SECTARIAN GAA

[bluedog]

According to the the BBC News and Talkback sectarianism is alive and"persistent"in the GAA.Darren Graham a Protestant from Fermanagh has been forced to give up GAA due to the persistent,his words,sectarian abuse he suffered during and at games.During the interview he said as a Protestant in the GAA he was a rarity but was annoyed at the continual sectarian taunts from other players and supporters.This had wore down his willingness to remain a GAA player.

This is not really surprising for us Protestants,when a Protestant actually starts to play GAA as we are often told we should,the old sectarian mask slips. .It would appear your sectarian sport does not want a Protestant about the place.

The BBC Northern Ireland site shouuld satisfy your usual quest for links.

[bluedog]

As a Protestant I don't know of one single Protestant who plays GAA.I was discussing this at lunchtime and those I spoke with said they also did'nt know any Protestants who played GAA.You would think if there were "plenty" some of us would be aware of maybe just ONE.

The whole episode is pretty shocking,nothing much has changed.Marty the spy today was trying to encourage some ethnic minority communities to join the GAA.Ethnic minorities would appear to be more preferable than Protestants.

[Jim]

Its shocking treatment and its out of order, theres no need for it so I'm agreeing with you bluedog.

This sort of antics needs to be knocked on the head. No doubt this is more of a northern problem.

[Wasp]

The GAA is a sectarian sbody but I must admit this is confined mainly to N.Ireland, although it has its moments in the republic.

[blueman]

wasp said:

The GAA is a sectarian sbody but I must admit this is confined mainly to N.Ireland, although it has its moments in the republic.

It isn't too hard to see why that is the case as there are only 2% Protestants left in their so called 'Republic'. They would be hard pressed down there to find a Protestant to vent their hatred at but given that 50% of Ulster is Protestant there are only a handful of Prods prepared to risk life and limb to give them credibility.

Once again their bias and Sectarian nature has been highlighted. The whole Gaelic association is a disgrace and every Protestant knows it but as usual the Media ignores their blatant Sectarianism and homes in on the likes of Linfield and Rangers. If Irish League soccer, statistically speaking, was as nakedly Sectarian as this outfit it would be on every news headline and bulletin. As usual our journalists with the exception of a gallant few are silent when it comes to tackling Sectarianism within the Roman fold.

Image if the sporting stadiums of the Irish League were named after Loyalist terrorists what the outcry would be, they would be howling from the rooftops, but the GAA can name their grounds after Republican murderers and not a word about it. Like the so called 'Free State' and 'Free Derry' the GAA too are 'Free', from anything perceived to be British or Protestant. So what if they have had a few so called 'protestant' presidents, like everything in their hate-filled state, a joke, to take the heat and pressure of their true agenda.

While we are on the subject, what about the Republic of Ireland soccer team. How many Protestants have ever donned the green jersey of the Republic. I'll hazard a guess at that one, not even one Prod has ever played for them, but like everything else not looked into or researched. Yet again if a Roman had never played for Northern Ireland we would be highlighted at every oppurtunity but these people are getting away with murder, literally.

[Jim]

Actually, only 2% of the population is protestant because most either went north or converted to marry. Not like protestants havent forced their own people out for marrying a catholic, happened to my family, forced to leave for orange order for marrying a durty kafflik.

When a catholic played for Northern Ireland he was getting death threats, so whats your point?

[Blue Angel]

Hazarding guesses betrays prejudices which in turn betrays your bigotry blueman. And the 'Free State' has not exsisted since 1937 and only extreme loyalists (and ironically) extreme republicans uses the term any more. The GAA names it's grounds after influential people in Irish history or for other reasons - here is a list of the stadiums by capacity for you:-

