NORTHERN IRELAND FOOTBALL chiefs and supporters have so far kept quiet on one former internatonal’s plea to drop national anthem God Save The Queen.
Former Windsor Park favourite Paul McVeigh urged the IFA to, as he sees it, encourage Catholics to play for the North by scrapping the use of the ‘English anthem’.
A spate of players born north of the border have declared for the Republic in recent years with the list including Manchester United’s Darron Gibson, Shane Duffy, Dan Kearns, and James McClean.
In a interview with the Belfast Telegraph, McVeigh insists that a new anthem and a move away from Linfield’s Windsor Park, is needed to improve the situation in the future.
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“Northern Ireland, as long as it continues with that anthem, will not have an identity of its own and players will continue to turn to the Republic,” he is quoted as saying.
The IFA declined to comment when contacted today by TheScore while a spokesman for the Amalgamation of Official Northern Ireland Supporters’ Clubs says that the fans’ group have decided not to comment also.
They should continue playing it in my opinion, to ensure that all the best Irish Players continue to declare for Trappatoni and The Ireland Soccer Team.
I remember in the 1060′s in Belfast , when one visited a cinema, that a lady with a flashlight came around all those seated in the theatre, to ensure that we would stand up for ‘God Save The Queen’.
They would threaten to throw us out, or bar us, if we didn’t cooperate with their bigoted hypocrisy.
Of course we sat and ignored them.
Incidentally , to get up our noses , it was played before and after each movie , when there was a double Bill.
No doubt that there will , in any case , be only one Team on the Island of Ireland in a few years time , as those type of bigots will never learn.
Fair dues to the all of the other All Ireland sporting Organisations , who have used common sense to ensure that we put out the best United Teams in this Country.
Yes Eddie I remember going to Windsor Park in the sixties and you took your life in your hands(I used to support Distillery FC who back then had a large Catholic support) We were chased out of it many times for being ‘Taigs’. None of the minority in the North would support ‘Norn Iron’. Too bigoted.But there is another point. The IFA want to retain their standing in FIFA so they can attend all the junkets etc., as a seperate Association. It;s the old thing ‘Turkeys don’t vote for Christmas’.
The Scots and Welsh are both British, yet they play their own anthems and it’s rear to see a Union flag at their internationals. The tribalism of the Northern Ireland set-up it bound to intimidate even the most luke warm of catholic players & potential supporters. Just look at what they did to Neil Lennon.. just because he played for Celtic. A disgrace. These suggestions would make sense to most moderate people but I fear the IFA & its supporters harbour a hardcore Loyalist “No surrender” mindset which is not for turning. Their narrow-mindness is The Republics gain. Enjoy next summer in Belfast lads.
After what happened to Lennon, it’s ‘good enough for em’ if good players choose the Republic over the North. And like Eddie says above, it’s good for us.
It would be in THEIR best interests to change this, so down here, we don’t care.
It is indeed odd the the IFA should want to play Englands Anthem at it’s home games. ther is a misconception in the North that “God Save the Queen” is Northern Ireland’s national anthem. It is not. It is the national anthem of England and also the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northen Ireland. Northern Ireland is not England nor is it the United Kingdom. It is a semi automonus province of the UK.
It is time the grew up and, like Wales and Scotland, came with an anthem that reflects their separate identity.
Of course Northern Ireland is part of the United Kindom !!
The term ‘United Kingdom only exists because of Ireland originally (and now Northern Ireland).
You can probably understand how people on the other island (that would be ‘Britain’) don’t understand the whole UK thing, but Jesus, its depressing how many Irish people don’t know the difference.
In fact even the Journal has improved greatly in recent times, they consistantly used ‘UK’ when they meant ‘England’
Just wondering when the english soccer team play in the north, do they play god save the queen twice? Do they sing the first one and boo the second rendition???
Good point. Says it all really. So daft it’s embarrassing. Yet NI beat England a few years ago in a qualifier and they go on about getting one over on the old enemy. Make up your mind lads.
God hasn’t saved any of their Kings or Queens yet. ! He won’t save Betty either. Let the English sing it, it is their anthem, you can say it is the British anthem etc etc but it’s the English anthem, why would anyone else want to sing it.?
Could we perhaps stop having a go at the folks up north and be generous by giving them Ireland’s Call ! It could become Northern Ireland’s Call & we’ll use our National Anthem for all sport down south! It’s almost the season for giving !!
