GAA need to step up

It’s all about our definitions of sectarian. I would equally say it was sectarian if the OO looked unfavourably on the alliance party because they perceived they were doing Sinn Féin’s work. That would not mean I thought alliance were catholic.

mad already stated you are hiding behind a dictionary definition of sectarian. I am using the common definition of sectarianism in ni

Your dictionary definition does not fit in ni. By your definition the most sectarian people are decent Roman Catholics like mother theresa. I think everyone knows that is nonsense. The definition is much more nuanced in ni

but let us agree to differ on this one. I am not going down a rabbit hole on it. I am finished responding to this nonsense on defining sectarian

I don’t know why I allow myself to get sucked into this nonsense when we both know right well that you understand.

but tell me this? There is plenty of research, and we all also know anecdotally, that in rural areas where there are two shopping towns within easy reach that most catholics shop in the predominantly catholic town and prods in the predominantly prod town. These towns are by no means exclusively one or other.

Would you agree that stems from sectarianism? Or are you going to continue to argue that unless the towns were 100% one or other it can’t be sectarianism?

yes francie regarded by many that lots of our daily choices are impacted by a deep subtle unconscious sectarianism that runs through most of us here. It’s improving but it will take generations to eradicate.

I live equal distance between Newry and Lisburn. I can assure you that the ‘go to’ town for local catholics is Newry and for prods is Lisburn. Of course we all do occasionally be in the other. You make a really good point (which demonstrates that deep down you understand). You say “Are they the ones bedecked with symbolism and proudly announcing 'we own this wee town’”. Of course that is part of it. But what you need to work harder on is seeing the chill factors to ‘others’. You arrive in Lisburn and you notice the flags, the ni football shirts and all the little tell tail signs that you are not among your own (NB I am aware of them also).

I arrive in Newry and I see the GAA flags, the GAA shirts and all the little tell tail signs that I am not among ‘my own’. (NB you are completely oblivious to the messages nationalist towns send out).

you have a way to travel to be aware. I’ve said it before, many in your community have not yet arrived at square one.

ps I have just noticed this sentence from you “I live on the border and people go to shop where ………. they feel welcome and comfortable.” This is very astute. You now need to do some work on your selective observation skills. A little challenge for you - next time you are in your local town, have a wee look around and see what you can spot that, if Downcow visited, would tell him he was in a nationalist dominated town. Might be the old election posters still up? might be the sports gear on the shop rails eg could you buy a ni or rangers top? Might be the gear kids are wearing? Might be the flags up for the local team achieving? Etc etc etc.

id love to hear the results of your study.

the big challenge for most nationalists, and still some unionists, is to start to notice how their towns, clubs, schools, etc have loads of chill factors for the other.

that is not to say everything needs changed - that’s just diversity, but awareness is very important

Yes absolutely. Great to see Irish culture being so warmly welcome in strongly unionist areas. This is something I have been arguing on here for some time. Whether it’s republican parades in kilkeel, Gaelic football played in east Belfast or Irish dancing in Lisburn or uup party conference. It’s excellent and to be encouraged, and I agree the William smiths are small in number. maybe thats part of why people like francie feel comfortable in unionist areas

the challenge is to get the Liam Smyth’s to follow suit and welcome ulster-British culture in the same way To have some of our culture being welcome to Newry square on an ordinary shopping day would do wonders the remove the nationalist ‘our wee town’ syndrome. Just this weekend my culture had to hold their event at the roundabout outside my local nationalist town (downpatrick) in case it may hurt Liam Smyth’s eyes. We have also endured several attacks on our culture in our locality over the last days

so yes let’s stand up and call out the William Smiths and the Liam Smyths and work towards respect and inclusion

maybe a sunglass company could invent glasses that cut out ulster-British culture and we could offer these to Liam Smyths in downpatrick

francie you are the very one condemns others for suitable ‘stories’ - so not sure who or why or if they were being referred to as peelers, but you cannot equate a comment like that in ni as the same as if it was said it n another context. Remember this team has had members horrendously attacked by republicans for belonging to the ‘peelers’ team and another county team was singing on stage a couple of weeks ago about the attempted murder of ‘peelers’.

you need to open your eyes

Here’s your link. I’m sure there’s better ones But here is a key piece out of this one to save you opening it

“However, he later helped form a PSNI Gaelic football team and became its captain.  That, and the fact that he can speak the Irish language, was considered to have made him a prime target for dissident republicans.”

that article is from less than five years ago and is truly shocking and damning on some elements of the GAA

ps. I can read you like a book. When you can’t find me doing anything you can report me for, then you guys try to turn the thread nasty to see can that sensor any unionist.

I appreciate your post and maybe I jumped to conclusions when I saw the bold type and the reference to my post being ‘disgusting’. You only need to look at other threads to see the trend I expect, and your post seemed to fit that bill for me. So I apologise.

as for some of the content of your most recent post - I can’t understand how you are not understanding why I say certain things and also why you are making 2+2=5.

so I’ll be clear:

1) if you want to see how I get censored then just stick with this thread and watch what happens.

2) I can’t see why you are missing this from the BBC but here it is again, “However, he later helped form a PSNI Gaelic football team and became its captain. That, and the fact that he can speak the Irish language, was considered to have made him a prime target for dissident republicans.” Very clear to me

3) I am absolutely not suggesting the GAA targeted an Irish speaker or indeed that they ever targeted anyone. That would be ridiculous. There are far too many good decent honest people in the GAA to ever allow such a thing to happen

4) peadar is fairly certain elements within the GAA targeted him, “I'd be fairly certain guys I played with passed on my details to others.” Seems clear again

5) and you can read for yourself how the non-action of the GAA on the incident makes him feel about their attitude to peace building. It shouldn’t be a great stretch for you to have empathy how unionists will feel about GAA attitude to peace building following their non action after a senior team sings Ira songs on a platform.

That all said, I appreciate your desire to understand those who come from a different experience - I likewise