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Sunday Is A Cup Semi-Final. It Is Not, In Any Way, “A War Under The Flag Of Ireland.”

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What in God’s name kind of statement was that which The Green Brigade released yesterday? It is the kind of rhetoric we can all do without.

Their call for every fan to take a tri-colour to the game as we “go to war under the flag of Ireland” is one of the most overblown pieces of ludicrous hyperbole I have ever heard from these guys.

And I wonder sometimes if these guys ever stop to think about the perception it creates not only of them but of our wider support. There is no way in Hell that we should be endorsing a sentiment like that, as rhetorical as I’m certain it was.

If a Sevco supporter’s organisation had asked their fans to bring Union Jacks and said that they would “go to war” at the weekend flying it, I’d be calling them raving maniacs unmoored from reality.

I get that it’s Easter Sunday, but this is a game of football, not a re-enactment of the Rising.

This is a cup semi-final, being played in Scotland, in the year 2022.

This is not Ireland. This is not 1916. Whilst some tiny number of people might long for war and violence and the resumption of hostilities, the war they are talking about has been over for near on 25 years.

The people of Ireland aren’t remotely interested in resuming it and especially when most folk are horrified by the very real war happening in Europe right now.

And it does not look like fun. For anyone.

If a tiny handful of people really do lust for the thrill of battle, the Ukrainians would be happy to have them.

Hell, when you consider that the Russians are drafting in mercenary forces from around the globe they’d be happy to have them as well.

I suspect they would find real combat, on either side, somewhat less thrilling than they imagine.

Repeatedly on this site it has been pointed out that the Celtic fan’s objection to the Old Firm tag started, years before Rangers fell into ruin, on the premise that we are not like them, that we do not indulge in hatred for its own sake, that we do not fetishize militarism and war … and you know what? This ticks more than a few of the old, tired, worn boxes.

I cannot believe some of the stupid stuff that our supporters do from time to time, like the resurrection of songs like the sectarian Roamin’ In The Gloamin’ which this blog has written about before, and grotesqueries like the hanging effigies which outraged thousands of Celtic fans when they were displayed at Celtic Park some years ago.

The Green Brigade are not some band of out of control supporters … this perception does exists in some sections of our fan-base.

If you are one of the people who thinks they are a menace we’re not going to agree.

If you are one of the people who thinks they can do no wrong then we’re definitely not going to agree.

If you are one of the keyboard warriors who wants to get arsey with me over this, get a grip of yourself and consider your attitude. It’s hunnic behaviour, and I have no trouble calling it that.

There is an aggressive militancy on both sides of the Glasgow derby right now which I think is dangerous not only to both clubs but to wider society, and I would very much like to see it stamped out.

More people don’t want to see parts of Glasgow turned into 1980’s Belfast.

I struggle to comprehend the thinking of those who do.

What a lot of fans are uncomfortable with here is the sentiment and the language of war.

War is not a word that should be used loosly or thrown around with carefree abandon.

As far as I’m concerned it has no business being used here … it is inflammatory and dangerous and exactly what allows outsiders to continue to push this “two heads of the same coin” shite which none of us has any time for.

It also creates the false impression that our club is Irish first … and it never has been,

We’re a Scottish club which has Irish roots, not an Irish club which happens to play in Scotland.

There are those who are going to say this is much ado about nothing.

But I don’t think the use of the expression “this weekend we go to war” is appropriate in the context of a game of football. The other side doesn’t need an excuse to indulge its own militaristic tendencies and all this does is encourage them to believe that all of us are spoiling for a fight. If it’s fighting that interests you, keep it the hell away from our club.

On top of that, I was always to the way of thinking that the commemoration of the Easter Rising was a celebration of heroic sacrifice and a nation’s will to be free … not the glorification of war for its own sake.

If some people have failed to comprehend that, then more fool them.

I rather suspect most Irish people have seen and heard enough of war and want nothing further to do with it.

This kind of talk doesn’t impress them one bit.

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  • MND says:

    100% agree with you James.
    No place for such language being
    used for a football match.
    Something I would have expected to
    come out of Ibrox.
    As you say we are a Scottish club with
    Irish roots.
    Very poor choice of words from the Green
    Brigade?????

  • Jim says:

    Why don’t they tell people to bring Ukranian Flags and show some support for millions of innocents who have lost their homes and been displaced because of “War ” ?
    The very use of the word shows Immaturity and Pig Ignorance.
    Thanks G.B. for handing our rivals more ammunition and evidence to use against us and for the wider football community to yet again say that ” we are both as bad as each other ”
    Well done.

  • Tom Foolery says:

    Well said, James.

  • Droopy McCool says:

    Words fail me. The green little boys brigade strike again.
    Pathetic, as usual they act like they are Celtic and the rest of can go feck ourselves if we don’t conform.
    It would be in poor taste during normal times, never mind just now.

  • Johnny Green says:

    Sometimes, not every time, they really are an embarrassment to CFC. It’s no wonder we get the comments aimed at us regarding one side being as bad as the other. This verbal shit just lends to those misguided accusations. They really do need to grow up.

    • Joe says:

      Absolutely agree.
      These people haven’t a clue concentrate on supporting Celtic. I am over in Ireland on a regular basis. People over there want nothing to do with this anymore. I’m fed up hearing were not like them. We have our fare share of nutcases and most are in the Green Brigade. If all this stuff continues we will see more and more fighting that will turn into another Belfast. There is no War its over. Nutters.

