"Offensive chanting"

I agree, but who's history. Celtic's or Ireland's. Everyweek we hear about Bobby Sands and his fellow men, and not much of Celtic. Why can we not just sing about FOOTBALL, and CELTIC when we are at the games

 

Well said, we can't afford to lose what makes us great

 

who phucking cares what they sing really ? doesnt offend me in the slightest if they want to sing about that shyte then so be it. but il tell you this the ones who are singing it will be the same ones who would complain about any davie cooper songs etc (which we done for one game at ibrox wrong yes) but they havent let us hear the end of it

 

Nobody is stopping or trying to stop anyone from doing just that!

 

We have always sung about Irish history.....it's why we were formed.

 

We always sing about Celtic's history too, so that's a * statement Samson

 

That's isn't a nice thing to say about Samaras.

 

Spot on.

 

Correct me if im wrong but im pretty sure we sing about Celtic's history week in week out.

 

poor sammy, one day * come good and you'll all be sorry :icon_mrgreen:

 

Quiet Assassin hit the nail on the head when he said 'The IRA has nothing to do with CFC'. While throughout the clubs history there have been a lot of Celtic fans with links to Irish republicanism, there are also many supporters who do not.

Celtic was not set up to be a political vehicle for those who believe in the republican cause, no matter how worthy that particular cause may be. Charity, sport, social and cultural integration were the main reasons behind the creation of our club. That's why the name 'Celtic' was chosen, to represent the bridge between the Irish and Scottish cultures. As many of you will have read there was a lot of ethnic tension between the local Scots and the Irish immigrants in Glasgow in the late 1800's. The club was set up to bring about integration between the separate communities along with the charitable aims of the club. A modern day equivalent of the ethnic tension is the feelings some people held towards the influx of Eastern Europeans moving to the UK in the past decade.

Reading through the history of Celtic, the connection and deep rooted links with Ireland are undeniable and I for one do not wish to see the Irish heritage of our club diluted at all. However one aspect of this is that the Scottish element of our history is occasionally forgotten. I do not believe that we should stop singing Irish songs but that doesn't mean there are certain songs that I feel don't have their place within the stadium.

As a club that presents itself to the outside world as a club open for all, I feel that we shouldn't have a songbook that's predominantly focused on the Irish struggle for independence. I personally don't have a problem with the songs and I do not believe that the rebel songs are sectarian. I also don't believe the lie perpetrated through the media that both sides of the divide are as bad as the other. The arrest figures for sectarian offences at home matches over the past few years totally dispels that myth.

You can still celebrate the clubs Irish roots and heritage without singing about the IRA, even if a lot of fans are supporters/sympathisers of that cause. Also, to deny there are no supporters that sing rebel songs without an educated view of the situation, without having any Irish heritage, without having been to Ireland or simply singing the songs as a way to rile the rivals then I feel you are being incredibly naive. I am aware that there are many who are very well read on the subject and feel the singing of such songs is justified.

Singing those songs isn't wrong, illegal, sectarian or bigoted but that doesn't mean that Celtic park is the place for them. Singing those songs within the stadium will have no effect (positive or negative) on the cause either.

 

/thread

 

You have stated a lot of points that are more than fair enough however you more than acknowledge the fact that the songs we sing aren't wrong, sectarian or bigoted. If you can acknowledge that then where's the problems.

If I went to any other stadium in Scotland or Ireland and started singing about scottish heroes. I reckon no one would care. Just like if I went to every stadium in Scotland and Ireland and started singing about French heroes there wouldn't be a problem.

The fact that singing about Irish heroes generates such a huge hostility says more than I ever could about the racist and sectarian problem scotland has.

 

I agree that these songs have no place in football. When I hear fans sining "Soldiers are we, who pledge our lives to Ireland",I think to myself,how may of them have actually ever been in Ireland in their lives? Of course, Celtic should celebrate their Irish roots, but we are based in Scotland and are a Scottish club. If they love Ireland that much, why don't they go and live there and get Irish citizenship? Also, the other night I was arguing with my mate on this issue with him defending Celtic's "Irishness". I said to him, why do you vote in British elections then? Why do you hold a British passport? And as he is currently unemployed, why do you take dole money from the British government? He was left speechless.

 

You might as well have just wrote. The Famine is over why don't you go home.

 

You make a good point, I often think that because I personally don't have a problem with the songs that there aren't really any problems in singing them at games. But it is clear that not every Celtic fan is comfortable with them, even at away games. As above my reasons for not singing them at games are there.

I doubt there would be many who would care if you sang about heroes from other countries but they may think that a football isn't the place for it. You never completely know what people's reactions to singing those songs would be until you try it. There may be people who have a problem with it. But we're just guessing now.

Most people I know or speak to, don't have a problem with anyone celebrating Irish culture or history but those same people would probably agree with me that a football match isn't the best place for it.

The hostility definitely does exist as I also know people who are offended by songs such as 'Fields of Athenry' but this is due to ignorance. It's a deep rooted problem in some parts of Scottish society and the only thing we can do to change it is to try and educate people about it.

 

Does the same song not say "Some have come from a land beyond the sea"? Celtic was founded by an Irish immigrant as said many a time in this forum so why join a club made by an Irish immigrant to help causes, one of which being to make aware the many problems in Ireland, and keep notice of this. So in a way by singing Irish songs of rebellion we are singing about one of the reasons why the club was formed and as I said in my last post the songs were sung before you were born and up until now. Why try to get it to stop now and cover up the history which a LOT of people are aware of through the supports singing?

Also I said, EVERYONE knows Celtic sing and always have been a support whose large base mostly sing this songs, and start moaning saying i don't agree with these supporters?

 

Seems like a bizarre statement, Bobby Sands was a member of parliament, did that make him un-Irish

 

think you meant to log onto rangers media mate .later

 

What next... They'll be saying because were a "British" club we should get along with our neighbours and maybe greet them with songs of there custom, The Sash for example!