"That Song"

[the spoofer]

Oh, I did. I despise the IRA campaign and I despise everything that supports it. I did some counselling work as an 18/19 year old with 10/11 years olds that had murdered parents in the north (because I speak Irish). I hate that world of Sinn Fein and the IRA with every fiber of my being.

That doesn't change it being a totally forgivable mistake that a song came on by mistake. It's a nothing.

Fair dues to you both for the work that you did and your unequivocal condemnation of the terrorists but I will have to disagree with you. The normalisation of Up the Ra is exactly what the terrorists are looking for. They want to glorify their terrorism. We can’t be part of that by playing the f%~king Wolfe Tones.

And apart from anything else, why would we play a song about a sh!t, sectarian Scottish soccer team?

I mean, is this comment not just as ignorant as those you are criticising? Celtic have a massive fans base, so attract their bad eggs, like every major club, but what about gestures like this? https://www.the42.ie/celtic-creeslough- ... 7-Oct2022/ "CELTIC FOOTBALL CLUB have made a donation of £10,000 to the Creeslough Community Support Fund in the aftermath of the tragedy in Donegal." Incredible generosity for a major club like that imo.

You equate me calling Celtic a sh!t sectarian Scottish football team with those supporting a barbaric murderous terrorist organisation? Ok

[Oldschoolsocks]

Oh, I did. I despise the IRA campaign and I despise everything that supports it. I did some counselling work as an 18/19 year old with 10/11 years olds that had murdered parents in the north (because I speak Irish). I hate that world of Sinn Fein and the IRA with every fiber of my being.

That doesn't change it being a totally forgivable mistake that a song came on by mistake. It's a nothing.

Fair dues to you both for the work that you did and your unequivocal condemnation of the terrorists but I will have to disagree with you. The normalisation of Up the Ra is exactly what the terrorists are looking for. They want to glorify their terrorism. We can’t be part of that by playing the f%~king Wolfe Tones.

And apart from anything else, why would we play a song about a sh!t, sectarian Scottish soccer team?

I mean, is this comment not just as ignorant as those you are criticising? Celtic have a massive fans base, so attract their bad eggs, like every major club, but what about gestures like this? https://www.the42.ie/celtic-creeslough- ... 7-Oct2022/ "CELTIC FOOTBALL CLUB have made a donation of £10,000 to the Creeslough Community Support Fund in the aftermath of the tragedy in Donegal." Incredible generosity for a major club like that imo.

Celtic ARE a sh!t sectarian Scottish soccer team - that is objective fact. I think it's wonderful that they gave money to the Creeslough Community Support Fund , it doesn't change what they are.

[Keith]

Fair dues to you both for the work that you did and your unequivocal condemnation of the terrorists but I will have to disagree with you. The normalisation of Up the Ra is exactly what the terrorists are looking for. They want to glorify their terrorism. We can’t be part of that by playing the f%~king Wolfe Tones.

And apart from anything else, why would we play a song about a sh!t, sectarian Scottish soccer team?

I mean, is this comment not just as ignorant as those you are criticising? Celtic have a massive fans base, so attract their bad eggs, like every major club, but what about gestures like this? https://www.the42.ie/celtic-creeslough- ... 7-Oct2022/ "CELTIC FOOTBALL CLUB have made a donation of £10,000 to the Creeslough Community Support Fund in the aftermath of the tragedy in Donegal." Incredible generosity for a major club like that imo.

You equate me calling Celtic a sh!t sectarian Scottish football team with those supporting a barbaric murderous terrorist organisation? Ok

I said your comment was as ignorant, which it is. Some of Celtic's most famous players come from protestant backgrounds (Jock Stein, Kenny Dalglish, Paul Lambert) . Like I said above, bad eggs in every fans base. Celtic as a football club have never had a Catholic only signing policy to the best of my knowledge.

[the spoofer]

I mean, is this comment not just as ignorant as those you are criticising? Celtic have a massive fans base, so attract their bad eggs, like every major club, but what about gestures like this? https://www.the42.ie/celtic-creeslough- ... 7-Oct2022/ "CELTIC FOOTBALL CLUB have made a donation of £10,000 to the Creeslough Community Support Fund in the aftermath of the tragedy in Donegal." Incredible generosity for a major club like that imo.

You equate me calling Celtic a sh!t sectarian Scottish football team with those supporting a barbaric murderous terrorist organisation? Ok

I said your comment was as ignorant, which it is. Some of Celtic's most famous players come from protestant backgrounds (Jock Stein, Kenny Dalglish, Paul Lambert) . Like I said above, bad eggs in every fans base. Celtic as a football club have never had a Catholic only signing policy to the best of my knowledge.

[blockhead]

Fair dues to you both for the work that you did and your unequivocal condemnation of the terrorists but I will have to disagree with you. The normalisation of Up the Ra is exactly what the terrorists are looking for. They want to glorify their terrorism. We can’t be part of that by playing the f%~king Wolfe Tones.

And apart from anything else, why would we play a song about a sh!t, sectarian Scottish soccer team?

