wompa1

I'd like to change my stance because after watching Micheal Collins recently I think I got an insight into why the G.A.A won't let an English game be played in Croker
I forgot about the Tanks and the killings
My apologies

Villain

Originally posted by Wompa1
I'd like to change my stance because after watching Micheal Collins recently I think I got an insight into why the G.A.A won't let an English game be played in Croker
I forgot about the Tanks and the killings
My apologies

Going by that logic we'd be back to the IRA running the country.

Also would you like to see Irelands National side playing their HOME games on British Soil?? with 40 - 50 thousand Irish people following them??

By the way Soccer is a game played in nearly every country in the world to say it's english is a little off the mark.

ZENER

Very true Irish1 have a look at this site and you will understand why the Brits have a bad reputation as hooligans !!!

Origins Of Football

Tinky