Well Ireland’s Call mentions the other 3 provinces in Ireland so I’d assume the loyalists in NI wouldn’t be happy, best to have a new anthem, specifically for NI that reflects all people in the region. That way everybody can feel happy to band together under one team and anthem. It’s been said before that sport is a great unifier.
If they want to be inclusive and have catholics play for them, then the suggestion to drop GSTQ is a good idea. It just gets people’s backs up and they choose to play for the Republic of Ireland.
@Martin McCormack I would have to say the same does not apply to Scotland or Wales on the basis that they wave their own national flags and sing their own anthem whereas NI sing the English anthem and wave the Union Jack/Ulster flag, which is almost a replica of the English flag of St George. To an outsider it wound be difficult to distinguish between both sets of supporters. That’s why Catholics feel the NI national team is a Protestant/Loyalist institution which is alien to their identity. Imagine a Rangers or Hearts player with Irish roots declaring for the Republic and being issued death threats by ROI supporters. That’s fascist stuff.
I guess you haven’t heard that McGinn of Celtic continues to represent the North with no issues.
The supporters of Northern Ireland have came a long way since the shameful times when Lennon was so badly treated. But sure why let facts get on the way of your own sectarian rant.
Funny thing sport and politics. Brings out the a**hole is so many people. Let the provence sing whatever they want. It’s the results in the pitch that matter.
As for players born in the north if they have an Irish passport and choose to play for the republic, their choice, the argument that they player for the provence at underage is rubbish. Of course they did! They had to get a lift from the folks!!!! They were kids.
I remember something in the paper about Maik Taylor giving out about this? Is he not German and hadn’t even set foot on Ireland until he declared for the provence! Pot Kettle BLACK.
Their decision! Even better if they are a good footballer ;-)
When you think about it it’s two-sided in a way. We are complaining about the bigotry in the North about them singing God Save the Queen and not encouraging Catholics to join yet in all GAA games there we only sing Amhran na bhFiann and do the same to Protestants
I think this comment fundamentally misunderstands the views of nationalists. Amhrán na bhFiann is the anthem of the entire Irish nation, whether you are from Cork or Derry, Dublin or Galway. In the same way as the flag is supposed to represent peace between the two largest communities on the island.
The GAA is a nationalist organisation, and thus it is highly disingenuous of anyone to suggest that a foreign anthem would be played at one of their games. Even abroad, players for London and New York feel a great sense of pride in hearing the national anthem before games because they are playing what many would consider the national games of Ireland.
The queen of England was given an official reception at Croke Park this year. I couldn’t see the same honour being afforded to Gerry Adams or Martin McGuinness at Windsor Park!
@ Peter Carroll: you’re wrong when you say that NI isn’t part of the United Kingdom. Officially it’s United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
This doesn’t exercise me at all. The six counties are not a ‘country’ and it’s a case of let’s pretend pending reunification of the country. I couldn’t care less what they sing as I look at them with a mixture of bewilderment and pity.
‘bewilderment and pity’, that’s rich when you live in a country that has has been subjected to the most humiliating of scandals in recent years. Endemic clerical child rape, loss of financial sovereignty, breathtaking political corruption etc. Nothing’s as blind as blind patriotism I guess!
@Steve Herron. I would welcome any improvement which allows the likes of McGinn to represent his country of birth free from fear of bigotry. Calling my rants sectarian is crazy. If you read what I’ve been saying I fully support the idea of a NI team which represents both communities. How on earth is that sectarian my friend. Maybe you believe in the keep them out policy?
It would make sense for Northern Ireland and ROI to join and have a unified team, just like in rugby. When was the last time Northern Ireland or ROI have achieved anything of note in football?
fair enough. qualifying for the european tournament for the first time in 24 years is an achievement. but if we amalgamated the two teams, the increase in possible players and resources should be able to give rise to our being able to raise our expectations more.
Dave Reilly…one of the most sensible posts in this topic thread…lots of pontificating on here.
The North has done a lot of work to be more inclusive, a fact not missed by FIFA.
Being Devil’s advocate, would anyone be happy to drop the Irish national anthem to include Protestants?
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They should continue playing it in my opinion, to ensure that all the best Irish Players continue to declare for Trappatoni and The Ireland Soccer Team.
I remember in the 1060′s in Belfast , when one visited a cinema, that a lady with a flashlight came around all those seated in the theatre, to ensure that we would stand up for ‘God Save The Queen’.
They would threaten to throw us out, or bar us, if we didn’t cooperate with their bigoted hypocrisy.