Croke Park 82,500 Dublin, Ireland Gaelic Athletic Association
2 Semple Stadium 55,000 Thurles, Ireland Tipperary GAA
3 Páirc Uí Chaoimh 52,000 Cork, Ireland Cork GAA
4 Gaelic Grounds 50,000 Limerick, Ireland Limerick GAA
5 FitzGerald Stadium 43,000 Killarney, Ireland Kerry GAA
T6 St. Tiernach's Park 36,000 Clones, Ireland Monaghan GAA
T6 McHale Park 36,000 Castlebar, Ireland Mayo GAA
8 Pearse Stadium 35,000 Galway, Ireland Galway GAA
9 Casement Park 32,500 Belfast, Northern Ireland Antrim GAA
10 Páirc Tailteann 30,000 Meath, Ireland Meath GAA
11 O'Moore Park 27,000 Laois, Ireland Laois GAA
12 Nowlan Park 26,300 Kilkenny, Ireland Kilkenny GAA
T13 Dr. Hyde Park 25,000 Roscommon, Ireland Roscommon GAA
T13 Healy Park 25,000 Tyrone, Northern Ireland Tyrone GAA
T13 Wexford Park 25,000 Wexford, Ireland Wexford GAA
16 Cusack Park (Ennis) 24,000 Clare, Ireland Clare GAA
17 Páirc an Cheiltigh 22,000 Derry, Northern Ireland Derry GAA
18 Dr. Cullen Park 21,000 Carlow, Ireland Carlow GAA
19 Breffni Park 20,000 Cavan, Ireland Cavan GAA
T20 Athletic Grounds 18,000 Armagh, Northern Ireland Armagh GAA
T20 Páirc Uí Rinn 18,000 Cork, Ireland Cork GAA
T20 Brewster Park (Enniskillen) 18,000 Fermanagh, Northern Ireland Fermanagh GAA
T20 Pearse Park 18,000 Longford, Ireland Longford GAA
24 MacCumhail Park 17,500 Donegal, Ireland Donegal GAA
T25 Markievicz Park 17,000 Sligo, Ireland Sligo GAA
T25 Walsh Park 17,000 Waterford, Ireland Waterford GAA
27 O'Connor Park 16,000 Offaly, Ireland Offaly GAA
T28 Páirc Esler 15,000 Down, Ireland Down GAA
T28 Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada 15,000 Leitrim, Ireland Leitrim GAA
T28 Fraher Field 15,000 Waterford, Ireland Waterford GAA
T28 Cusack Park 15,000 Westmeath, Ireland Westmeath GAA
31 Parnell Park 13,500 Dublin, Ireland Dublin GAA
32 St. Conleth's Park 13,000 Kildare, Ireland Kildare GAA
33 Drogheda Park 12,000 Louth, Ireland Louth GAA
34 St. Brendan's Park 11,000 Offaly, Ireland Offaly GAA
35 Aughrim Park 10,000 Wicklow

hardly a majority named after 'terrorists' hey - i suggest you try supporting your arguments as you increasingly looking foolish here.

And the actual percentage of people who identified themselves as belonging to Protestant denominations was pointed out to you before as been 4% in the last census of the republic of Ireland. But please don't reality interfere with your vision of a state where we are all merely awaiting a signal from the vatican to ethnically cleannse all Protestants.

[Republic]

blueman said:

these people are getting away with murder, literally.

Who are you talking about here?
I'm not sure whether I agree with you or not, as this staement is ambiguous.

Do you mean
1) All Irish people?
2) Republicans?
3) Catholics?

Who??

[blueman]

jim said:

Actually, only 2% of the population is protestant because most either went north or converted to marry. Not like protestants havent forced their own people out for marrying a catholic, happened to my family, forced to leave for orange order for marrying a durty kafflik.

When a catholic played for Northern Ireland he was getting death threats, so whats your point?

Sorry Jim, of course you are right and I apologise for my ignorance and bigotry. All the Southern Protestants did go North, I wonder why, and the rest did indeed convert, I wonder why, but I suspect in a funny sort of way you have indeed supported my argument and the suspicions that I have always had about these matters, you don't want a Prod about the place.

