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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fergus
Estadio had all this good info tucked away in the laptop supposedly stolen from his personal property during his foray in Messi land a couple of years since.
Hmm I’ve been in those places. Lost more than my laptop.
It really is sad.
ratners fc are going out of business at any time, and trying desperately to take us with them in any way they can.
The european football world already know the truth though, you only have to look at Lisbon 67 v Barcelona 72 & Seville v Manchester to get the true picture.
People aren’t blind.
taggart nobody move says:
17 November, 2011 at 20:27
Thank you OGLACH UFB. You dont need to give me a history of CFC.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–
As Celts we will agree to disagree, where we do differ is i do not believe that an element of our support singing songs in honour of men who chose the path of physical force Irish nationalism is inherently wrong be that about Wolfe Tone or PIRA. The sentiments of god save Ireland are echoed in the BOTOB and songs concerning the hunger strikers. I do agree that if the majority of Celtic fans wish to stop songs referring to a certain element of extreme Irish nationalism it should cease. Ireland and the struggle for freedom is not past history part of the Island is still occupied by Britain.
The Honest Mistake (Sickened) says:
17 November, 2011 at 21:05
Cheers mate and well explained.
Indeed. I will never be ashamed to be a Celt ..and was maybe a wee bit over-zealous with the ‘open arms’ bit hehehe
Agree we have so many good things to celebrate. Like you, I just want to get back to the fitba.
Hail Hail
M
CRC
Very good
Martin Niemöller CSC
I am Neil Lennon on a celticrollercoaster @ 21:06
http://www.celtictrust.net/?func=d_home_article&id=323
PJBhoynyc
just texted him to find out
don’t want to say who it is it he is very important to the celtic community
if you know somebody who has my mail or facebook get in touch
take care
bamboo says:
17 November, 2011 at 20:59
Funny can,t remember Keevins saying the same about us .
Interesting though …There is no way they will be ALLOWED to go out of business.
Wonder who let shug into the secret .
He must have said it to reassure the wavering ragers fans because we already know it .
HH
My dear,dear,dear,friend..Bamboo
Ah never realized that we wur so understaffed fur Mid Fielders..
Ideally, Ah widnae Play eether..Forrest or Commons against the Northerners..
Fur.. Ah know that Baith these Guys wull get Pummelled and Pushed and Tripped and
Hacked, every time they wull recieve the Fitba’
But.. Like Ah said…
If , Charlie wiz fit.. Ah wid Hiv him in the Middy, fur these type of Games…
Such as agin the Hearts, Killie, G.A, Aberdeen.. heck.. in Fact, there ur no miny Teams
in the S.P.L. where..Commons and Forrester wid get a Fair Outing..
It is a crying shame..
and
It is awe the Referees Fault ,fur no Protecting .. clever Ball Players.
Kojo
yer pal.. who likes ye aloater.
Well said Neil.
I hope those that need to heed the message do so……but I doubt they will.
mickbhoy1888 says:
17 November, 2011 at 19:04
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’
The profits from Celtic were meant to go to the SVDP for them to fund the poor table in the parishes of St Mary’s, St Michael and The Sacred Heart.
Beware latter day politically correct revisionism regarding the foundation and early days of Celtic.
Barrach
hope you are well?
We were looking to do something (else) good a while back. Can you hear the calling?
HH
CRC
I am a Celtic Supporter of over 35 years (attending matches) and I’ve been known to sing the odd rebel song. Some contain the letters IRA but I don’t sing those particular songs at Celtic Park because I don’t think they belong at the football.I tend to leave that for Celtic pubs or the supporters club.
In the 90’s Fergus McCann launched his infamous Bhoys against Bigotry campaign ,rightly or wrongly it was an unequivocal success.
In the years since B.A.B. I rarely heard songs at C.P mentioning IRA specifically although I’ve heard plenty of Republican songs. It could be that in recent years it has increased or that it is more prevalent owing to the fact that C.P is like a morgue and you can hear every word being sung.This is no dig at the GB as I know by the songs being sung at away grounds that the GB are being specifically targeted here and wrongly.
I think we have to keep the IRA songs out of the grounds but not to appease anyone in this country , we all know how hated we are here, I know it is our very being that offends them
The point is we have an international reputation to protect and I for one do not want to give the reptiles in the media or elsewhere an excuse to damage that reputation (they’ve had a right good go at that this week). We have a multitude of songs that we can sing which don’t mention the IRA but still celebrate our traditions and values (and get it right up our rivals).
We’ve done it before and we’ll do it again!!
canamalar –
Do you think you could dispense with the homo-erotic metaphors?
What you do in your private life is your business. I just wish you’d leave it there.
:~)
bamboo says:
17 November, 2011 at 20:59
‘the BouldB’hoys
I heard Hugh Keevins on the radio this morning saying “There is no way they will be allowed to go out of business. Scottish football without them would be inconceivable” ‘
To be fair he probably said the same thing when we were on the brink.
It’s just that none of us remember him saying it.
