A work colleague who attended the game witnessed a steward in the Kop end intervening when dozens of fans at the rear of the stand sang a Rangers song linking Henrik Larsson and the IRA !! I will spare you the details but it wasnt the stuff of rocket science…

Up there with Sammy Mac’s Protestant Army ha ha ha.

Might have fallen for it if you hadn’t mentioned the ‘steward intervening’.

Are you not dizzy from all that spinning beano? Everyone knows what the boundaries of the four provinces are.

We could start asking – what flag is on Belfast’s “Ulster Hall”? How many counties does the Rugby team represent? When Ulster said no, how many counties where they referring to, or did the people signing the Covenant in Cavan, Monaghan and Donegal not count?

Selectively quoting, then being a condescending git works wonders, doesn’t it?

“In fact, I’ve no doubt Britishness would have to be integral to an All-Ireland state. Just as NI doesn’t work because it’s divided into sectarian camps, an all-Ireland State would fail if it too were so divided.”

The nature of Irishness would have to change, and many of the things that make up “Irish Britishness” would need to be integral. But the state would have to be indivisibly Irish, or else it is not independent.

I don’t believe “Britishness” can be accommodated within an All-Ireland state.

Again, at least you’re honest so we know what we’re dealing with.

In fact, I’ve no doubt Britishness would have to be integral to an All-Ireland state. Just as NI doesn’t work because it’s divided into sectarian camps, an all-Ireland State would fail if it too were so divided.

But that’s hypothetical. Dave is right at least when he says it won’t be happening soon. We each have a responsibility to make the best of a bad deal in the mean time.

Good to see you back.

One can only assume the order is a joke, as it just “happens” to have NI on top and RoI at the bottom.

And we wonder why the NI team’s not popular with many RoI fans!

I suspect he’ll regret printing that list come October.

Dave

Isnt it about time people including certain journalists within the ‘Irish News’ grew up and started refering to this province as Northern Ireland instead of the ‘North’.

Only if the Belfast Telegraph grows up and starts referring to “Northern Ireland” by its proper name too, instead of this constant “Ulster” rubbish.

The North is an incorrect reference anyway as it would include Donegal which is part of the ROI.

And “Ulster” includes two more. So the Tele is even further out.

Funny how people are so one-sided in the things they notice…

Kensei’s right, it’s nasty.
What ROI does is no different that what other teams do. Anything we do is within the rules set by FIFA.

Inver Red
“Most Likely 1-Northern Ireland
2- Scotland
3-England
4-Wales (2 games in hand on Republic)
5- Republic of Ireland.”

That’s a joke right? Wales are 7 points the top 3 (same no of games as Germany, 1 less than CzRep) but you think they’ll qualify?? Have you been following the competition at all?
NI & Scotland ahead of England?

Sure, but as I said, there are always going to be limits, and if Nationalism is going to sell a UI, it has to recognise that. I think there would be gains in other places though.

“As for a UI Gerry predicts 2020, that is quite soon.”

There are chains of events where 2020 is possible, but I would say very unlikely. But it’s been 80 years so far. If it’s another 80, we are over half way

As for a UI Gerry predicts 2020, that is quite soon.

Depends how you define soon, doesn’t it.

“Besides why can Britishness not be accomdated within an all Ireland state?”

Because you always hit walls. There is no tricolour flying over Belfast City Hall due to present Constitutional arrangements, just as there could be no Union Jack in an All-Ireland scenario.
That doesn’t speak to how people see themselves or express themselves – they could be as British as they liked – and a lot of the underlying “Britishness” here is really indigneous Ulster culture anyway and that can be catered for.

Kensei you said

I don’t believe “Britishness” can be accommodated within an All-Ireland state. But British people and many of the things that make up “Irish Britishness” can be.

You wont need to worry about this as an all Ireland state does not exist and is unlikely to do so any time soon.

Besides why can Britishness not be accomdated within an all Ireland state?

I don’t understand how it could be, but then I don’t have particular insight into the Unionist mentality.

I don’t believe “Britishness” can be accommodated within an All-Ireland state. But British people and many of the things that make up “Irish Britishness” can be.

Exactly how you would define “add-ons” would take some thought, because there are regional identities that I do have – Belfast, Antrim, Ulster. But Northern Ireland and British-Irish are entirely alien to me.

To be fair, you’re honest.

I’d much rather your stated position than someone who does make excuses but wouldn’t support NI anyway!

I’d be interested to hear how you define “add-ons”. Do you accept that Britishness is an integral part of Irishness, for example?

What do you think?

I like your optimism but England have to be the favourites and then the ROI. Wales are gon and Scotland won’t qualify.

We will qualify if we can muster up two more away victories, this is something I don’t think we can do.

So sneering and nasty whatever spin you put on it, and the fact the NI team has done the same apparently has no impact. I see.

And apparently I am guilty of “idiotic and prejudical bullshit and rank hypocrisy”.

Get some shame there beano.

Sigh. I’m tired of explaining things like this to ignorant bitter stirrers who jump to the wrong conclusions based on their own prejudice.

The term beggars came from the Republic of Ireland’s football team developing a habit during the late eighties early nineties of running all over the world ‘begging’ foreign nationals whose grandad once drank a pint of guinness in Dublin airport to come and play for them. It has nothing to do with taigs and fenians. But don’t let the truth get in the way of a MOPE, would you?

Football for all ???

inver

It would be more honest if you just said ‘Taig’ or ‘Fenian’.