The Orange Order in my opinion is a Cult put in place by the English to support the Undemocratic Monarchy so their allegience to the High Church Anglican Monarch is not suprising, and like Big Ian should be treated with suspicion and caution. It wasn't too long ago Big Ian was calling you a lot worse than 'Durty Kafflicks' but like the Orange and the English they are very adapt at change. As far as Neil Lennon is concerned the Norn Iron fans were way out of order and should be ashamed of themselves. Once he pulled the green jersey on the fans should have supported him to the core. We were wrong, big time wrong, but that seems to be the difference, we can admit to mistakes but the Southern Irish haven't the bottle to own up to their country's shameful past or can they?

[bluedog]

blueangel said:

Hazarding guesses betrays prejudices which in turn betrays your bigotry blueman. And the 'Free State' has not exsisted since 1937 and only extreme loyalists (and ironically) extreme republicans uses the term any more. The GAA names it's grounds after influential people in Irish history or for other reasons - here is a list of the stadiums by capacity for you:-

Croke Park 82,500 Dublin, Ireland Gaelic Athletic Association
2 Semple Stadium 55,000 Thurles, Ireland Tipperary GAA
3 Páirc Uí Chaoimh 52,000 Cork, Ireland Cork GAA
4 Gaelic Grounds 50,000 Limerick, Ireland Limerick GAA
5 FitzGerald Stadium 43,000 Killarney, Ireland Kerry GAA
T6 St. Tiernach's Park 36,000 Clones, Ireland Monaghan GAA
T6 McHale Park 36,000 Castlebar, Ireland Mayo GAA
8 Pearse Stadium 35,000 Galway, Ireland Galway GAA
9 Casement Park 32,500 Belfast, Northern Ireland Antrim GAA
10 Páirc Tailteann 30,000 Meath, Ireland Meath GAA
11 O'Moore Park 27,000 Laois, Ireland Laois GAA
12 Nowlan Park 26,300 Kilkenny, Ireland Kilkenny GAA
T13 Dr. Hyde Park 25,000 Roscommon, Ireland Roscommon GAA
T13 Healy Park 25,000 Tyrone, Northern Ireland Tyrone GAA
T13 Wexford Park 25,000 Wexford, Ireland Wexford GAA
16 Cusack Park (Ennis) 24,000 Clare, Ireland Clare GAA
17 Páirc an Cheiltigh 22,000 Derry, Northern Ireland Derry GAA
18 Dr. Cullen Park 21,000 Carlow, Ireland Carlow GAA
19 Breffni Park 20,000 Cavan, Ireland Cavan GAA
T20 Athletic Grounds 18,000 Armagh, Northern Ireland Armagh GAA
T20 Páirc Uí Rinn 18,000 Cork, Ireland Cork GAA
T20 Brewster Park (Enniskillen) 18,000 Fermanagh, Northern Ireland Fermanagh GAA
T20 Pearse Park 18,000 Longford, Ireland Longford GAA
24 MacCumhail Park 17,500 Donegal, Ireland Donegal GAA
T25 Markievicz Park 17,000 Sligo, Ireland Sligo GAA
T25 Walsh Park 17,000 Waterford, Ireland Waterford GAA
27 O'Connor Park 16,000 Offaly, Ireland Offaly GAA
T28 Páirc Esler 15,000 Down, Ireland Down GAA
T28 Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada 15,000 Leitrim, Ireland Leitrim GAA
T28 Fraher Field 15,000 Waterford, Ireland Waterford GAA
T28 Cusack Park 15,000 Westmeath, Ireland Westmeath GAA
31 Parnell Park 13,500 Dublin, Ireland Dublin GAA
32 St. Conleth's Park 13,000 Kildare, Ireland Kildare GAA
33 Drogheda Park 12,000 Louth, Ireland Louth GAA
34 St. Brendan's Park 11,000 Offaly, Ireland Offaly GAA
35 Aughrim Park 10,000 Wicklow

hardly a majority named after 'terrorists' hey - i suggest you try supporting your arguments as you increasingly looking foolish here.

