I spoke to Phil Mac Giolla Bhain, a man who wears his Republican heritage on his sleeve, about the hostile reaction to his comments on modernising the Celtic songbook a few months back. Phil found himself to be an easy target for conspiracy theorists who turned on him for issuing a request to an end of political chanting. I’m sure Neil Lennon will not find anything like the same reaction to his comments in the Sun today, but it remains to be seen if anyone listens.
Neil said, “It’s important that we put a general message out that these chants have no place around our club. To be honest, we are better than that as a club and we always have been, we just don’t need it.
“We are and always have been a club open to all and we do not have issues around sectarianism. We have our own values and traditions but they do not include these chants. We don’t want them at matches and they must stop.”
This is not the first time Neil has given the same message this year. After his earlier comments I actually heard, “Who is Neil Lennon to tell me what I can and can’t sing? I’ve been going to Celtic Park a lot longer than he has.”
We are in a classic social paradox. The reputational damage of political singing is not felt by those who sing, and the risk of personal consequences arising for any individual singer is probably around 1%. And let’s be honest here, for all the supportive flags, banners and “I’m Neil Lennon” proclamations, is Neil respected enough to be listened to, or has he become a modern Che Guevara-poster boy?
Whatever you think of Neil, or his rights to say what you can or cannot sing, he has the best interests of our club in mind whenever he speaks on this subject.
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pflan76 @1812
That has got me thinking, l do not support the singing of ira songs at Celtic Park.
The only answer to this is that the times are changing, we must move on.
The club , our manager who has more reason to hate than most do not want us to sing them.
We will show the way , we are better than that.
Mtt
thomthethim says:
17 November, 2011 at 18:42
Maybe if you lived in Disgusted, Turnbridge Wells.
Paul67
Im disapointed.
Serriusly.
The current state of things are a buckin joke.
EN
(Buckin annoyed)
thomthethim says:
17 November, 2011 at 18:42
The GB are an extreme left wing anarchist grouping, who have latched on to Celtic, using the club as a platform, as they don’t have another forum.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
iomlán bruscar – or absolute rubbish.
Thomthetim is a reactionary polemicists hell bent on causing division within the ranks of the Celtic support – discuss!
thomthethim says:
17 November, 2011 at 18:42
The GB are an extreme left wing anarchist grouping, who have latched on to Celtic, using the club as a platform, as they don’t have another forum.
– – – – – – – – –
It wouldn’t surprise me if that’s in print somewhere.
Did you copy that from somewhere?
thomthethim says:
17 November, 2011 at 18:42
The GB are an extreme left wing anarchist grouping, who have latched on to Celtic, using the club as a platform, as they don’t have another forum.
DISCUSS
The noise being exhibited by foam coming out of Ernie Lynch’s mouth, is almost palpable at that suggestion.
LOL
So far, the comments have been of an unprecedented high standard.
Saltires in Sevilla.
I think the Psg problems are a little bit simpler than you suggest. One end of their stadium doesnt like colored people. The other end of the stadium does like colored people and contains lots of them.
Using Psg as an example does no justice to your argument. As for testing the water before declaring that you are a tim. You’ve got to be joking. I’ve been all over the world and the only place where it’s dodgy is Scotland and northern Ireland.
BBC tea time news coverage of NL’s statement, disgracefully slanted.
Plus ça change
Ray Singh-Carr says:
17 November, 2011 at 18:51
Yawn
Not been posting for a while but have been lurking as usual. Its easy to see the ole ‘divide and conquer’ strategy is working. The more we argue about this, the more chance they have of winning.
Forget picking songs. It doesn’t matter to them what songs we sing they don’t care. It’s just an easy target.
I’m not having a go at anyone who thinks we shouldnt sing certain songs ….. Or add ons. Many of us broadly agree on that.But I’m astonished that so many Celtic supporters feel unable to support their fellow supporters who want to express non sectarian non racist (currently) legal views.
We’ve got no chance here if we don’t stick together.
HH
My dear,dear,dear,friend.. Vmhan
Pal.. Ah in no way recognise any of the contents of Your
Last Submission, tae Me. as being…. a “DIG”
In Fact, An am most grateful fur the Info which you hiv Imparted,therein.
So , Ah kin Noo… readily see that .. we are facing a wee bit of Dilemma as to
who is who in Wonderland.. in this .
Ah was under the Impression the maist Banner Carrying Individuals , on whichBoosted the Shining Merits of the I.R.A. wiz in
the Area where the G.B. are Ensconced,and would then, Naturally, be Identified as a Card
Carrying Member of the G.B.
