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GAA memorials to IRA members in Ulster
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| RSAUB | Date: Sunday, 2011-08-21, 3:12 PM | Message # 1 |
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| Sunday Life reveals sports body’s controverisal memorials to dead IRA members in Ulster
By Aaron Tinney
Sunday, 4 October 2009
Tom Daly, Ulster President of the GAA, Sports Minister Nelson McCausland and Assistant Chief Constable Duncan McCausland.• enlarge
Today we reveal the first complete list of GAA tributes to men and women who were IRA members. Our map shows how the memorials have spread across the whole of Northern Ireland as controversy over the issue increases.
And below, we detail the ways GAA grounds, contests, trophies and even badges are used to honour dead republican paramilitaries from the Troubles.
The sports body insists it is non-party political and republcians have stressed that competitions have been named after paramilitaries because they were veteran GAA members and talented athletes.
But their explanation did not satisfy Sports Minister Nelson McCausland last week.
He threatened to cut public funding for the organisation unless its “glorification” of dead paramiltaries stopped.
Nationalists accused him of using the GAA as a political football to curry favour with voters.
They also blasted him for ignoring loyalist tributes to murderers — such as the annual Brian Robinson memorial march which carries the name of the UVF killer.
Sinn Fein’s Barry McElduff raged yesterday: “Airbrushing history will achieve nothing. I wouldn’t be pushing for a trawl through loyalist bands and their names. We need to move forward.”
Mr McCausland attended his first GAA match yesterday for the International Police Gaelic Football Tournament final at Newforge Country Club in Belfast, hosted by the PSNI.
The GAA’s Ulster president Tom Daly said: “GAA places and spaces have been places where everybody, irrespective of political affiliation or none, has been welcome.” Many of the tributes below were created independently of GAA bosses, who have announced they would co-operate with any Government review.
Kevin Lynch
The GAA hurling club in Dungiven, Co Londonderry, is named after INLA member and former player Lynch.
He was the seventh of the 10 hunger strikers to die in 1981, after being sentenced to 10 years for stealing shotguns and conspiring to disarm the security forces. Lynch was captain of the 1972 All-Ireland-winning under-16 Derry team.
Joe Cahill
An under-12s football contest is played at Cardinal O’Donnell Park, west Belfast, in honour of the IRA veteran who died in 2004.
Cahill joined the IRA aged 18 and was convicted for his part in killing Catholic cop and dad-of-ten, Patrick Murphy, in 1942. He also was a key figure in founding the Provisional IRA in 1969.
Bobby Sands
The Cumann na Fuiseoige GAA club honours IRA hunger striker Sands, who grew up near its base in Twinbrook, west Belfast.
The club’s badge shows a lark, barb wire and a capital ‘H’ representing the H-block in the Maze prison where Sands — who was convicted of arms offences — was the first IRA hunger striker to die.
There is also a Bobby Sands Memorial soccer cup contest, held during the Feile an Phobail festival in west Belfast.
Mairead Farrell
A girls’ camogie championship played in Tullysaran, Co Armagh, was named after IRA woman Farrell.
She spent 10 years in jail for bombing the Conway Hotel, Dunmurry, and was killed by the SAS in Gibraltar with fellow IRA members Sean Savage and Daniel McCann in 1988 with whom she allegedly planned to bomb an Army band.
Martin Hurson
A commemorative Martin Hurson Memorial cup final is played every year at Galbally Pearses Football Field near Dungannon in Co Tyrone.
The fifth of the H-block hunger strikers to die, Hurson was arrested in 1976 and quizzed over the attempted murder of UDR soldiers in a bomb attack.
The charge was dropped but he was convicted in relation to several other charges.
Michael McVerry
The first member of the IRA in south Armagh to be killed in the Troubles, McVerry was shot by soldiers in 1973 after placing a 100lb bomb at Keady RUC station, helped by five men who fought a running battle with cops after the device exploded.
The Michael McVerry cup is played for in Cullyhanna, Co Armagh, each year.
Gerard and Martin Harte
These East Tyrone IRA brothers were killed in a carefully-planned SAS ambush at Drumnakilly in 1988. Many branded it revenge for the Ballygawley bus attack 10 days earlier, which killed eight soldiers and injured 27 others.
Palyed at Loughmacrory, the Gerard and Martin Harte Memorial cup is now one of Tyrone's foremost under-12 Gaelic football tournaments.
Louis Leonard Memorial Park
The ground in Donagh, Fermanagh, was named after IRA man Louis, who was killed by loyalists in 1972 while working late in his shop in the village of Derrylin.
Loughgall bomber Paddy Kelly
The Paddy Kelly cup was played in Dungannon, Co Tyrone as part of commemorations for the IRA Loughgall “martyrs”. A heavily-armed IRA unit including Kelly and O’Callaghan was trying to blow up a part-time police station in Loughgall, Co Tyrone, with a 200lb bomb when they were gunned down by the SAS.
