Women's World Cup

My 16 yr old daughter asked me a question then next morning, "what's the RA?" She genuinely had no idea what it meant and her 12 yr old sister was the same. They watch reeling in the years as if it was another planet. And they both love history and are actually pretty well clued in. They've been up North loads of times and have no real comprehension and understanding of the Troubles and in school, it tends to stop at Bloody Sunday.

In one respect, it's great that a generation is growing up where the Troubles are history but I do wonder if some of the players either had idealised versions of what the IRA was from rebel songs or actually didn't have a clue. By assuming they know what we know, there is a danger that the evil gets forgotten about

And why on Earth were there tricolours in the Liverpool end at Ibrox last night.?
 
Duke of Marmalade said:
It was close though. Never did understand the Irish support for Liverpool with their dreadful history of crowd trouble. As to being true to one's tribe can you blame folk for deserting Everton?

I think you mean it was not followed by a unanimous endorsement of its congratulation. The topic of this match will long be remembered for the disgusting after match behaviour rather than for the Irish victory. But I agree we are no longer "shooting the breeze" but "letting off steam".
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Yes . They should be congratulated for their very good result and creating a piece of history, which is what the original threat was about. Others instead of agreeing decided to take the other point. I wonder if those same people would be happy if they were thrown out because of a silly lack of judgement. No one is perfect and everyone should be allowed a mistake without all this nonsense.
 
joer said:
I wonder if those same people would be happy if they were thrown out because of a silly lack of judgement.
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No, not thrown out, that would make them martyrs alongside their 'RA heroes. But dumped out ignominiously with no points, yes please.
 
Salvadore said:
It’s possible to acknowledge the significance of the result, the skill and commitment of players and coach, and the eloquence of the creeslough tribute and still be appalled that an international team would sing songs of this nature in celebration. This is what the British papers are leading with in their coverage.

The players let themselves down. I know they’d like us all to forget and move on quickly like they have but some of us are old enough to remember how negative stories like this impacted on the Irish in England.
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Priceless.
 
joer said:
According to the man who wrote the song , it has nothing whatsoever got to do with the IRA . It was a song about graffiti in Glasgow.
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He mightn't have intended it to be about the IRA when he wrote it but it's most definitely about the IRA when it's sung. Just sayin'.
 
losttheplot said:
You'll often see tricolours at Anfield or Old Trafford. Wouldn't be unusual. Probably more likely to see a tricolour than a union jack at Anfield.
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Yea, I always found that strange considering their history. I suppose there are lots of people in this country who love the British Monarchy as well.
 
Peanuts20 said:
My 16 yr old daughter asked me a question then next morning, "what's the RA?" She genuinely had no idea what it meant and her 12 yr old sister was the same.
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My 18 year old daughter is aware of them mainly due to their former leadership covering up child rape. She's more emotional about that than them murdering children. Strange how they see the world.
 
Purple said:
He mightn't have intended it to be about the IRA when he wrote it but it's most definitely about the IRA when it's sung. Just sayin'.
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That's a matter of opinion but you are probably right . I really think that in their , the ladies soccer teams, joy at qualifying for the world cup they would have sang anything singable without really concentrating on what they were actually singing. As far as I am aware the song started with oh ah Paul mc Grath and developed from there. I say give them the benefit of the doubt and let's move on...
 
joer said:
That's a matter of opinion but you are probably right . I really think that in their , the ladies soccer teams, joy at qualifying for the world cup they would have sang anything singable without really concentrating on what they were actually singing. As far as I am aware the song started with oh ah Paul mc Grath and developed from there. I say give them the benefit of the doubt and let's move on...
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A racist or homophobic song to the same tune wouldn't have been acceptable and we wouldn't be saying we should just move on. A song supporting the IRA is far worse than a racist or homophobic song.

If the American women's team were singing a song in support of Al Qaida nobody would be saying just move on. The IRA was and is an enemy of this country which spent 40 years fighting this country. How on earth is it a small matter when people representing this country show their support of a terrorist organisation that sought to destroy this country?
 
I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. They didn't really, really mean "Up the 'Ra" just as those Loyalist scumbags didn't really, really mean what they were singing about Michaela. And I mean that, let's move on.

But David Cullinane did really, really mean "up the 'Ra". The largest party on this island glorifies the IRA 30 year senseless brutal campaign. They realise that their TDs getting caught singing "Up the 'Ra" isn't good electoral politics (which I suppose is a good thing). Now that really is off topic.
 
joer said:
That's a matter of opinion but you are probably right . I really think that in their , the ladies soccer teams, joy at qualifying for the world cup they would have sang anything singable without really concentrating on what they were actually singing. As far as I am aware the song started with oh ah Paul mc Grath and developed from there. I say give them the benefit of the doubt and let's move on...
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Why? What's wrong with actually having a conversation about it? I genuinely don't think they even thought they were causing offence and that's the issue. It was just words to them. But they are not just words. We need to get rid of all this racist, sectarian, anti semitic rubbish that seems to surround sport. And I include singing about Hillsborough, Munich or any other tragedy that people do as some warped way to show support.

I don't agree with them being hung, drawn and quartered but I am glad they are having an uncomfortable time. If it educates one other young person, it is worth it.
 
No doubt this topic will come up again and again. All I am saying is well done girls on qualifying for the World Cup for the first time in their history. And that is my final word on this topic , just saying..
 
And I now see a danger in this furore (partly faux) around the Girls in Green (BTW why were they in Orange?, but that's for another topic). It let's the likes of Cullinane off the hook. Ah sure, just a bit of craic just like our lady footballers, instead of something deeply sinister and subversive which is on the verge of getting into power.
 
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Sunny said:
Why? What's wrong with actually having a conversation about it? I genuinely don't think they even thought they were causing offence and that's the issue. It was just words to them. But they are not just words. We need to get rid of all this racist, sectarian, anti semitic rubbish that seems to surround sport. And I include singing about Hillsborough, Munich or any other tragedy that people do as some warped way to show support.

I don't agree with them being hung, drawn and quartered but I am glad they are having an uncomfortable time. If it educates one other young person, it is worth it.
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As you say, an uncomfortable time... they need to be sent on some mind numbingly boring re-education course ... some sort of penance must be undertaken.
 
If you sang this song at work you'd probably be before HR.
Maybe the FAI need to emphasise that playing for your country means you're essentially an ambassador now and provide guidance on what should be avoided.
 
losttheplot said:
If you sang this song at work you'd probably be before HR.
Maybe the FAI need to emphasise that playing for your country means you're essentially an ambassador now and provide guidance on what should be avoided.
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Yea, but the FAI? The blind leading the blind...
 
Purple said:
A racist or homophobic song to the same tune wouldn't have been acceptable and we wouldn't be saying we should just move on. A song supporting the IRA is far worse than a racist or homophobic song.

If the American women's team were singing a song in support of Al Qaida nobody would be saying just move on. The IRA was and is an enemy of this country which spent 40 years fighting this country. How on earth is it a small matter when people representing this country show their support of a terrorist organisation that sought to destroy this country?
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It would seem to me that they have a different view.

Not everyone sees the world the same way you do.

That doesn't make them wrong.

I see Celtic Symphony is no.1 in the charts if we can believe the Daily Mirror
 
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