Media Republic: Celtic and 'The Fields of Athenry' – The London Times is offside

NEWS CORPORATION’S Times (of London) newspaper had an interesting article on sectarianism in Scottish football last Saturday, 23rd April.

Magnus Linklater, writing in the aftermath of parcel bombs being sent to Celtic manager Neil Lennon as well as QC Paul McBride and retiring MSP Trish Godman, told Times readers of the “wall of noise” at soccer matches between Celtic and Rangers.

Linklater writes how “An ear-splitting roar of acclamation greeted Rangers” while a “baying howl of derision descended on Celtic”.

He also catalogues some of the sectarian songs performed by the Rangers fans and then writes:

The response from the Celtic stand was equally vociferous as The Fields of Athenry, the traditional republican anthem, rang out.

Wait – what did he say? “Traditional republican anthem?”

The Fields of Athenry is a popular music song, written in the 1970s by Pete St John, recorded first in 1979 and sung by Irish rugby fans, particularly Munster ones.

Irish soccer fans also sing it while Liverpool fans have appropriated the tune into what they call “The Fields of Anfield Road”. Surely it couldn’t be a Provo anthem?

There is no violence in the lyrics, no call to arms, and no mention of anything republican.

What could Linklater be talking about?

Granted, the Celtic fans do change the words but not so much in recent years. The Celtic fans can and do sing republican ballads but if Linklater thinks that The Fields of Athenry is a “traditional republican anthem” he needs to cop himself on.

Maybe, though, I am wrong, as are all those other Irish rugby and soccer fans. It could be time for a strongly-worded letter to the Irish Rugby Football Union to stamp out this sectarianism in the sport. Middle-class people should know better! Or maybe The Times needs to get its facts straight.

Worse still, Linklater’s error is repeated in the New York Times by John Burns who writes: “Celtic supporters have refrains of their own, including ‘The Fields of Athenry’, an old Irish republican ballad."

Again, a serious error.

Magnus could consult his own newspaper’s back catalogue and look no further than this 2009 article:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/scotland/article5488391.ece

Or watch this frightening spectacle from the Heineken Cup in 2006. Shocking stuff!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJMf6XBS4H8