I mean, is this comment not just as ignorant as those you are criticising? Celtic have a massive fans base, so attract their bad eggs, like every major club, but what about gestures like this? https://www.the42.ie/celtic-creeslough- ... 7-Oct2022/ "CELTIC FOOTBALL CLUB have made a donation of £10,000 to the Creeslough Community Support Fund in the aftermath of the tragedy in Donegal." Incredible generosity for a major club like that imo.

Celtic ARE a sh!t sectarian Scottish soccer team - that is objective fact. I think it's wonderful that they gave money to the Creeslough Community Support Fund , it doesn't change what they are.

Too far OSS. Celtic are a fantastic organisation that grew into a giant club against incredible odds. I for one am very proud of that club and what they represent.

With regards to that song, should not have played it.
God save the queen/king is another one that should be banned.

[AdolpusGrigson]

Whether you think the IRA towards the end of the 20th Century were as good or as bad as the IRA towards the start of the 20th Century - songs about those in the later part of the 20th C should have no place near sporting venues - given the likelihood of giving offence.

An apology would seem sufficient - for what is probably a genuine mistake.

Sin é.

[Oldschoolsocks]

I mean, is this comment not just as ignorant as those you are criticising? Celtic have a massive fans base, so attract their bad eggs, like every major club, but what about gestures like this? https://www.the42.ie/celtic-creeslough- ... 7-Oct2022/ "CELTIC FOOTBALL CLUB have made a donation of £10,000 to the Creeslough Community Support Fund in the aftermath of the tragedy in Donegal." Incredible generosity for a major club like that imo.

Celtic ARE a sh!t sectarian Scottish soccer team - that is objective fact. I think it's wonderful that they gave money to the Creeslough Community Support Fund , it doesn't change what they are.

Too far OSS. Celtic are a fantastic organisation that grew into a giant club against incredible odds. I for one am very proud of that club and what they represent.

With regards to that song, should not have played it.
God save the queen/king is another one that should be banned.

OK, I can reign it in a bit.

EDIT - New Year and all that. Let's look forwards not backwards

[berliner]

And much more worrying - "They have haven't gone away, you know"
Just a guess, but the shinners are a very wealthy political party and it's fair bet they've infiltrated the state apparatus and even other political parties.

If I read the forum rules correctly this thread could have done with a little more moderation.

Where the tone of political discussion begins with such one-eyed vehemence, the conspiracy theories are never far behind.

If the 'Rant' thread is not fit for purpose, maybe there should be one dedicated to examining political violence in Ireland in the 20th century. I would be happy to take part, but will not inflict my views on this thread which is nominally about discussing the game against Connacht.

[Oldschool]

And much more worrying - "They have haven't gone away, you know"
Just a guess, but the shinners are a very wealthy political party and it's fair bet they've infiltrated the state apparatus and even other political parties.

If I read the forum rules correctly this thread could have done with a little more moderation.

Where the tone of political discussion begins with such one-eyed vehemence, the conspiracy theories are never far behind.

If the 'Rant' thread is not fit for purpose, maybe there should be one dedicated to examining political violence in Ireland in the 20th century. I would be happy to take part, but will not inflict my views on this thread which is nominally about discussing the game against Connacht.

Wasn't me who played the "song" at the match in this title thread. So take your go and have it somewhere else.

[Oldschoolsocks]

It's a popular civil rights song. I need someone to spell out why that is problematic, especially in relation to the standard for rugby anthems.

No you don’t, all you would need to do is follow the link in RPs post and read it for yourself…

[ronk]

It's a popular civil rights song. I need someone to spell out why that is problematic, especially in relation to the standard for rugby anthems.

No you don’t, all you would need to do is follow the link in RPs post and read it for yourself…

I saw someone call it problematic. I didn't see what's problematic about it or why.

[deco]

And much more worrying - "They have haven't gone away, you know"
Just a guess, but the shinners are a very wealthy political party and it's fair bet they've infiltrated the state apparatus and even other political parties.

If I read the forum rules correctly this thread could have done with a little more moderation.

Where the tone of political discussion begins with such one-eyed vehemence, the conspiracy theories are never far behind.

If the 'Rant' thread is not fit for purpose, maybe there should be one dedicated to examining political violence in Ireland in the 20th century. I would be happy to take part, but will not inflict my views on this thread which is nominally about discussing the game against Connacht.

Absolutely agree

[Oldschool]

And much more worrying - "They have haven't gone away, you know"
Just a guess, but the shinners are a very wealthy political party and it's fair bet they've infiltrated the state apparatus and even other political parties.

If I read the forum rules correctly this thread could have done with a little more moderation.

Where the tone of political discussion begins with such one-eyed vehemence, the conspiracy theories are never far behind.

If the 'Rant' thread is not fit for purpose, maybe there should be one dedicated to examining political violence in Ireland in the 20th century. I would be happy to take part, but will not inflict my views on this thread which is nominally about discussing the game against Connacht.

Absolutely agree

"If"

[RoboProp]

It's a popular civil rights song. I need someone to spell out why that is problematic, especially in relation to the standard for rugby anthems.

