Lennon Calls For An End To Offensive Chanting

Let's look after our own issues here rather than having playground bickering against the 'you know who's'. Also, many Celtic fans who have people in the armed forces will find your comments offensive.

 

i think it's good that Lennon has come out and said this under no pressure, its what sets us apart from them.

i love the GB but the 'Ooh ah up the ra' chant has to stop; i mean, why venerate a pagan Egyptian sungod? :icon_mrgreen:

in all seriousness though, the Up the Ra chant is pretty much the only thing i have a problem with. Boys of the Old Brigade is never a ''sectarian' song in a million years but is Celtic Park a suitable place to sing about joining the IRA ?(and before someone jumps down my throat, yes, i'm aware it refers to the original IRA freedom fighters rather than the modern day IRA) I think a lot of people within the Celtic support would say no; sadly, we live in a country that is fairly ignorant of it's or anyone else's history so all they see is the line "I joined the IRA" which obviously has loaded, negative connotations.

For that reason, it is in our best interest to not sing it at games so we can avoid any potential sanction from the SFA, not to give people a chance to tar us with the "old firm" tag, the two sides of the same coin myth which is admittedly an opinion borne out of willful ignorance

there are plenty of great Celtic/Irish songs that can be sung which celebrate our clubs Irish heritage without hurting our public image (which is important especially since we can't count on the support of the majority of the media or political class); the support has to be a bit more savvy that way.

the fact its neil who said this should focus the mind aswell

 

Completely agree with you.

I'm trying not to mince my words here, as it often happens when it comes to this subject and you can be easily mis-interpreted.

I have no problem with any of the Irish songs I've heard at Parkhead in recent years. The problem is that any mention of IRA in any song being sung at a Celtic match will automatically have non-Celtic supporters who aren't aware of the history behind it conclude that it's being sung in support of groups like PIRA. Or they just automatically assume 'terrorism' when they hear IRA. Quite an inflammatory subject.

Part of the reason some people have a problem with our support singing these songs is, I believe, due to the feeling of necessity from the media to not completely point the blame at Rangers.

Some of the criticism aimed at our support for singing Irish songs stems from the fact that the majority of our support are not Irish. While this is true, a lot of our supporters are of Irish descent (including myself, although I don't consider myself in any way Irish). This isn't a valid criticism anyway as there's nothing wrong with a non-Irish person singing an Irish song.

Criticising a Scotsman for celebrating Irish culture is as illogical as criticism for (as an example) an Englishman celebrating American culture. There would be no problem from others with our fans embracing Irish culture if it were any other country's culture we were embracing in my opinion.

Having said that, there are certain, political songs such as 'Go home British soldiers', 'Aidan McAnespie' and 'Roll of Honour' among other songs that perhaps have their time and place, out with Celtic games.

 

Yes.

 

good post Minty bhoy

 

Where did you get that stat?

Both sets of my Grandparents are Irish, I hold Irish citizenship as well as an Irish passport.....is that good enough for you?

If you were to take up your IMMEDIATE family members history...you would be entitled to.

Might be * to you, but to many this is part of our history.

If, I decide not to chant rebel songs anymore, the I shall quit of my own accord.

PIRA we can do without, that I agree with.

 

I see your point Minty, and I wasn't having a pop at you in my last post (incase it looked like that).

As you quite rightfully point out mate, there are a huge amount of Irish/irish decendant support in Scotland/supporting Celtic. The question I ask is does anyone think that a Celtic supporter would be lambasted for singing a Scottish song at Parkhead? I think not, so why should an Irish/descendant supporter be lambasted for singing songs about their history?

AS CaltonRepublican quite rightly pointed out, last season CP would have been a ghost town if not for the GB belting out the rebs....where were the anti-reb promoters during this?

Now CP has got atmosphere back, it's 'right...chuck singing the rebs noo'.........doesnt work like that I'm afraid.