And the actual percentage of people who identified themselves as belonging to Protestant denominations was pointed out to you before as been 4% in the last census of the republic of Ireland. But please don't reality interfere with your vision of a state where we are all merely awaiting a signal from the vatican to ethnically cleannse all Protestants.

The GAA allowing the hungerstrike commemoration was a little sectarian slip dont you think?Maybe these are the influential people the GAA want to be associated with?If Linfield invited the UDA to Windsor to celebrate something ,there would be uproar from the Catholic community.Was there mass protests from the vast majority of GAA people you tell us are non sectarian after the Provos used GAA property,I sure did'nt hear of any.Paisley was the boy called people traitors and Judas etc and he turned out to be the real traitor.You Republicans call us nazis and sectarian,but I think you people are most certainly at the least sectarian as this episode proves.

[Wasp]

When a catholic played for Northern Ireland he was getting death threats, so whats your point?

Jim that is a broad swipe, you know exactly why lennon got booed and then threatened, which BTW I condemn. What about Martin O'Neil? You make it sound as though when any Catholic plays for N.I or when the first Catholic played for them. There were Catholics before and after Lennon.

What about rangers players who were booed by ROI supporters while playing for there country against the republic.

[Wasp]

bLUEANGEL On the GAA Membership of the Association shall be granted only by a Club, to persons who subscribe to and undertake to further the aims and objects of the Gaelic Athletic Association, as stated in the Official Guide.

The basic aim states:

The Association is a National Organisation which has as its basic aim the strengthening of the National Identity in a 32 County Ireland through the preservation and promotion of Gaelic Games and pastimes.

Rule 15 states:

The National Flag should be displayed at all matches. Where the National Anthem precedes a game, teams must stand to attention facing the Flag in a respectful manner.

Robert Kerr, speaking on behalf of one club, said since the GAA’s formation there had been an “association with nationalism and republicanism”.

“Many of the clubs throughout Belfast and the country have been named after republicans,” he said.

Or perhaps the Mairead Farrell Camogie tournament or the Michael McVerry cup. would help you realize their sectarian nature.

The funny thing about rule 21 is that you can be a sectarian murderer, belong to a group that carries out sectarian murders, yet a policeman who tried to stop sectarain murders was not allowed to join. This speaks volumes to do with the sectarian GAA.

The GAA president Nicky Brennan offically opened a new GAA field named in honour of the INLA terrorist and hunger striker, Kevin Lynch. Did the new president, the GAA clubs and members breached Rule 7A?
Rule 7A states:
“Non-Party Political
(a) The Association shall be non-party political. Party political questions shall not be discussed at its meetings, and no Committee, Club, Council or representative thereof shall take part, as such, in any party political movement. A penalty of up to twenty four weeks suspension may be imposed for infringement.”

cAN ANYONE SEE THE INCLUSIVENESS FOR Protestants here? Apart from grounds is there not fields and playing pitches named after terrorists?

[bluedog]

wasp said:

bLUEANGEL On the GAA Membership of the Association shall be granted only by a Club, to persons who subscribe to and undertake to further the aims and objects of the Gaelic Athletic Association, as stated in the Official Guide.

The basic aim states:

The Association is a National Organisation which has as its basic aim the strengthening of the National Identity in a 32 County Ireland through the preservation and promotion of Gaelic Games and pastimes.

Rule 15 states:

The National Flag should be displayed at all matches. Where the National Anthem precedes a game, teams must stand to attention facing the Flag in a respectful manner.

Robert Kerr, speaking on behalf of one club, said since the GAA’s formation there had been an “association with nationalism and republicanism”.

“Many of the clubs throughout Belfast and the country have been named after republicans,” he said.

Or perhaps the Mairead Farrell Camogie tournament or the Michael McVerry cup. would help you realize their sectarian nature.

The funny thing about rule 21 is that you can be a sectarian murderer, belong to a group that carries out sectarian murders, yet a policeman who tried to stop sectarain murders was not allowed to join. This speaks volumes to do with the sectarian GAA.