Noo. you have pit the Peter tae that..
Like ye say.. Ah do not Get to Parkheid a loat..it has ben Many Months.. although, Ah did get over,rather Frequently, during the Mister O Years..and for some ot the Mr. S, years as well..
and Frankly, Ah never was Aware if the G.B. were extant , during those Years..or..not.
Anyway..
Thanks for your Input in this..
It has given me. . something to think Aboot.
Kojo
yer pal..who likes ye aloater
Ray Singh-Carr says:
17 November, 2011 at 18:51
Apologies, misread !
BSR
You would think a professional journalist with any integrity would see there is more of a story in mining the bonkers ‘thinking’ that has gone into this prefabricated mess, and the mind boggling linguistic gymnastics involved in conjoining Illicit, Offensive, Sectarian etc etc etc…….
….oh wait….
Neil “Penfold” Lennon says:
17 November, 2011 at 18:54
BEST COMMENT ON THIS WHOLE DEBATE
by the way i dont sing i just moan when big sammi gets the ball thats how i support my team
One wee point about the songs and criminality debate that I don’t think has been mentioned.
Apologies if it has,obviously.
The songs in question will come under
“BEHAVIOUR AT A FOOTBALL GROUND WHICH A REASONABLE PERSON COULD FIND OFFENSIVE”,to paraphrase if not word-for-word.
The problem is that “REASONABLE” and “OFFENSIVE” are both subjective.
Subjective has no place in legislation,which should be reserved at all times for OBJECTIVE points.
Don’t start me on the presence of the word “COULD”,either. Or the inquitous BOTP!
My tuppence worth.
We should stop the oh ah up the RA stuff – thats easy.
We should not stop BOTOB – and any other Irish folk song – there is nothing wrong with these and any offence taken tells you more about the offended than the offender.
However my prediction is that this country wont stop at oh ah up the ra and will continue to outlaw catholicism and irishness – that the police will harrass us without ever telling us what is illegal. Meanwhile we will continue to be subjected to abuse and sectarian singing by the huns – who will never be reported by the police.
Appeassment wont work – but lets see what happens next.
Been exploring new places to live – no conclusion yet……
NA
Noel Gallagher on Celtic, Ireland, & Irishness
http://youtu.be/WonEbYXPa5k
November 6, 1887
Celtic Football Club is formally constituted in St Mary’s Church Hall in East Rose Street (now Forbes Street), Calton. The purpose is stated as being to alleviate poverty in Glasgow’s East End parishes.
Can anyone tell me in the original constitution was there any mention of alleviating Irish Poverty or Catholic Poverty in Glasgows East End or was even any mention of furthering the causes of Irish Republicanism. I think that the good Brothers original aim was to help the whole broad spectrum of the impoverished in Glasgows East End
And
In 1893 when Brother Walfrid established the Poor Children’s Dinner Table in London it was inclusive of all poor children and not just Irish Catholic children
Bourne- Chick Hun having a go at Hooper and Stokes for refusing to answer questions at pressers today and yesterday.Shameful stuff.Havent heard Weiry,Naisy etc answering anything about the upcoming death of their club.
Unfortunately I have not much time for reading CQN these days. On the other hand, CQN with the songs debate saves much of my time. It was first page today with pathetic comment that led me to make decision : Z., you can scroll by again.
As everybody here sees I know about Celtic what I learn from the website but most of all I prefer to watch Celtic games. I always feel happy when see thee more points, again three more points and so on.
Why I say that?
You know, with no disrespect for the songs debate subject and all that. For me this debate is similar to discussion about: If żurek from Złotokłos tastes better than kapuśniak from Świętochłowice.
I read Lennon’s words “we are better than that” as :we have our great history with record of successes, we are open to all and many, many other positive things.
Get off the corner and do right things to not give feed for articles about the goalkeeper not shaking hand with the players who won the game or whatever.
I suppose that Ki, Majstorovic and others understand from that song debate even less than I do.
Kojo – have just read your stuff about our reputation.
Dont you get that it doesnt matter how well behaved we are – they will find a way to outlaw us and smear us.
Headlines tell us we are in the dock over sectarian or racist behaviour – neither of which are true. The BBC say we are singing sectarian songs and then spend months and months trying to obscure the argument when we complain.
They will make stuff up, lie and cheat.
I understand why the Board dont want us to sing oo ah up the ra – but they should go after papers etc that lie like this. But they dont – they dont because they dont actually care about the supporters. They care about money.