McDonnell/Doherty Park
The home ground of the St Teresas GAA club in west Belfast is named after hunger strikers and former players Joe McDonnell and Kieran Doherty.
McDonnell had been arrested in 1976 with Bobby Sands following a bomb attack on a furniture store in Dunmurry and Doherty was convicted for possession of firearms, explosives and hijacking.
Jim Lochrie and Sean Campbell
Lochrie/Campbell GAA Park in Dromintee, south Armagh is named after IRA members Jim Lochrie and Sean Campbell who were killed when a land mine exploded prematurely at Kelly's Road, Killeen in 1975.
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Nonsense , this is not a compleate list of all events held by the GAA in memory of IRA members. Of the top of my head I can name two yearly GAA events held in by GAA clubs in S. Londonderry , that are held in memory of IRA members. BATESON , SHERIDAN , and LEE, blew themselves up as they primed a bomb , intended for the centre of Magherafelt in the early 70s, have a yearly GAA event called after them. FRANCIS HUGHES, and his cousin and fellow Hunger striker and Terrorist, have also a GAA trophy named in their memory. Do a little research , as their are many more.
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Posted by bernard | 03.04.10, 20:28 GMT
Read more: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/su...#ixzz1VaMOKEBG
Last edited by Bluesnout; Yesterday at 07:22 PM.
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| Culzie | Date: Friday, 2011-08-26, 9:55 PM | Message # 2 |
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| Its marvellous how they try and defend themselves saying they help the community and the usual rubbish. Of course we have the bootlickers in Belvoir,Shankill and East Belfast bringing it into their schools and by doing so 'respectablising'these supporters of murderers.
Watched the news the other night about the GAA fella from West Belfast who died in South America (think it was). It showed the kids involved in the GAA being shown how to play the game etc. No harm in that,if thats all it was but we know its not. Its a way of bringing up another crop of potential gunmen. Anti-British and ready to feel oppressed,repressed and suppresed and pick up the bomb and gun to 'free' oul oireland. Though next time round they might have mates from Belvior,Shankill and East Belfast giving them a hand. That what the blending in process is all about.
Ulster Protestants consider themselves to be a separate nation. This nation they call Ulster
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| RSAUB | Date: Sunday, 2011-08-28, 1:04 PM | Message # 3 |
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| As crazy as it sounds, it could happen. You have young kids who are from homes which represent almost an under-class of society, living of benefits, heavy drug and drink consumption, no desire to work, no interest in their heritage and culture. These type of kids are easy pickings for the Irish, get them playing GAA then get them interested in all things Irish and before long, they will be swallowed into the big green irish bog. I'm not stereotyping all of the working class Protestants homes as an under-class but the statistics show our working class areas especially in Belfast are lacking behind the Taigs, and things are going to the dogs.
With St Patricks day being celebrated so widely and promoted so vigorously within our community and now our kids are playing GAA in some schools, what ever next Irish language classes? I know quite a few loyalist prisoners learnt it in prison, Gusty Spence being the most prominent. I had heard before about 7-8 years ago that there was an Irish language class operating on the Shankill, although I’m not 100% sure, but it wouldn’t surprise me.
I’m at the stage now, where nothing surprises me anymore.Added (2011-08-28, 1:04 PM)
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Just done a bit of searching on google
Byline: MAURICE FITZMAURICE
PEOPLE in one of Northern Ireland's best known loyalist strongholds have started to learn Irish.
Community workers in Belfast's Shankill, or Seanchille, district are to start Irish language Irish language, also called Irish Gaelic and Erse, member of the Goidelic group of the Celtic subfamily of the Indo-European family of languages (see Celtic languages). and history lessons in the coming weeks in a bid to "recapture our history".
Yesterday one of those behind the scheme said they came up with the plan after a group, including two former loyalist prisoners, did a residential in Donegal's Gaeltacht area.
Brian Watson, who works at the Lower Shankill Community Association, told the Daily Mirror: "Before this I certainly did not realise the significant role of Presbyterians in keeping the Irish language alive.
"And it also occurred to me and all those who were there that we all speak a little Irish every day anyway in the place names that we use.
"I know now that Shankill comes from Seanchille that means old church.
"A while back we did a straw poll straw poll or vote
Noun
an unofficial poll or vote taken to find out the opinion of a group or the public on some issue
Noun 1. of around 100 people on the Shankill about their attitude to the Irish language. The results were at best indifferent and at worst hostility."
Mr Watson said they will be talking to Belfast based cross-community Irish language group Ultach Trust about facilitating lessons.
He added that the director of Glencolmcille's Irish language centre Oideas Gael, Liam O Cuinneagain, has offered a scholarship at the school for one of the Shankill students.
He added: "Irish used to be perceived as nationalist and republican only and was seen as divisive. But people around here are increasingly willing and courageous to grasp and make it something that can belong to us all."