The GAA president Nicky Brennan offically opened a new GAA field named in honour of the INLA terrorist and hunger striker, Kevin Lynch. Did the new president, the GAA clubs and members breached Rule 7A?
Rule 7A states:
“Non-Party Political
(a) The Association shall be non-party political. Party political questions shall not be discussed at its meetings, and no Committee, Club, Council or representative thereof shall take part, as such, in any party political movement. A penalty of up to twenty four weeks suspension may be imposed for infringement.”

cAN ANYONE SEE THE INCLUSIVENESS FOR Protestants here? Apart from grounds is there not fields and playing pitches named after terrorists?

WASP good post,you're right not very welcoming to us Prods,I think I'll stick with Linfield.

Also have you not heard Mairead Farrell was just an eco tourist studying the flora and fauna out on the rock.She also was supposed to be one who favoured "the big bang theory"

[blueman]

blueangel said:

Hazarding guesses betrays prejudices which in turn betrays your bigotry blueman. And the 'Free State' has not exsisted since 1937 and only extreme loyalists (and ironically) extreme republicans uses the term any more. The GAA names it's grounds after influential people in Irish history or for other reasons - here is a list of the stadiums by capacity for you:-

Croke Park 82,500 Dublin, Ireland Gaelic Athletic Association
2 Semple Stadium 55,000 Thurles, Ireland Tipperary GAA
3 Páirc Uí Chaoimh 52,000 Cork, Ireland Cork GAA
4 Gaelic Grounds 50,000 Limerick, Ireland Limerick GAA
5 FitzGerald Stadium 43,000 Killarney, Ireland Kerry GAA
T6 St. Tiernach's Park 36,000 Clones, Ireland Monaghan GAA
T6 McHale Park 36,000 Castlebar, Ireland Mayo GAA
8 Pearse Stadium 35,000 Galway, Ireland Galway GAA
9 Casement Park 32,500 Belfast, Northern Ireland Antrim GAA
10 Páirc Tailteann 30,000 Meath, Ireland Meath GAA
11 O'Moore Park 27,000 Laois, Ireland Laois GAA
12 Nowlan Park 26,300 Kilkenny, Ireland Kilkenny GAA
T13 Dr. Hyde Park 25,000 Roscommon, Ireland Roscommon GAA
T13 Healy Park 25,000 Tyrone, Northern Ireland Tyrone GAA
T13 Wexford Park 25,000 Wexford, Ireland Wexford GAA
16 Cusack Park (Ennis) 24,000 Clare, Ireland Clare GAA
17 Páirc an Cheiltigh 22,000 Derry, Northern Ireland Derry GAA
18 Dr. Cullen Park 21,000 Carlow, Ireland Carlow GAA
19 Breffni Park 20,000 Cavan, Ireland Cavan GAA
T20 Athletic Grounds 18,000 Armagh, Northern Ireland Armagh GAA
T20 Páirc Uí Rinn 18,000 Cork, Ireland Cork GAA
T20 Brewster Park (Enniskillen) 18,000 Fermanagh, Northern Ireland Fermanagh GAA
T20 Pearse Park 18,000 Longford, Ireland Longford GAA
24 MacCumhail Park 17,500 Donegal, Ireland Donegal GAA
T25 Markievicz Park 17,000 Sligo, Ireland Sligo GAA
T25 Walsh Park 17,000 Waterford, Ireland Waterford GAA
27 O'Connor Park 16,000 Offaly, Ireland Offaly GAA
T28 Páirc Esler 15,000 Down, Ireland Down GAA
T28 Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada 15,000 Leitrim, Ireland Leitrim GAA
T28 Fraher Field 15,000 Waterford, Ireland Waterford GAA
T28 Cusack Park 15,000 Westmeath, Ireland Westmeath GAA
31 Parnell Park 13,500 Dublin, Ireland Dublin GAA
32 St. Conleth's Park 13,000 Kildare, Ireland Kildare GAA
33 Drogheda Park 12,000 Louth, Ireland Louth GAA
34 St. Brendan's Park 11,000 Offaly, Ireland Offaly GAA
35 Aughrim Park 10,000 Wicklow

hardly a majority named after 'terrorists' hey - i suggest you try supporting your arguments as you increasingly looking foolish here.

