ItwasSammyMcNally – Slugger O'Toole

The Moebius strip of offence, condemnation and sundry other trivialising bunfights

ItwasSammyMcNally on September 2, 2022, 3:44 pm | Readers 2949

goat, animal, livestock

Let me be up front from the outset. I can be very, very easily offended and I’m very, very selective in what I’m offended by. For example, the use of the L word as a prefix to Derry, whilst I consider it entirely legitimate, is nevertheless, very, very offensive to me – and yet I’m a big fan of the Wolf Tones and have no problem with their songs about the IRA. So you might reasonably conclude that once my tribal …

In praise of Nolan: “discussing controversial issues in a divided society will be – controversial…”

ItwasSammyMcNally on June 28, 2022, 2:27 pm | Readers 4243

flame, matchstick, light

As Mark Davenport (BBC Northern Ireland political editor) and David Blevins (Sky News) can both attest, being the subject of abuse on Twitter is not something reserved exclusively for Stephen Nolan. (David Blevins comments on his abuse here). And whilst all 3 are excellent journalists – the level of abuse directed at Stephen Nolan places him in a category all of it’s own. For example, in July 2021, Nolan received a 5 figure court settlement for abuse on Twitter. The previous day …

“The Referee’s a wnkr…”

ItwasSammyMcNally on June 9, 2020, 7:41 am | Readers 2386

Anyone with an interest in soccer in these islands will probably be familiar with this chant. It is part of what is often referred to as – football culture. It is now so normalised that, what otherwise is deemed to be grossly offensive language, can be audible in living rooms across these islands on a Sunday afternoon – and yet no one seems to actually hear it. Or if they do hear it, no one seems to be concerned that …

Gerry’s last job. (He hasn’t gone away you know.)

ItwasSammyMcNally on February 7, 2020, 9:30 am | Readers 4135

Having announced his retirement as a TD for Louth and now watching Sinn Féin rise to become the most popular party in Ireland (26 of 32) in recent opinion polls – the last part of Gerry’s masterplan is almost complete. They are now so close to getting their hands on power on both sides of the border. But not quite. Perhaps only Gerry, as someone who fought the fight and then delivered the Republican movement to peace – can finally get the old …

So G’wan Leinster – but can we have a different Irish ‘winner’ next year please?

ItwasSammyMcNally on May 9, 2018, 10:16 pm | Readers 1276

As another hugely successful season draws to a close, with a grand slam in the bag, Ireland ranked 2nd in the world and 2nd favourites to win next year’s world cup – we can still look forward to Leinster winning the European Champions Cup. Leinster play Racing 92 of Paris in Bilbao (Spain) on Saturday 12th May. Kick off 16.45, Irish time. Whilst Ulster failed to get to the knockout stages of the Champions Cup, Connacht got to the quarterfinals of …

A St Patrick’s Day Grand Slam showdown at Twickers? Probably.

ItwasSammyMcNally on February 22, 2018, 9:19 am | Readers 1063

Ireland last won a Grand Slam back in 2009. In odd years, like 2009, Ireland play England and France (the 2 traditional heavyweights) at home – and odd years were therefore deemed Ireland’s best chance of winning a 6 Nations Championship and particularly a grand slam. But in more recent times, France’s form has fallen off a cliff and Ireland has taken to beating them both home and away. In contrast to France, Ireland has moved up the pecking order …

Ireland and Europe: how Rugby could provide a very positive story in 2018…

ItwasSammyMcNally on December 21, 2017, 10:10 am | Readers 870

The European club championships have now closed down until the new year. Rounds 3 & 4, played over the weekends of 9th and the 16th December, saw all 4 Irish provinces win for the 2nd weekend in a row. Leinster, Munster and Ulster (listed in alphabetical order) are all now well placed in their groups to qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions Cup, with Connacht likewise well placed in the Challenge Cup. Since the European Cup started in …

Can Warren Gatland see off his tribal critics with an historic Lions NZ win for only the second time in history?

ItwasSammyMcNally on June 23, 2017, 10:53 am | Readers 434

When Warren Gatland announced his Lions squad for the tour to New Zealand there was considerable disgruntlement in Scotland that only two of their kith and kin and had been selected. Former Scottish internationals lined up to criticise the selection that also saw 16 players from England and 12 players from Wales even though they had finished below Scotland in the 6 Nations. Jim Telfer, himself a former Lions (and Scotland) coach stated: “Scottish Rugby should really feel as if …

Is it time for a European Lions v the southern hemisphere rugby test match series?

ItwasSammyMcNally on March 2, 2017, 5:04 pm | Readers 1030

Once every four years, the best players from the 4 rugby nations in the British isles play as a single team as the British and Irish lions. And when it is a Lions year, every week the papers revise and review their best guess as to who will be in the test team, who will be in squad and who will be captain. This year, in June, the Lions go to New Zealand to play the All Blacks, where they …

The Heineken Cup – an Irish success story.