Of course we sat and ignored them.
Incidentally , to get up our noses , it was played before and after each movie , when there was a double Bill.
No doubt that there will , in any case , be only one Team on the Island of Ireland in a few years time , as those type of bigots will never learn.
Fair dues to the all of the other All Ireland sporting Organisations , who have used common sense to ensure that we put out the best United Teams in this Country.
Should of course read 1960′s
Good post Eddie.
Yes Eddie I remember going to Windsor Park in the sixties and you took your life in your hands(I used to support Distillery FC who back then had a large Catholic support) We were chased out of it many times for being ‘Taigs’. None of the minority in the North would support ‘Norn Iron’. Too bigoted.But there is another point. The IFA want to retain their standing in FIFA so they can attend all the junkets etc., as a seperate Association. It;s the old thing ‘Turkeys don’t vote for Christmas’.
The Scots and Welsh are both British, yet they play their own anthems and it’s rear to see a Union flag at their internationals. The tribalism of the Northern Ireland set-up it bound to intimidate even the most luke warm of catholic players & potential supporters. Just look at what they did to Neil Lennon.. just because he played for Celtic. A disgrace. These suggestions would make sense to most moderate people but I fear the IFA & its supporters harbour a hardcore Loyalist “No surrender” mindset which is not for turning. Their narrow-mindness is The Republics gain. Enjoy next summer in Belfast lads.
After what happened to Lennon, it’s ‘good enough for em’ if good players choose the Republic over the North. And like Eddie says above, it’s good for us.
It would be in THEIR best interests to change this, so down here, we don’t care.
It is indeed odd the the IFA should want to play Englands Anthem at it’s home games. ther is a misconception in the North that “God Save the Queen” is Northern Ireland’s national anthem. It is not. It is the national anthem of England and also the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northen Ireland. Northern Ireland is not England nor is it the United Kingdom. It is a semi automonus province of the UK.
It is time the grew up and, like Wales and Scotland, came with an anthem that reflects their separate identity.
NI is not part of the Britain but its definitely part of the UK mate
Er, I don’t think I said it was part of Britain.
Of c
Of course Northern Ireland is part of the United Kindom !!
The term ‘United Kingdom only exists because of Ireland originally (and now Northern Ireland).
You can probably understand how people on the other island (that would be ‘Britain’) don’t understand the whole UK thing, but Jesus, its depressing how many Irish people don’t know the difference.
In fact even the Journal has improved greatly in recent times, they consistantly used ‘UK’ when they meant ‘England’
its called the united kingdom of great britain and northern ireland for a reason
Just wondering when the english soccer team play in the north, do they play god save the queen twice? Do they sing the first one and boo the second rendition???
Good point. Says it all really. So daft it’s embarrassing. Yet NI beat England a few years ago in a qualifier and they go on about getting one over on the old enemy. Make up your mind lads.
In 2005 when they were in each other’s group for the world cup qualifier, they just played GSTQ once if I remember correctly.
Silent P,, agreed, but does the same not apply with England /Scotland or England/wales
God hasn’t saved any of their Kings or Queens yet. ! He won’t save Betty either. Let the English sing it, it is their anthem, you can say it is the British anthem etc etc but it’s the English anthem, why would anyone else want to sing it.?
could we not send ireland’s call further afield.
Northern Ireland already has its own national anthem, its called Alternative Ulster
Could we perhaps stop having a go at the folks up north and be generous by giving them Ireland’s Call ! It could become Northern Ireland’s Call & we’ll use our National Anthem for all sport down south! It’s almost the season for giving !!
Well Ireland’s Call mentions the other 3 provinces in Ireland so I’d assume the loyalists in NI wouldn’t be happy, best to have a new anthem, specifically for NI that reflects all people in the region. That way everybody can feel happy to band together under one team and anthem. It’s been said before that sport is a great unifier.
heard they’re changing it next year to God save the King
If they want to be inclusive and have catholics play for them, then the suggestion to drop GSTQ is a good idea. It just gets people’s backs up and they choose to play for the Republic of Ireland.
Probably having the fans and many of the team staff call Catholics “Taigs” and sing chants like “Kill the Taigs”, might be a better start.
Forgot to put in “Stop”.
