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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voguepunter says:
18 November, 2011 at 08:14
Morning Lhads.
Heard some terrible news on the radio there…………………..Barry Manilow’s
coming to Glasgow,if the wife hears that I’m a dead man walking.
Could it be magic…..
Bigjoe……..justgettingHisCoat
There might be a problem if he decides to change his name to Kevin Barry Manilow.
Lennondinho18 (@CelticNewsAtTen) says: 18 November, 2011 at 08:20
Sorry don’t agree.
We need to get back to football.
We don’t need to pronounce another syllable on the subject.
We don’t need to give them any more headlines for their chipwappers.
Beat ITC 5-0 tomorrow and make THAT the headline.
Hail hail
Good morning CQNers.
Glad it’s the weekend and we can get back to the fitba’
It is what we do best.
I have deliberately stayed away from this week’s variation on the songs debate as most views have been aired by those far more elequent than I.
It is good that we embrace all kinds on our blog. We represent what Celtic is and represents, so we need to adhere to those principles that make us what we are.
What we do not need is to make up silly arguments that only serve to make us look silly and of little gravitas.
Huns don’t pay taxes so are responsible for British troops’ death and suffering. Give me strength. Idiotic and will be turned against us.
EC67
Eyes Wide Open says:
17 November, 2011 at 22:44
A shining light of a post Mate in a dark time for us all….
SP
Big Joe,
get those tickets! :-)
(hope your team wins)
DAVYTHELOTION
It’s on page 13,near the bottom.
If the boul’ Barry kicks off the gig with The Auld Bermuda Triangle the huns will go mental………..
ianinascoli says:
18 November, 2011 at 08:58
Big Joe,
get those tickets! :-)
(hope your team wins)
Just for the vrecord …………..
I don’t like Barry. Manilow
BigjoeMorein2tuuuuuuuunez
Eyes Wide Open says:
17 November, 2011 at 22:44
well said pal. These very thoughts have been going through my head for days great to see someone as articulate as yourself put it across so succinctly
voguepunter says:
18 November, 2011 at 08:14
Morning Lhads.
Heard some terrible news on the radio there…………………..Barry Manilow’s
coming to Glasgow,if the wife hears that I’m a dead man walking.
…………………..
Cheers, just booked tickets as a Christmas present
Big Joe,
Just for the record, I believe you. :-)
Good morning Sixtaeseven, just thinking about tomorrow.
EBM-ElectroBhoy2500 – We are all Neil Lennon! Glasgow Rangers is the sporting icon for loyalist bigots. says:
18 November, 2011 at 05:30
Thanks for posting mate.
Strange times at the moment.
Opening a book:
How many headlines can the Daily record get out of the very minor ‘problem’ (if it even is a problem) that Celtic Supporters have with one or two of their songs or chants?
Is there any way of finding out how many consecutive days the Daily record ran headlines on the Orcs songs after any number of high profile matches over the last 100 years?
Totally and utterly disproportionate.
Do you all remember when the rangers problem (almost every song they sang was sectarian!) was quietly dropped at the behest of RFC from the press so they could deal with it in house – or, as it turned out, not deal with it!
EBM-Electrobhoy2500 @ 05.30
Fritzagrandol @ 09.13
Fritz A Grandold’s hits the nail on the head with his piece and it’s the reason we see Scotland’s finest recent emboldened show, someone in authority has obviously decided they need some evidence to prove a point.
The Scottish establishment were well aware of the statistical breakdown of arrests of football supporters and, quite simply, they understood the 2003 act was more likely to ensnare Rangers supporters for sectarian crimes, hence the need for the new law to encompass a ‘political songs’ element. Indeed it probably explains why the Scottish police and justice systems were so lax in their enforcement since its introduction.
Professor Tom Devlin, great man that he is, highlighted the issue when giving evidence to the Justice Committee and Christine Grahame’s laboured attempts to get Prof. Devine to concede the stats were skewed against Rangers supporters was revealing.
Below I’ve posted the link….Justice Committee Part 2 (bottom of the page) -the relevant bit starts about 50 minutes in.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/democracylive/hi/scotland/newsid_9588000/9588383.stm
From todays DR
Now Record Sport understands a crack team of specially trained officers will be deployed to Inverness tomorrow to monitor fans’ behaviour as Neil Lennon’s side take on Caley Thistle in a lunchtime showdown.