As I say.....PIRA can be left.... I would be happy leaving 'Go on home' 'get the brits out', but the others such as BOTOB, Roll of Honour and Aiden McAnespie (who has nothing to do with I/PIRA activities) with pride and conviction til lthe day I die.

 

No.

 

They shouldn't, in my opinion.

Since I've joined this forum and before then, I've always seen and heard dialogue from fans who are for/against singing of the rebel songs at Parkhead. So they were still there, perhaps not as vocally as just now.

Anyway, feel free to sing those songs but I just don't feel the stadium is the best place for them.

The club really needs to state some form of clarification of what is and is not acceptable.

 

No one sings "no protestant at all" its a bull * rumour.

 

Have to admit I love the old reb songs, and I know we could argue ours arent outlawed or that, and therefore we would be within the law to sing them at Celtic Park. I know for a fact, that politically, I will always campaign, and argue for a free and united Ireland. I have sung rebel songs at Parkhead for years now, but do we need to sing them at our games now ? I would say, naw, we dont need to sing them, so long as that Tricolour continuously flutters over our Paradise, then thats enough to tell the World, that we are Celtic Football Club, and we are proud of our Irish roots. I have to congratulate the Green Brigade, for helping the Manager, bring the thunder back into our games. The footballing World is talking about our support, but not in the same way as they talking about the other mob, who are tagged with chanting discriminatory bile, tried and found guilty of it, not only once but four times in the last 5 years, while the SFA have gone 120 years and not said boo to them about this same chanting, but then again Scotland allowed them as a club, not to employ a Catholic for over 100 years. We as Celtic supporters, can hold our heads up high wherever we go, welcomed with open arms. Think of the Huddle on Sunday, the biggest ever Footballing Huddle in the world, think of " Just cant get enough", "Something inside so strong" "The fields", all our other great songs, please lets show the world that we are not connected any longer with this outdated "Old Firm" tag. I certainly believe our support is totally united, and proud to have Neil Lennon, as our Manager. So, lets unite again behind the man, and support his call for us be selective in our choice of song. Please remember we watched Lenny suffer thar horrible obuse, if he requests us to stop, then I'm with him.

 

I respect YOUR opinion

 

The Boys Of The Old Brigade shouldn't be stopped.

 

Honestly, hun * actually find these songs offensive!

 

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVvzehTNXhs[/YOUTUBE]

Ring any bells.

 

Why do some keep saying they dont mind the Old IRA its the PIRA that offends them?? the PIRA were just a continuation of the original IRA albeit with a more socialist slant & they where set up in the first place (PIRA) to defend there neighbourhoods from attack by loyallist mobs...& yes they werent perfect but many many brave men & women died fighting for there cause which was a noble one which i supported at the time & still do & i make no apoligies for that.

Theres too many Daily Mail reading types creeping into our support..if you dont like Irish Rebel songs then you should have thought about that before you started supporting a club which is known for having a very vocal Irish Republican fanbase.

 

the huns think siss is an IRA anthem

 

I am coming from the opposite camp in so far as I do not feel political songs should be sung at Scottish games but I totally agree with your point and other strong republicans make the same point. The idea that the old and new ira are completely different is dubious. The old ira and older groups like the fenians used similar tactics of bombs, ambushes and assassinations of what they felt were legitimate targets. pira were more high tech and devastating but as far as I can see they were not so very different from the old ra. I am no expert though and would be happy to hear someone explain why they think there should be a sharp distinction that old ira=good but pira=bad.

 

you can,t make it any plainer or simpler than this if we continue the ira chants and songs FARE the same organisation that exposed rangers will be put under pressure from " others" to report us and as joemcl has said we will be fined and worse if it continues you put it very well joe and should be heeded .

 

The IRA were not offensive to me and hundreds of thousands of other Irish Republicans all over the world. I am sorry but we can all find something to become offended by if we try hard enough. For instance I am offended that Celtic fans find the Irish Republican movement an embarrassment.