27 November 1997 Edition
Sportsview: Stop the witch hunt at Celtic Park
In recent months there has been much said about the banning of republican songs at Celtic Park as part of a campaign called `Bhoys Against Bigotry'. It has turned into a witch hunt carried out by the club's hierarchy.
A recent spate of letters to the club magazine, Celtic View (known to some fans by the nickname Pravda), has further highlighted the issue with comments from the editor and club designed to put a lid on the issue. Letters have even targeted the singing of The Soldiers Song, with some fans finding it offensive.
The club rightly states it is a football club first and foremost. Nobody argues with that. They also state they are proud of its Irish-Scots identity. Celtic, however, was also founded to help alleviate the discrimination and poverty suffered by the immigrant Irish community in the East End of Glasgow. There was also a political dimension, with one letter writer pointing to the fact that patriot and Land Leaguer Michael Davitt laid the centre circle with a sod carried over from Ireland.
The club also says the singing of Irish republican ballads by a large section of the Celtic following is sectarian. What rubbish!. Fans with a strong affinity to Ireland also have a right to support the freedom struggle being waged here in Ireland. They have every right to sing these songs and express themselves. To say that songs about IRA Volunteers taking on the might of the British Empire is sectarianism smacks of ignorance of republicans and their traditions.
Fergus McCann and his fellow directors ``endorse'' the singing of The Fields of Athenry yet opposes the singing of The Boys of the Old Brigade, classifying it as belonging to a ``terrorist organisation''. I have witnesssed the tactics being employed by the club with people singing their songs ejected from the ground. What way does that song go again, ``Against the famine and the crown, I rebelled, they cut me down...'' Is that not a bit radical Fergus?
What is needed is a large organised campaign to combat the diktats of McCann and Co and to sing out for Ireland, Scotland and Celtic.
That other World Cup
Last week my task was to rake over the cooling embers that were all that remained of our soccer World Cup bid, but this week, thanks be the Lord, we have a bona fide and hard-earned World Cup trophy to celebrate. And two Dubs to boot. Ballyboden St. Enda's old boys Paul McGinley and Padraig Harrington entered the lion's den of Kiawah Island in South Carolina and emerged with the World Cup of Golf, leaving a range of top-class players in their wake. The secret of the irish success was teamwork, as both men played good steady golf for four days running.
A knee injury prevented McGinley from pursuing his initial dream of playing football for Dublin, but the bag of sticks has proved very lucrative.
No to Dublin Dons!
Poor old Joe Kinnear has been feeling the cold wind of betrayal at the back of his neck this week. With typical fortitude he has put it up to his employers, who have been no strangers to controversy over the last year. Their fans are so annoyed at the lack of consultation over the proposed move to Dublin (which FIFA has absolutely ruled out) that they are planning to stand local election candidates to voice their wish for a side based in London. My own view is that Wimbledon should stand by their fans, albeit their small band of fans. Most republicans might support English teams, but that doesn't mean we want Irish soccer to become the poor relation of a glamour side based in Dublin and playing the bulk of its football in England.
BY CIARAN HEAPHEY & LIAM O COILEAIN
A recent spate of letters to the club magazine, Celtic View (known to some fans by the nickname Pravda), has further highlighted the issue with comments from the editor and club designed to put a lid on the issue. Letters have even targeted the singing of The Soldiers Song, with some fans finding it offensive.
The club rightly states it is a football club first and foremost. Nobody argues with that. They also state they are proud of its Irish-Scots identity. Celtic, however, was also founded to help alleviate the discrimination and poverty suffered by the immigrant Irish community in the East End of Glasgow. There was also a political dimension, with one letter writer pointing to the fact that patriot and Land Leaguer Michael Davitt laid the centre circle with a sod carried over from Ireland.
The club also says the singing of Irish republican ballads by a large section of the Celtic following is sectarian. What rubbish!. Fans with a strong affinity to Ireland also have a right to support the freedom struggle being waged here in Ireland. They have every right to sing these songs and express themselves. To say that songs about IRA Volunteers taking on the might of the British Empire is sectarianism smacks of ignorance of republicans and their traditions.
Fergus McCann and his fellow directors ``endorse'' the singing of The Fields of Athenry yet opposes the singing of The Boys of the Old Brigade, classifying it as belonging to a ``terrorist organisation''. I have witnesssed the tactics being employed by the club with people singing their songs ejected from the ground. What way does that song go again, ``Against the famine and the crown, I rebelled, they cut me down...'' Is that not a bit radical Fergus?
What is needed is a large organised campaign to combat the diktats of McCann and Co and to sing out for Ireland, Scotland and Celtic.
That other World Cup
Last week my task was to rake over the cooling embers that were all that remained of our soccer World Cup bid, but this week, thanks be the Lord, we have a bona fide and hard-earned World Cup trophy to celebrate. And two Dubs to boot. Ballyboden St. Enda's old boys Paul McGinley and Padraig Harrington entered the lion's den of Kiawah Island in South Carolina and emerged with the World Cup of Golf, leaving a range of top-class players in their wake. The secret of the irish success was teamwork, as both men played good steady golf for four days running.
A knee injury prevented McGinley from pursuing his initial dream of playing football for Dublin, but the bag of sticks has proved very lucrative.
No to Dublin Dons!
Poor old Joe Kinnear has been feeling the cold wind of betrayal at the back of his neck this week. With typical fortitude he has put it up to his employers, who have been no strangers to controversy over the last year. Their fans are so annoyed at the lack of consultation over the proposed move to Dublin (which FIFA has absolutely ruled out) that they are planning to stand local election candidates to voice their wish for a side based in London. My own view is that Wimbledon should stand by their fans, albeit their small band of fans. Most republicans might support English teams, but that doesn't mean we want Irish soccer to become the poor relation of a glamour side based in Dublin and playing the bulk of its football in England.
BY CIARAN HEAPHEY & LIAM O COILEAIN