Really,a crack team of police officers! what next crack troops! to monitor us,dearie me welcome to a modern progressive scotland as some football fans heard north to support their team as Mr Salmond and co shuffle us slowly to the police state.
I must say,you learn something new every day.
All the old certainties in life are falling by the wayside.
Now,it seems,water no longer hydrates,and you will be fined for saying otherwise!
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/eu/8897662/EU-bans-claim-that-water-can-prevent-dehydration.html
I agree that this week has been a very depressing one on this blog and as we enter the Christmas period and the season of good-will to all men, perhaps the Celtic, Supporters’ Association; Trust, and other fans groups should meet Assistant Chief Constable of Strathclyde Police, Campbell Corrigan.
Even though he insulted our intelligence—and our hearing ability—by claiming that the atmosphere at the CIS Cup Final was terrific—a wonderful advert for Scottish football—before turning his attention to the GB whose members he hunted with a ruthless determination that would have done credit to Elliot Ness and his “Untouchables”.
The film about Ness cracking down on Al Capone’s bootlegging gangsters must have been the inspiration for the dogged law-enforcer Corrigan and his men as they have variously videoed, harassed, charged, and raided the homes of a few young Celtic supporters to show that there is a threat to law and order in Glasgow and that threat lives in Section 111 Celtic Park!
(Funny that I thought the real crimes in No Mean City were drugs, gangsterism, prostitution, extortion etc, but anyway you get the drift.)
But I think Jeanette Findlay, Joe O’Rourke et al. should forget past differences and meet with Corrigan. Show the man the respect his position deserves and make peace.
Perhaps a suitable act would be at this time of year as Christmas approaches would be to give him a small present before they sit round the table to talk.
A gesture? A small peace offering? Mavis Beacon software?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQJtQcMcYmU
Morning all from yet another wild wet and windy day in North Ayrshire.
Oh-oooooh
Victor Wanyama, Victor Wanyama
Victor Wanyama
Wanyama, Wanyama
Oh-oooooh!
johann murdoch says:
18 November, 2011 at 09:21
It will be interesting to see if Northern Constabulary wish to make their case for funding.
Lenny should stock to football at the press conference today.
If he feels he HAS to make a comment on the singing ( and the Board should be doing this, not Lenny) he should be told to make one comment and one only and them move on.
My comment would be “I find it odd that Campbell Corrigan and Strathclyde Police can tell RFC what songs are deemed offensive bur will not do likewise for Celtic”
Now move along lads.
BIG NAN 0922
Surprised he still has any credibility left after that was shown. If he is typical of senior police officers,we should be able to out-think them. While we’re still in our prams!
Amongst all the hand wringing, fear and hurried prescriptions about what we need to do about our songbook in the past week, i thought I was going mad in imagining that Celtic fans had been reported to UEFA previously and been cleared.
I came across this reminder of one such occasion on the Soccerway site. Now tell me what has changed to make UEFA more likely to accept there is a case this time?
“UEFA drop Celtic probe
31 March 2008
NYON, Switzerland (AFP) – European football governing body UEFA confirmed Monday they have dropped their investigation into alleged sectarian chanting by Celtic supporters in Barcelona.
UEFA looked at video footage which appeared on the internet from Celtic’s Champions League visit to the Nou Camp on March 4.
“From what we could see there wasn’t sufficient evidence to open a disciplinary enquiry,” a UEFA spokesman told AFP.
Celtic had said they were surprised to be the subject of a probe.
“Celtic supporters have already been praised highly by UEFA for their behaviour and were also applauded by FC Barcelona, the Catalan police, the people of the city and the Catalan media,” the club said in a statement.
“Celtic Football Club states quite clearly that as a club open to all, it stands firmly against all forms of bigotry and sectarianism.”
