Last week I was in Belfast for the first time in 20 years. The city centre was flooded with tourists, adding a cosmopolitan flavour. It’s clean and without litter or graffiti. I also didn’t see a single football top on the street in two days, which has to be exceptional for any European city. It was a proper tourist destination.
The whole city is small and just a few minutes’ walk from the centre are demarcation zones where normal rules of law and order, or even planning permission, do not apply. There are places where inappropriate bravado would be punished without appropriate limit.
Many people live in besieged areas. Bombay St is pretty and well-kept, but the residents, are not even protected by a roof-high peace line (below). Their gardens are now completely caged in, a necessary step to protect life and property.
One phrase you will have heard all your life about Belfast in July is “tensions run high”. Communities spend months preparing enormous bonfires, while ancient observances are carried out.
It is not possible for Celtic to play against Linfield under normal conditions without jeopardising the welfare of our travelling support. Too many people would be vulnerable in too many places. We should decline tickets for the away game and politely inform Linfield they should do likewise – don’t think for a second it would be only Linfield fans who would pitch up at Celtic Park for the return game. Their presence would be a beacon for all that we don’t want to see or listen to for 90 minutes.
Belfast has so much to teach Glasgow, from tourism, to reconciliation, but conflict remains part of its infrastructure. This is a tie to get out of the way without cost to life or limb.
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The game will be played at Windsor park and Celtic fans will be there in their droves. And why shouldn’t they be
Celtic supporters go to watch a game of football and enjoy themselves.
This debate went on for ages before Celtic last played in Belfast, and that was in the midst of all that fleg nonsense – there wasn’t any trouble whatsoever.
If transport is a problem, because the game coincides with the giant travelling circus parade – then hopefully the club give the entire ticket allocation to the Belfast based supporters so the tickets don’t go to waste.
HH.
JimmynotPaul
Yeah…seems like Mr Pastry can pee everybody of at will.
But you get censored when you tell him **** ***
Hardly fair:)
HH
Lads
Frustrating as it is, the swear words rule is the proper way to go.
Rise above the idiots and make your point in a clear and dignified manner.
Like I always do, )))))
QUONNO on 19TH JUNE 2017 7:54 PM
Bit of chat about Twalfth related bonfires.
Just how do they get all the pallets they burn each year.?
10 years ago,a pallet was costing my company 24 quid a pop.No idea who pays for the manky mobs.
Did I really get deleted for that?
Mr67, you have used worse language yourself on these pages.
However I will rephrase.
Mat Nillocs, I disagree with your point, calling anyone who supports their club stupid for wanting to support the club, and citing their bigotry as a reason is offensive and inaccurate.
Celtic supporters know how to behave when we visit another clubs city.
Is the blog really going over to the actually offensive posters? Mats is accusing Celtic supporters of bigotry with no foundation at all!
I ask Mats Nilloc to explain “reasons other than football”
WITS
Seems like the CQN curtain-twitchers have struck again:)
HH
WiTS, no rule is worth applying if not universally applied.
Ask Stuart Regan, he knows:-)
WHAT IS THE STARS on 19TH JUNE 2017 8:51 PM
The game will be played at Windsor park and Celtic fans will be there in their droves. And why shouldn’t they be
Exactly.Too many Quasimodos about.
Sorry,he was a Bellringer.I meant Handwringers.
And for the mods, and indeed Paul, that was only a light ribbing. I don’t expect universal moderation. Unless I apply it of course!
I was going to say Mats Nilloc was talking water excrimated with some excess salts, various chemicals and some urea, but thought that rude.
Doc
I seem to recall the same poster referred to Celtic supporters as a cancer.
I took exception to that, and said so.
Did he get censored?
Did he ****
HH
If and when the game is played,as has been mentioned,Celtic fans could congregate on the Falls meet at Stockman’s then along Boucher Road then into the ground.No flashpoint zones whatsoever.When republicans march into the city centre security is so tight as the police have it (planning) down to a tee.As I just stated there are no flashpoints for Celtic fans,it would take about 15/20 minutes from Falls/Andersonstown to Windsor park .
BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 19TH JUNE 2017 3:51 PM
Turkey
Cheers.Thought I was missing a trick.
The very fragrant Lisa heartbroken because Johnny Hayes has her mans shirt.Lovely tweet from her.
Once a Celt,always a Celt.
To remove their firewood would be considered unpalletable.
Turkeybhoy
Insert as applicable….thats the beauty of it:)
HH
The Green Man/ Doc.
That’s another of my posts gone. Magic stuff.
Come on and say Celtic fans are stupid and deserve everything they get and your post will stand though.