@Martin McCormack I would have to say the same does not apply to Scotland or Wales on the basis that they wave their own national flags and sing their own anthem whereas NI sing the English anthem and wave the Union Jack/Ulster flag, which is almost a replica of the English flag of St George. To an outsider it wound be difficult to distinguish between both sets of supporters. That’s why Catholics feel the NI national team is a Protestant/Loyalist institution which is alien to their identity. Imagine a Rangers or Hearts player with Irish roots declaring for the Republic and being issued death threats by ROI supporters. That’s fascist stuff.
I guess you haven’t heard that McGinn of Celtic continues to represent the North with no issues.
The supporters of Northern Ireland have came a long way since the shameful times when Lennon was so badly treated. But sure why let facts get on the way of your own sectarian rant.
I think Northern Ireland used to play “Danny Boy” as their anthem during 1982 & 1986 World Cups.
Funny thing sport and politics. Brings out the a**hole is so many people. Let the provence sing whatever they want. It’s the results in the pitch that matter.
As for players born in the north if they have an Irish passport and choose to play for the republic, their choice, the argument that they player for the provence at underage is rubbish. Of course they did! They had to get a lift from the folks!!!! They were kids.
I remember something in the paper about Maik Taylor giving out about this? Is he not German and hadn’t even set foot on Ireland until he declared for the provence! Pot Kettle BLACK.
Their decision! Even better if they are a good footballer ;-)
Apologies for the crappy spelling.
When you think about it it’s two-sided in a way. We are complaining about the bigotry in the North about them singing God Save the Queen and not encouraging Catholics to join yet in all GAA games there we only sing Amhran na bhFiann and do the same to Protestants
I think this comment fundamentally misunderstands the views of nationalists. Amhrán na bhFiann is the anthem of the entire Irish nation, whether you are from Cork or Derry, Dublin or Galway. In the same way as the flag is supposed to represent peace between the two largest communities on the island.
The GAA is a nationalist organisation, and thus it is highly disingenuous of anyone to suggest that a foreign anthem would be played at one of their games. Even abroad, players for London and New York feel a great sense of pride in hearing the national anthem before games because they are playing what many would consider the national games of Ireland.
The queen of England was given an official reception at Croke Park this year. I couldn’t see the same honour being afforded to Gerry Adams or Martin McGuinness at Windsor Park!
And I don’t know any other set of ‘supporters’ who send bullets in the post to one of their players!
Meh
@ Peter Carroll: you’re wrong when you say that NI isn’t part of the United Kingdom. Officially it’s United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
What I said was that Norhern Ireland is a part of the UK. It is not The UK nor is it England. It is a semi autonomous region of the UK. Got it?
Good team Northern Ireland !!!!!!
This doesn’t exercise me at all. The six counties are not a ‘country’ and it’s a case of let’s pretend pending reunification of the country. I couldn’t care less what they sing as I look at them with a mixture of bewilderment and pity.
‘bewilderment and pity’, that’s rich when you live in a country that has has been subjected to the most humiliating of scandals in recent years. Endemic clerical child rape, loss of financial sovereignty, breathtaking political corruption etc. Nothing’s as blind as blind patriotism I guess!
Yes Graham. As an Antrim man I can take full responsibility for that !
@Steve Herron. I would welcome any improvement which allows the likes of McGinn to represent his country of birth free from fear of bigotry. Calling my rants sectarian is crazy. If you read what I’ve been saying I fully support the idea of a NI team which represents both communities. How on earth is that sectarian my friend. Maybe you believe in the keep them out policy?
It would make sense for Northern Ireland and ROI to join and have a unified team, just like in rugby. When was the last time Northern Ireland or ROI have achieved anything of note in football?
15th November roi team achieved something of note!!
fair enough. qualifying for the european tournament for the first time in 24 years is an achievement. but if we amalgamated the two teams, the increase in possible players and resources should be able to give rise to our being able to raise our expectations more.
I’d love that too Jim. It would be another step in the right direction.
MEH!!
No I don’t get it cos ur talking rubbish.
Then You shouldn’t have had that second bottle, then again, looking at my spelling, neither should I.
Cheers !!v
Dave Reilly…one of the most sensible posts in this topic thread…lots of pontificating on here.
The North has done a lot of work to be more inclusive, a fact not missed by FIFA.
Being Devil’s advocate, would anyone be happy to drop the Irish national anthem to include Protestants?
Yes. All for inclusiveness on either side of the border. Must be the sectarian in me eh..Steve.
What is it about our national anthem that is anti-Protestant ?
It should be like the rugby.look at the success they had. Although Chris brunt is the only player that would make the ROI team