Canamalar @ 03:42
If Rangers failing to pay tax did indeed impact on BritishTroops carrying out their duties yes then I do condemn them just as I would condemn them for the impact their misdemeanours would have on the national health service. I also condemn the thousands,nay millions, who for years were smuggling more than their duty free allowance into this country and in doing so were also depriving the same tax authority
However In most cases I like to post regarding matters involving Celtic FC so can you explain to me how Celtic were still winning trophies if the Hun were so blatantly cheating in depriving the tax man. Don’t give me the arguement thatCeltic would have won more trophies if the Hun had not been cheating because as far as I am aware they were never in collusion with Inverness Caley Clyde or Ross County
Would that DR report come courtesy of one R Shorthouse of Strathclyde’s finest? Why are we being targeted when at most we are guilty of illicit chanting (whatever that means, it does not mean we are guilty of anything illegal)? There can only be one reason: to paint us as bad as them, while the Police officially praise their illegal singing. Only in Scotland.
This morning, Radio Scotland’s Thought for the Day was given by Paul Mitchell, one of their match commentators. He used his time to speak out about racism, which is the Big Issue in England at the minute, and made not one mention of the real issue in Scotland: sectarianism. Am I being overly cynical in thinking that this might be because the team he allegdedly supports is Hearts?
Good Morning CQN
Hope Street, Glasgow City Centre 9.38 am
* Man wearing full tracksuit, and regular shoes alert *
Big Nan says:
18 November, 2011 at 09:22
…. perhaps the Celtic, Supporters’ Association; Trust, and other fans groups should meet Assistant Chief Constable of Strathclyde Police, Campbell Corrigan.
——————————————–
He’d love that. This is a man on the make. He wants any kind of publicity to advance himself as ‘the man who smashed sectarianism in Scotland’. Next stop, an MBE then Chief Constable then a knighthood with a season ticket for Newsnight Scotland.
Morning CQNer’s.
I have a feeling that we will, driven by the Green Brigade, make a statement up at Inverness on saturday!
A sound humping of our friends from the north will announce that Lennons Lions are back on the march!
I think that the establishments latest, dark-arts show will provide the Celtic players with the type of team talk that will, bring a treble for the countrie’s most hated manager/person EVER!
Hail! Hail!
“We Shall Overcome….” CSC
fritzsong says:
18 November, 2011 at 09:39
You don’t do sarcasm then?
bournesouprecipe says:
18 November, 2011 at 09:38
You’re hallucinating. That would never happen.
bournesouprecipe says:
18 November, 2011 at 09:38
Good Morning CQN
Hope Street, Glasgow City Centre 9.38 am
* Man wearing full tracksuit, and regular shoes alert *
___________________________________________
What with this and your snorkle….you need to get down to City cash tailors :O)
I’ve heard ESPN have borrowed the mics from One Man and His Dog for tomorrows game.Be smart bhoys.
TPD
I would have snapped him but people might have thought I was dodgy.
I nearly got lynched in Pirt Dundas Rd when I tried to take a shot of a female (I think) Orc with a brand new top which said on
the back, “This Granny takes no sh*t”
I’ve been careful since that incident.
Crack SNP troops on their way up for tomorrows stitch up.
O’Reilly will be as biased as ever causing our young fans to crack up, Salmonds!Grahames stormtroopers will jump in trying to arrest innocent fans and all hell will let loose.
Be carefull tomorrow bhoys.
KTF and stuff the SNP
Why don’t the GB et al start singing the hymn “Walk With Me”,which was sung at Tannadice on TB Thursday.Picture the Broomloan Road 7,500 giving it laldy,40,000 huns booing…..secterian hatred?? We can get some of those big Kenny Everett gloves with the big pointy finger ready for them,in case Nevin,MacLean,Corrigan,Graham,Salmond,McAskill,Leckie etc etc dont (want to)hear it.
jimmci says:
18 November, 2011 at 09:29
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Totally Agree M8!
Neil should ask exactly like you say and, if the LL cross the line then, I think Neil should take a leaf from WGS’s book(when asked if he was resigning in 2009) and, bolt out the door and from that moment on….give the LL a wide bearth for total disrespect!
Hail! Hail!
This match tomorrow should have been boycotted.
Completely and totally.
Put a marker down now.
300 storm troopers turn up and there’s not a Celtic suppoerter anywhere.
ICT foot the bill I presume.
Hilarious.