ElDiegoBhoy says:
17 November, 2011 at 21:08
No need for details ,at least not before the watershed
HH
EDB
You didn’t address me personally. Well at least I never noticed you speaking to God. :o)
No. Seriously. Your post reminded me of the standards expected on the blog and I fell bellow them.
MWD
MadMitch
Fair dos if you’ve held the same beliefs you have formed since ….well since a wiz shittin yella !
To me though whether you agree with these type of songs being sung in Celtics name or not, there is a discernable agenda at play here. It has always been there and even those not of a suspicious mind should see the game thats being played here.
I have nothing to be ashamed of when I sing in praise of those brave enough to fight the good fight for their country.
mic1888 says:
17 November, 2011 at 21:17
May it have increased as the exploitation of the armed forces at other grounds came into being ,
Just a thought .
HH
CRC not bad pal, I hope you’re hunky dory.
There are some things being suggested.
I think it would be really useful if everybody contacts their MSP about the OB Bill and deleted COPFS data.
http://www.celtictrust.net/?func=d_home_article&id=323
The great thing about CQN are the number of articulate posters that could argue a good case to an impartial pair of ears if given the opportunity.
;-)
Anyway bed beckons as up at an ungodly hour.
HH
Ooh Ah Pay Your Tax!
Ooh Ah Pay Your Tax!
WDH
Bankiebhoy just emailed me details. Thanks.
Oglach UFB @21:09
You seem to be a bit of the Irish historian, can you give me some figures in relation to men who gave up their day jobs at Celtic Park and took up arms in the cause Irish freedom and compare that figure with the amount that left Celtic Park in both World Wars to fight on behalf of the brits
There was a really funny Hearts fan on Talksport today, saying David Dein should get Sepp Blater’s job. You could hear the dj’s ‘thinking who let this guy through’. They said – ‘they won’t know who he is’ ‘yeah well, we go to ghana then and speak to them, ask them who they have’. He had no idea !
You could be right Fergus but i’ve not praised the RA at the football for over twenty years and don’t feel any less Republican. Don’t tell me to stop drinking though!!
The BB @ 21.20
Totally agree there is an agenda.
The question is how do we fight it?
There are a huge number of live issues to be going on with just now.
Fighting over singing the “BOTOB” is not one of them.
The stats over SA-BOTP is the main one now.
Why have the figures / details for 2005-09 been lost?
Specifically when all the other details of the upmarket BOTP – Racism / DV / Knife – have been kept?
I fear we have been set up.
Paul,
why are you allowing this ‘storm’ to become bigger than any other one in Scottish football history by prolonging the same debate and writing different posts about the same thing?
Let it pass.
dont fan the flames – others with their own agendas are doing enough of that.
Lets get back to talking about Celtic – we have done ourselves more harm than the ‘others’ have by keeping this subject on their life machine.
mickbhoy1888 says:
17 November, 2011 at 21:27
What is “a bit of the Irish historian?”
Ernie lynch says:
17 November, 2011 at 21:18
Saw Keevins and Jackson in our hotel in Rennes I think he was having the ‘soup de jour’
PJBhoynyc
good stuff so you have the person and dates?
i trust you appreciate my not mentioning his moniker
without his permission.
And you dare to call me a terrorist while you look down your gun.
Ki cant play cos he hasnt the fight we’ll need for the fight up there at the weekend. Im not a great Kayal fan but I was impressed with him at Fir park. He didnt nag nag at the MIB(nearly called him a ref) and didnt give away silly fouls. I think Lenny will go with big Sami to ruff up Tokely.& co. I hope Celtic go up there on Friday night so they are up fresh and ready to batter this lot!!
HaiL HaiL.
The CSA site: “New stats from the Crown Office will condemn us, who is to blame for that?”
The latest information from the Scottish Government which will be published tomorrow would appear to suggest that the majority of sectarian offences in Scotland happen at a particular football stadium; and that stadium would be Celtic Park.
Apparently this report will again support the Scottish Governments drive towards the new legislation for offensive behaviour at football matches, and will infer that we are the reason for the need for the new legislation.
This seems rather strange, in terms of the request for information regarding sectarian offences from 2003; I am informed that the statistics for the period covering 2003 to 2010 were destroyed by the Crown Office; these statistics pointed to the fact that the majority of sectarian offences were against Roman Catholics; and they happened around Orange parades.
PARANOID ARE WE……..NOT!
Having read Neil Lennon’s comments today, I am surprised by the people who are lining up to claim ” Aye, Neil Lennon agrees with me. The Provos were a disgrace,”
Of course, whether he believes that or not is his business, but he certainly did not say that today.
And now back to the ICT game- anybody think Bangura will get a hat trick?
PJBhoynyc
he’s not booked yet just texted back
SFTB
If Bangura runs 3 steps with the baw I’ll call it a hatrick.
Did you catch WWC’s response to The BBC Trust?
MWD
Houl your weesht
A person who has done a bit of research and has a bit of a grasp of Irish history
WDH
Understand entirely.
Contacted his hotel, left my number.
Have all details but not the dates….
You know how much longer he is here?
A hatrick for Bangura would surely elicit the justifiable post ironic chant of Ooh Aah Bangura