ItwasSammyMcNally on May 20, 2011, 10:50 pm | Readers 3

This is the sixteenth year of the Heineken Cup and so far we have had 4 Irish victories. If Leinster beat Northampton in Cardiff’s Millennium stadium tomorrow(Saturday kick off 5pm) that will make it 4 Irish victories in the competition in the last 6 years- two each for Munster and Leinster – an incredible record. Unfortunately, this season, a resurgent Ulster exited to Northampton in the quarter finals, the first time they had qualified for the knock out stages since …

Queen’s Visit: Time to move on but not to forget…

ItwasSammyMcNally on May 19, 2011, 10:19 am | Readers 14

‘I have signed my own death warrant’; so (allegedly) did Michael Collins spake after he had signed The Treaty in London in 1921. Collins’s support for the Anglo-Irish Treaty which both agreed to the partition of the country and required elected representatives in the new state to promise to be faithful to His Majesty King George V (the Queen’s grandfather) was to lead to civil war and Collins’s own untimely death on the 22 August 1922. Irish attitudes to the …

Stand up for the Ulstermen (and the Leinstermen).

ItwasSammyMcNally on April 9, 2011, 6:03 pm | Readers 34

With Rory in the lead in the US Masters in Augusta and Ulster in the quarter finals of the Heineken Cup for the first time since they won it in 1999 – it could be a sensational weekend for Ulster sport. … if Ulster beat Northampton (away) on Sunday they will have a home semi-final and the possibility of an All Ireland Heineken Cup final in Cardiff in May – just the preparation Ireland need for the world cup. …if …

Of Prohibition, Paddy’s day, Leprechauns and the AOH

ItwasSammyMcNally on February 28, 2011, 12:11 pm | Readers 49

After watching the first 6 episodes of the excellent Boardwalk Empire (Sky Atlantic, Saturday 9pm) a few well established truisms are reassurignly reinforced. Firstly, just about everybody can do (and does) an Oirish accent but just about no one can do an Irish one. Secondly, given that the Irish do so love a drink, it was not very clever to impose Prohibition on a population so heavily represented by our goodselves. Thirdly, just as in fashion and style the Italians …

Jeremy, Plaid Cymru and how to do economic competence

ItwasSammyMcNally on February 7, 2011, 2:03 pm | Readers 4

I have to confess to being something of a fan of Jeremy Paxman but his smugness can occasionally require use of the TV brick or alternatively a viewing of this excerpt from Newsnight below. It is quite an old clip, having originally been posted by Dewi (Slugger’s Welsh + Rugby correspondent) around election time and which was perhaps a little too concealed in his post – I only just stumbled on it recently. About two and a half minutes minutes …

Election: New government expected but same old politics to continue.

ItwasSammyMcNally on February 1, 2011, 6:23 pm | Readers 10

Back on the 23rd June 2006 when Ireland was the richest country on the planet Berty Ahern, Taoiseach, had this to say in the Dail. “You would love to bring us back to the pathetic poverty when de Valera and Lemass built social houses, when no other houses were being built.” That was the “great tradition you and your merry warriors want to bring back too”. “You have a failed ideology and the most hopeless policy pursued by any nitwit. …

Help me with the West Wing: Essential viewing or Party Political Broadcast?

ItwasSammyMcNally on January 3, 2011, 10:48 am | Readers 86

Having somehow managed to avoid watching a single episode of the widely praised West Wing TV series I was delighted to discover the entire Box set in my Christmas stocking – and with enough spare time over the holidays to give it a good lash. But with 10 episodes of the first series under my belt, my initial burst of viewing enthusiasm is on the wane. There seems, to be a distinct lack of edge to the plots, a fairly …

When two (Celtic) tribes go to war

ItwasSammyMcNally on December 17, 2010, 12:14 pm | Readers 10

The good relations that traditionally mark Irish-Welsh relations will be under strain this weekend as the homespun-talk-themselves-down Munster take on the brash-talk-themselves-up Ospreys in Saturdays crucial (rugby) Heineken Cup match. Relations have been poor for a number of years since the Ospreys counter-cited Munster player Marcus Horan for racially abusing one of their players – a charge Munster angrily suggested was simply made up. Encounters between the teams are usually fiery and in keeping with this tradition, last weekend Munster’s …

SDLP MI5 and taking the fight to Sinn Fein…

ItwasSammyMcNally on December 4, 2010, 5:32 pm | Readers 26

The SDLP are still alive – and they give the distinct impression that they see this as something of an achievement. As continuing (relative) peace brings with it political consensus to both sides of the constitutional fence, the SDLP like the UUP are armed with new and rather uninspiring leaders as they continue to struggle to find a gap in the green and orange political markets. For the UUP, with Tom (Elliott) the Orangeman in charge and with the Tory …

Rocky (A5) road to Dublin?

ItwasSammyMcNally on October 26, 2010, 12:40 pm | Readers 8

As the Irish government clings desperately on to both the country’s economic independence and to its tiny Dáil majority whilst simultaneously promising the Plain People in the South more pain in the shape of less pay, fewer jobs and disappearing public services it may seem surprising that they are still funding that road which winds its way through the middle of the Ulster countryside and for no obvious electoral advantage. Of course, all political parties in the South insist that …

No Pope here either.

ItwasSammyMcNally on July 12, 2010, 10:52 am | Readers 61

If Pope Benedict XVI, aka Joseph Alois Ratzinger, was determined to visit those of his flock who reside in the Northern Irish territories (NIT) he would presumably be extremely well briefed as to which parts of Belfast it would be safe and sensible for him to drop in on. He would also probably be discouraged from going walkabout, particularly in full regalia and might be well advised to apply some additional armour plating to his pope mobile depending on which …