No you don’t, all you would need to do is follow the link in RPs post and read it for yourself…

I saw someone call it problematic. I didn't see what's problematic about it or why.

Not the song itself, the context. My mother would have taken part in a of lot of civil rights marches as a college student in States during the '60s, she even got to meet Bobby Kennedy (which she loves telling people!!) So, when we moved here and I remember my mom watching a 5 Nations match with us (so a while ago ) and hearing Swing Low and she was gob smacked. I don't want to go too much into it all, but it is worth nothing the UK treasury only finished making debt payment reparations in 2015, and these were reparations descendants of slave owners. Apologies for going so far off topic

[suisse]

The entire DJ set in the RDS is rubbish anyway. No one should lose their job over this one-time issue but they could use this to visit the issue of their music selection anyway. Generic, cr@p music before the game, the walk out music snd the dreadful dirge that's played after leinster score all need to go.

[ronk]

But that's why I like it.

All the other home nations have rugby anthems about fighting or resisting the English. They accidentally co-opted a coded song advocating for the Underground Railroad. It's more than a Christian hymn written by a slave.

When they sing it, they might be thinking about its a joke about wanking. But I'm remembering their role in oppression and the transatlantic slave trade. For the benefit of people who don't know much history: the slave trade was going long before American Independence. It was an atrocity inherited and continued by America.

It's a resistance song written by a slave. Cancelling it as a song is suppressing the history and art of slaves. I don't want them to stop singing it, I want everyone to know what it means when they sing it and to remember what they did.

[Workhorse]

Lads this thread reads like a bad parody of a Fine Gael forum... If people ever ask why rugby in Ireland isn't more popular in more working class areas I'm just going to point them towards here.
Shinners are this, Sack the DJ, Celtic FC is that, the Wolfe Tones are that, Players don't get opinions that don't toe party line. intermixing Sinn Fein and IRA.
Cop yourselves on a bit lads. I think the dismissal of Swing low as just a "Dick Joke" just shows how uneducated some people here are on the subject yet they expect whoever hit play on a spotify playlist to be sacked, or the classification of the Wolfe Tones as sectarian, You realise they've recorded unionist songs like the sash yeah? Very sectarian...

Quite frankly (my dear) I couldn't give a damn about what anyone thinks of the song, personally I see no problem with it because I know and understand the context of it. Much like Fairytale of New York I believe its for each individual to decide if they agree with it being played or not, because I can see why some won't like it. I have no problem with either side having the opinion they decide upon, but don't try force that opinion upon others. Does that include playing it at public events where its not part of the show? Probably. Does it include allowing players to say they have no problem with the song? Definitely.
What I will say is the song has been played at games before and nobody has given a monkeys, this outrage is all simply because the womens football team beat Scotland, in Scotland, and the UK establishment does not like to be seen to be losing to Ireland, particularly not on home turf, and thus changed the narrative, and our spineless politicians allowed, and encouraged, that to happen, because womens football team are an easy target for the political elite, notice none of those politicians have said anything about Leinster playing it? Because of that now everyone wants to be seen as against it to fit in with the outrage.

Some here have pushed the blame onto people under 30 and said they see it as just a song because they don't understand what the (which one again?) IRA did. Maybe that's true for some, maybe others understand perfectly what the IRA (all incarnations) did and simply see the inclusion of those words as part of telling the story the song is telling. Remember lads, it doesn't say "up the provos" you're putting words in peoples mouths by assuming the song is in support of what the provos did in the 80's. A lot of people here would do well to learn about why Celtic was founded (including its pronunciation) and what Glasgow was like for Irish people from that time right through to arguably today. It goes a long way to explaining the song.

So my words wont be twisted, should the song be played by the PA at Leinster Rugby matches? Probably not, the Wolfe Tones have much more appropriate songs that can be played without the potential to cause offence. Players have the right to sing it themselves though and to defend its being played without being attacked and called ignorant.

[wixfjord]

Lads this thread reads like a bad parody of a Fine Gael forum... If people ever ask why rugby in Ireland isn't more popular in more working class areas I'm just going to point them towards here.
Shinners are this, Sack the DJ, Celtic FC is that, the Wolfe Tones are that, Players don't get opinions that don't toe party line. intermixing Sinn Fein and IRA.

Glad someone said it.

I understand why people are annoyed the song was played. An error in judgement that shouldn't have happened. Doesn't need hysterics, just needs to not happen again.

But some of the discussion over the last few days though has been...enlightening...

Let's just say if you asked ChatGPT or some other AI to describe 'stereotypical middle aged male Leinster Rugby fans discuss Irish nationalist song' it wouldn't be far off some of the above.

[Theleinsterlad]

There are two sides to every story. Leinster has apologized and that to me is the end of it. This is a sports forum and one for discussion around Leinster and not in my view a political waste ground to hash up old hurts. I believe the comments that have been made on here about Glasgow Celtic, they in my view should have been taken down by the moderators.

[Theleinsterlad]

https://m.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/n ... 58143.html

Seen as Nigel Carr has been mentioned he has had his say on it