  • Martin says:

    Sad thing is, had they advised people to bring tricolors to “commemorate the events of Easter 1916 and the sacrifices made” people either would or wouldn’t and there’d be little fuss. But “go to war under the flag of Ireland” is absolute nonsense and surely will have turned people off from the idea more than anything.

    Sometimes you wonder if an impartial PR representative should proof read the stuff they send out first.

    Ukrainian and Palestinian flags as a symbol of solidarity with the oppressed would be more appropriate just now. We can all pay our respects to the men and women of the Rising but public displays of the type the GB suggests are massively off tone and pretty insensitive to the realities of 2022 just now.

  • Jimmy says:

    I would like to thank you for a great article James. At a time when real war is being waged against innocent people in Ukraine, these people thought it ok to come out with a statement like that. Unbelievable and something that should be condemned by every right thinking person.

  • Bhoy4life says:

    Couldn’t agree more.
    Been a Celtic supporter my whole life, born in Scotland.
    I recognise the Irish connection the club has, but to me, they are a Scottish club, thats something that either gets ignored or just plain dismissed by the likes of the GB with statements like this.
    Not all Celtic supporters are born and bred Irish, we don’t all agree on everything.
    To use that type of language for a game of football when thousands are dead and homeless in Ukraine is out of order.

  • Finbar muldoon says:

    Jim, re Ukraine flags. Celts were hammered by UEFA and roundly condemned in media for supporting Palestine. HH

  • Gerard Grant says:

    A totally embarrasing message from the Green Brigade which so very often now are responsible for Celtic’s EUFA fines and their displays which should not be part of the match day experience. Yes, by all means celebrate our Irish heritage and display the tricolour but also let’s acknowledge that we are a Scottish club and also display to the same extent the Scottish Saltire. As James says here …. we are foremostly a Scottish club with Irish roots . I would hope that as many as possible fans display the Saltire and let the Green Brigade and Scottish football know that we totally disagree with their message.

  • Max Mcmahon says:

    Well said and I am 100% Irish and very proud of the Fact
    I’m also a very proud Celtic Man
    And while I love the Noise and Colour of the GB , we can do without all this crap about going to war
    It’s a football game I’m sure Members of the GB have Ranger supporting Friends
    None of need this nonsense

  • Michael McCartney says:

    Agree wholeheartedly with your sentiments. The Green Brigade really should get a grip at times. Most of our support would like to see a United Ireland someday and that day is coming in the not too distant future. We are a Scottish team founded by our forefathers who arrived in Glasgow in the 19th century fleeing famine and looking for employment. Forget the insane talk of War, especially when so many people are suffering from the real horrors of war. We are all about supporting a great football team with a great history leave it at that.

  • John says:

    Totally agree shameful ,Embarrassing and I could add
    More it’s a game of football yes, A GAME , no place on either side of the divide for this sort of language a bigot is a bigot no matter which side they support !

  • Tam says:

    You’re right pal. This type of “war” language is disgusting, Idiotic and rotten to the core. We are Celtic supporters and believe in freedom and peace not conflict and disharmony.

  • Jimmy feerick says:

    Agree!

  • Niall O Doherty says:

    I agree with a lot of your sentiment in the article.
    It was a poor choice of words particularly the Zeitgeist at the moment with Ukraine. But thats all it was. A rush of blood to the head particularly as it happens to be Easter Sunday.

    I don’t agree with your claim of Celtic being a Scottish club with Irish roots. Without the Irish it wouldn’t be here today. Unfortunately thats getting ever more diluted over the years and its identity is being lost, in my opinion. Claims such as yours is revisionist. “Say it enough times and it will sound like the truth”. Billy McNeill claimed it was Irish!

    • Seppington says:

      Regardless of whether it was formed by Irishmen it was formed in Scotland, ergo, Scottish Club with an ethos with roots in Ireland, it’s founders birthplace. Both yours and James’ points have validity.

  • jrm63 says:

    That is a statement which will come back to haunt them. Not just offensive but stupid as well. War rages in Ukraine and they issue a statement like this.

    • Joe says:

      Deadly silence from the GB.
      I’ve said it before its only a handful of them who decide on banners and what to publish the rest just follow like sheep. Or should I refer to them as the High Command because some of them think they are really a Brigade. Anyway would their Chief of Staff come on here and explain the things they do and the reasoning behind them. I won’t hold my breath as they are probably wearing balaclavas plotting their next move.???

  • Jim says:

    Finbar,

    Did UEFA ‘ Hammer’ all the British Clubs who formally displayed flags ( both in the Stands and on their large screens ) in Support of Ukraine ?only a few weeks ago?

    I assume you mean the same UEFA who voted to move The Champions League Final from St Petersburg to France, as a punishment for Russia’s attack on Ukraine ?

    Hail Hail, my friend.

  • Eugene Cairns says:

    100% agree with your view James.

    its pathetic and serves our enemies !

    Don’t the tiny minds in the GB realise this is just the sort of ammo the press just LOVE to use against us.

    Celtic colours and Ukrainian flags would be reported around the world reflecting us in a positive light

    I despair of these arrogant boneheads

  • Peter Burns says:

    Totally agree 100%. I wish we could stop all the going to war stuff and lose the IRA song sheet completely.

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