Is Bobby Tait the ref here. :-))
JimmyNotPaul
Im used to it now:)
Just need to be more inventive with my invective:)
HH
Doc
Yes indeed, he is the worse **** on CQN.
Probably a HUN:)
HH
Doc..
:))))))))))
Missed the ie, sorry, sorted that now.
Laters.
Scorching in, ehm, actually don’t now which town I’m in, postcode CW8, north west England.
Northwick, just googled it. I set a postcode into the sat nag and go.
It was lovely in Liverpool earlier!
Paul67
This article is wrong. To my regret, there aren’t sufficient numbers of Catholic Celtic fans, who still travel around to watch our team, to inconvenience Ulster authorities. Tempus fugit.
Sell our tickets, sell any other tickets we’re given.
Current Celtic fans will sing loud, in ignorance of where they are and what Ulster thinks they represent.
Good evening all, I just thought I would pop in and thank you guys for some great company on Saturday. Tonight’s topic on first impressions would appear to be about bad language which now limits my verbal salute to you all. Thank you!
curtain twitcher
Someone with nothing better to do than to spy on their neighbours for signs of petty wrongdoing. A derogatory term for members of the neighbourhood watch and other such organisations.
@urbandictionary
right while were at it nailing my colours to the mast i used to sing sean south, the merry ploughboy, the soldiers song in the jungle no i didnt no kev did i do wrong am i a bigot please tell me.
It ‘wooden’ be nice to remove their pallets.It is the time of year when tyres,old furniture is set alight to the delight of underage drinkers…..but…but….flick a fag end out your car window expect to be nabbed and fined.
This julywehopetogubthem. CSC
GreenMan, he is probably a Tim, but one who knows better than most!
I ask Mats Nilloc what do you mean in this phrase “reasons other than football”?
Please feel free to wait to offer an explanation, I’ll be asking again when next you are on, if I am of course, omnipresence escapes me as yet, it’s a reasonable question.
Doc 9.30.
He will be using another moniker by then.
Hail Hail
BhoyJoeBelfast, has recycling escaped parts of Belfast so far those tyres could make nice things and not clog up the atmosphere.
Sipsini, thanks, I’m here all week.
Carbonomissionsarewrongbutthatistheleastoftheproblemswitheffagyburningonthe12thcsc
good to hear so many of our fans wanting to go support our team,
not mine or anyone elses place to tell them not to
JimmynotPaul, hope it’s a recycled one:-)
Puff daddy or summat
Doc
What cracks me up.
He changes his moniker and thinks nobody notices:)
That poster has been responsible for some the the worst bigotry on CQN.
Very rarely, if ever, gets pulled on it though.
Ive honestly never met any Celtic supporter with views like his, thats why i think he is a zombie.
Throws his wee sneaky, snidey hun comments in, and stands back….like a coward.
No time for the ****:)
HH
GordyBhoy64, a personal choice, and a respected one.
But I think our support go to support the team, regardless of who we play.
I go to watch them play Patrick Thistle, Dundee, Sevco, Aberdeen, Hearts, Man. City, Barca.
As do most of our support.
The authorities have a duty of care to make sure those attend a football game are safe.
A duty of care.
In legal terms that is very significant.
If the authorities decide we should not, as a support attend, that is an entirely different thing.
They would be fulfilling that duty of care, but the reasons should be made clear and public if they deem our support should not be given a normal UEFA allocation, and UEFA should also have an opinion. In that we would not be safe.
For Celtic, as a Club to decide we sholudn’t take up an allocation gives into Mr Bankiers ridiculous advice about our, “behaviour”
WearenottwocheeksofthesamearseCSC
Doc:
“THEY” are so thick they would bring down the sewing machine from the attic to oil it.
The Orange Order do their marches now and again to promote their Protestant ascendancy, as they imagine it. That’s an affront to Catholics like me.
Who wants to persuade me the Green Brigade are affronted Catholics?
Doc.
Horrible Henry, Alfie Noakes, MrPastry, Mats Nilloc.
That’s 4 of the top of my head.
A few you could recycle from that, as you know there has been more than that. I hope your question is answered.
Hail Hail.
Night all
Enjoy
So,………
How will the back of the bus rebels…..
and their Provo song book…
negotiate this toxic tie with the…..
Deliverance Derry Boys ?
How many dafty fines are we away….
fae being banned oot of Europe ?
Will, John Wilson fae Tynecastle…..
get a complimentary ticket…..
so that he can run on and…..
get a selfie, wi Brendan ?
Will the, soul selling PLC…..
give Celtic fans names to the PSNI ?
Ah smell Hugh Dallas’s fingerprints !!!
Anyway,…..
……off-oot.