GAA need to step up

Had a look through my WhatsApp conversations; family back and forths asking about the kids, a work colleague checking if I was in the office next week, and old friend seeing if I fancied a pint over the weekend, the wife asking me to pick something up in the shops.

Not a multi-page moan about a sporting organisation to defend one's own sectarianism to be seen. I like my way better.

And again, what is it you can’t accept about your own history….the FACT you and your community bear as much if not slightly more responsibility for what happened by virtue of the fact, you had the power.

The GAA is an Irish organisation dedicated to Irish culture, why wouldn’t it reflect that? It has shown itself totally open to all even you.

It is open to all though. Is the Orange Order?

To say the GAA is not open to all is arrant bullshit, ask the PSNI or Linda Ervine or the numerous people of all faiths and political colours who continue to participate and enjoy.

Your motion ‘the GAA is sectarian’ has been roundly dismissed.

Recognised the world over as a unique and fabulous organisation at community level.

Jamie Bryson is flat out making the ‘toxic’ snowballs because we’ve had a month of actual Loyalist sectarian toxicity, stop throwing those snowballs for him, maybe?

unionists calling the GAA sectarian while defending these scum, the upholders of law and order. Couldn't make it up and this on the low scale of horrible things they did to the nationalist community. What would you have done to fight back at this protestant statelet, orgainise a march ffs

So what reforms of the OO are you calling for?

Should they appease nationalism by completely capitulating to who nationalists ideas of who they should commemorate?

Or are you prepared to accept that there are 2 narratives of the conflict/war ?

All the OO need to do is stop fermenting hate of one creed by removing all constitutional discriminations. Those discriminations that caused the conflict/war in the first place.

Soccer is a game that belongs to all, it has no specific cultural links to any community here or the world, GAA football does. Unionism/loyalism took soccer in NI as it’s own and tried to lock others out.

I think you lost support after that revealing night in Windsor and had to reform or die out. Even find yourself banned from international football if you didn’t take action. Simple as that.

Nobody is going to over thank you for being decent and silencing bigots and thugs.

All in County Galway, Downcow. I even left in the links so that you could click on them and educate yourself.

eg. Liam Mellows club. I thought you'd find Liam Mellows an interesting read. His father was in the British army. He was involved in the Easter Rising and Liam was a Sinn Fein TD in the first Dáil.

Downcow will find the ambiguity of our history interesting, I thought, 1 man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter and all that. History of 100 years ago should teach us ALL to try and improve our environment.

Just imagine my disappointment when I log in this evening to see a big unionist cut and paste job on the evils of the GAA citing Casement, O'Donovan Rossa and Davitt.

FFS Davitt died in 1906. Do you REALLY have a problem with a club bearing his name? Really?

Here's a quick link to his life story. Read and enjoy!

Michael Davitt - Wikipedia

Honestly - if you are talking about the GAA as an organization - I genuinely don't see how you could think it is inherently sectarian in today's age - but I don't live in the north. When "the ban" was in force, I agree absolutely it was exclusionary which is self explanatory.

It is an amateur sporting body filled with volunteers who take time out of their often busy lives to try to build skill, camaraderie, competition, health and fitness in young people in their communities. In rural areas, and some urban ones, it is central to community life. These communities are active and diverse, with their own internal politics, grudges, and rivalries - they are far to busy to be sitting around wondering about how we can be sectarian against Protestants, or whatever you are trying to intonate. I have played against a good few Protestants (could be more I don't of) who were completely involved, not to mention great players. Increasingly with the younger generation, people of many religions and colors are getting involved.

I'm not saying it is some utopia, some bad eggs in there, but the organization itself is a genuinely positive and inclusive one, or at least one that tries to be.

In the north? I don't know. There is sectarianism in NI society, I'm not surprised if some of that lives in people who are members of the GAA.

As for the people you name, or describe as terrorists - in a black and white world of us = good, them = bad, I can see how you can say that - they fought the British.

But even as a proud Unionist you must admit that Ireland was an occupied country whose language, customs, culture and national sports were all but destroyed. There were people who fought to save this, sometimes despicably, and however misguided they were, the early iteration of the GAA viewed itself as a part of what they were trying to save, and celebrated them for it. Can see how this would leave a bad taste in your mouth tbh. Would you think about getting involved and trying to change the names stadium names - you are free to join afterall.

Why is that ironic? I think Linda is great and the way that she has been welcomed into the GAA and has become a great spokesperson for the organisation (and also a proud Unionist) is surely proof that the GAA is open to all?