UVF UVF Ulster Volunteer Force
UVF St Lucia, Saint Lucia - Hewanorra (Airport Code) leader and loyalist icon Gusty Spence learned Irish in prison and proudly wore a fainne, a badge identifying Irish speakers.
http://www.thefreelibrary.com/HARDLIN....8691511
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| Culzie | Date: Tuesday, 2011-08-30, 3:43 PM | Message # 4 |
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| Brian Watson waffles about Presbyterianism and the Irish language. I've read about others who have come out with the same rhetoric as if it was some magnificent discovery...its not. Certainly there were some Presbyterians who involved themselves in the stuff but the vast majority didn't. They spoke English and Ulster Scots.
Its the like the guy who spoke to me in wonderment that Protestants were involved in the United Irishmen. ''I didn't know that'' he said. I said 'oh yes there was but what about Sullabogue and Wexford Bridge'' He didn't know what I was talking about.
Who ever it is who are feeding this stuff to them they are only presenting one side of it and are working to an agenda that is promoting all things irish. This is easy for them as many Protestant loyal Ullish people are rudderless and have no sense of their own history or identity outside of playing in a band or supporting Rangers or Linfield.
So step forward the irish who are only to willing to fill the void and feed them their line.
What sticks with me is that they don't have to do this. There is nobody forcing Protestants to accept these things that are being presented to them but they don't tell them to get lost. They go out of their way to follow the green brick road.
As I said they have no sense of identity and tradition themselves so are easy prey for the irish who do.
I believe from they started to hold paddy's day to now its been one-way road to eventful absorption by Eire.
Saying that I realise that there were moves before that with the taking of Ulster out of UTV and the police being renamed. The hockey and rugby teams entering an all-ireland set-up. The dropping of the Red Hand from the tourist board logo etc etc etc. But now it is the ordinary 'loyalist' in tne street who are going down the same road. And the republicans have stated very clearly what their agenda is and yet these 'loyalists'go along with it.
Ulster Protestants consider themselves to be a separate nation. This nation they call Ulster
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| RSAUB | Date: Saturday, 2011-09-03, 8:41 AM | Message # 5 |
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| Very true and here we have just another example of this.
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/0901/breaking38.html
Ervine relative speaks up for Irish
A relative of the former loyalist leader David Ervine has revealed she has started to learn the Irish language.
Linda Ervine, whose husband Brian recently stepped down as leader of the UVF-aligned Progressive Unionist Party, began her studies through a cross-community project.
But while Irish has traditionally been associated with the Catholic community, the 49-year-old said she was struck by research that showed how her Protestant ancestors also spoke the tongue.
The East Belfast teacher said more Protestants were becoming aware of their community’s historic links to the language and wanted to see it freed of its political baggage.
Her brother-in-law, David Ervine, who died four years ago, was a former UVF prisoner who later came to international prominence through his support for the peace process and his efforts to develop a political voice for loyalism.
But Mrs Ervine said her family history was an encouragement rather than a hindrance to taking up Irish.
“People may not be aware that David learned Irish while he was in prison,” she said.
“The first Irish I heard was from Brian, who knew it from place names, which always interested me.
“I suppose people might find it unusual, given my background, but, there you go.”
She said much of the Protestant community’s link to Irish, including the role of Presbyterians in preserving and protecting the language centuries ago, had been forgotten.
“I think it’s very sad people don’t know that. That has been lost,” she said.
“I feel that because the language has been politicised, sadly, it has been seen to belong to one community, which is nonsense.
“The language belongs to all the people of Northern Ireland.”
She was introduced to Irish through a project organised by the East Belfast Mission and Short Strand Community Centre women’s group.
The Protestant and Catholic women were taught Irish and Scottish Gaelic. A Protestant woman from Belfast’s Cregagh Road area, who has researched the subject, explained the Irish language’s cross-community history to the group.
“What amazed me was the fact that she was able to show us on the census of 1911 that many Protestants in Belfast, including the Shankill Road, were fluent Irish speakers,” Mrs Ervine said.
“It was a more geographical division, rather than a religious division, as to why people would have had Irish.
“I found it quite fascinating. I became aware that a lot of the words that we use every day are actually Irish Gaelic.”
The initial cross-community project was linked to An Droichead, an Irish language centre and school on Belfast’s Ormeau Road which has gained a reputation for its efforts to reach out to other communities.
“I was surprised by how many classes are available, how many people are doing Irish,” she said.
“I was made to feel very welcome at An Droichead — both myself and a friend I persuaded to go with me. We had a fantastic time. I was surprised there were other Protestants there as well.”
She said she had joked with friends that she was learning Irish at the same time as the Queen — who famously used the language during her recent state visit to the Republic of Ireland.
Mrs Ervine said she would not be in favour of an Irish language act, as Sinn Féin has called for, but said opportunities to learn the language should be available to all.
“I see the language as totally separate from religion and politics, and I think once anybody gets to know the language, they will realise that.”
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