NA
thomthethim says:
17 November, 2011 at 18:42
The GB are an extreme left wing anarchist grouping, who have latched on to Celtic, using the club as a platform, as they don’t have another forum.
DISCUSS.
*********************
Discuss yirself :¬)
I’ve met all the senior GB’ers, approx 8/10 of them and never heard any of that old crap from them at all, theyre ordinary Celtic supporters like many I’ve met on here, no better or worse, they just came together to create a decent atmosphere, wheres the harm?
V
Rashers Tierney says:
17 November, 2011 at 18:44
The world’s attitude to “terrorists” changed fundamentally following 9/11. And no organisation reacted quicker globally than the Provisional IRA. Hence the move towards peace settlements here and with ETA and others
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your statement is totally incorrect the attacks on the US of 9/11 played no part in the PIRA decision to call a cessation to the armed struggle. The IRA army council announced a ceasefire in 1997 in 2000 they ordered all weapons to be ‘dumped’ or in other words put into storage prior to their being destroyed . The British media did its upmost to discredited the Irish Republican movement by use of an extremely erroneous link between the actions of Al Qaeda and that of the PIRA in NI in the aftermath of the attacks in the US. Why not equate the actions of the French marquis against the German occupiers in France to that of Al Qaeda? makes about as much sense!
gebhoy @ 18.40
Let the people sing!
Shouldn’t it be – Help the players win!
Are we a football team or are we a Irish Republican choir – Clearasil Section?
The singing of IRA songs appears to be being treated as the sole preserve of the Green Brigade. Does no one else in the stadium sing these songs/ chants/ add ons?
F*** this…
Lets start a Celtic United…been a long time coming.
We’ll have a team to take on their phoenix club and we wont have a board that rips the pish out of true Celtic fans
FTPLC
MadMitch says:
17 November, 2011 at 18:30
‘Gebhoy @ 18.17
The GB are Clearasil Republicans who need to grow up.’
And you’e a senile coffin dodger who contributes nothing to the atmosphere at CP.
Did you see what I did there?
Clever, isn’t it?
Anywho lets get the 3 points needed in Inverness. Hope to see Ledley back. Good night
It is neither a surprise nor a coincidence that this media firestorm has been created at a time when Rangers face a potential points deduction for their alleged financial misdeeds.
For every point they lose for those there will be forces at work to ensure that we are ‘equally’ punished. If it isn’t for singing “illicit” (but not “illegal”) songs it will be for some other technicality.
I repeat my plea to the Celtic board to resign from the SPL. We will never have a level playing field in Scotland. Hell mend the small minded bigots of Scotland and the parasitical clubs they follow.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nox3h_QafnU&feature=related
If you don´t have time for the whole clip just have a peak at 2:46.
Clobber and hair is brilliant! ;-)
NegAnon2
We cannot sing every Irish ballad, just as we cannot sing every R+H weepy.
TFOA was a good start, it is ours and others have followed.
The Scottish establishment will still hate us.
TSS – Too establishment for me, also a bit too milataristic, needs to be rationed – every time AS scores?
BOTOB – The “IRA” brand is not what it was and it has no connection with the club to my mind, consequently not a goer for me.
Songs about hats / sub machine guns / plough boys – Took ages to remember the words but never at the football.
The more the huns and they’re quizling servants, attack the Celtic support through the Green Brigade, the more I want to support the GB…….
No need to discuss this, its FACT.
Off out now Celts, got to go and meet a Jersey Celt and his dear auld mammy, as its gonnae be a bit of a Celtic do I’m taking wee Derryghirl as backup, and wee hoopy for a photo opportunity.
HH to all you good Celts.
V
Vmhan♣ who Supports Neil Lennon says:
17 November, 2011 at 19:07
That’s reassuring.
I asked the question as I thought that the blog was very flat today and could do with a bit of controversy.
The Celtic support should hold a moratorium on the”illicit” debate until after the game on Saturday.
DISCUSS
This won’t stop with the banning of one or two songs. I guarantee we’ll be back here in a few weeks or months talking about the next offence which is allegedly being committed.
I’m pessimistic about the whole thing and I’m one who always wanted the ‘ra singing’ to stop.
bankiebhoy1
You have a way with words,
The sooner The Hoops take the field the better, – they are after our club.
bada
damned if they do, and damned if they don’t.
Lads please tell me you have seen Celtic supporters association new article.
Watching the ‘