And the actual percentage of people who identified themselves as belonging to Protestant denominations was pointed out to you before as been 4% in the last census of the republic of Ireland. But please don't reality interfere with your vision of a state where we are all merely awaiting a signal from the vatican to ethnically cleannse all Protestants.

Well it would appear from the above that you have carried out the Vaticans instructions with a vevegeance. If the above list of Sectarian and hatefilled venues is meant to reassure me that all is well in your Roman dominated State then things down there are much worse than even I suspected. I suppose your Sports are a mirror image of your Religion and a mirror image of your Politics. No room or place for anyone or anybody who is not Gael, Roman or Fenian.

The fact that even with your lies and deceit you can only get the Protestant population up to 4% speaks volumes as not even Republicans can lie their way out of that one. Whoopee, a full 4%, now that is something to be really proud off. That will enable you to puff your wee Irish chests out as you sing the Sectarian Soldier Song, you allowed a full 4% of them wee Proddie Heretics to reside among you, that makes you Cosmopolitan. A Catholic State for a Catholic people, apart from 4%, which in keeping with your benevolent nature you allowed to stay down here.

I for one don't believe for one minute that your State is Free, far from it, you are immersed in Bigotry and Superstition far worse than even I ever imagined. You are like something released from the 'dark ages'. The Roman Church has such a grip on Irish minds and consciences that only God Himself can Free you from the blindness and hatred which engulfs the vast majority of Irishmen and Irishwomen to this day. These websites have taught me many, many wonderful lessons and I have seen first hand what the Ulster people are up against as we fight to keep our Wee Country Free from Roman dominance. You are so brainwashed it is nearly unbelievable but then again we have a crowd of Fundamentalist's up here who are on a par with youse lot so I don't get too carried away with myself.

[Wasp]

Again on the player.

ABUSED' PLAYER TURNS BACK ON GAA
BY MICHAEL BRESLIN


A 25-year old Protestant GAA footballer is giving up the sport because of what he claims is persistent sectarian abuse from opposing teams.

The former senior hurler with Fermanagh who has represented the county at U-21 football, has told the 'Herald' he is giving up gaelic sport altogether because of persistent sectarian abuse he gets from certain players in opposing teams, from three clubs in particular.

Lisnaskea Emmets championship footballer, Darren Graham, who is employed as a joiner with a local firm, the Clarke Group, stressed that he gets on well with those within the club and with people in the Lisnaskea community.

He is a son of Mary and the late Cecil Graham and was just three weeks old when his father, who was a member of the Ulster Defence Regiment, was fatally wounded by the IRA while visiting his wife who was staying with her parents. He died two days later, on 11th November, 1981. Two of Darren's uncles, Ronnie (in '81) and Jimmy (in '85) were also shot dead by the IRA.

However, those experiences did not prevent him from turning up for under-age training with the Emmetts when he was 12 or from representing St Ronan's (Catholic) Primary School despite the fact he was attending the Protestant Moat Primary School in the town.

Even in those early days, he recalls, he was on the receiving end: "I got a wee bit of abuse through the ranks at U-14, U-16 and Minors (U-18), but nothing really heavy till I hit the senior ranks. A couple of games, perhaps, somebody would mention something about my father or my uncles, but it wasn't that really. It was more, 'black bastard' and, 'you're a Protestant, you shouldn't be playing gaelic sport."

"Obviously, no one in my on club calls me names, or in Maguiresbridge or Teemore. It's mainly from three clubs especially, although I think there could be several altogether where there is always something smart said along the way. I get it from their supporters as well".

Darren also played hurling with Lisnaskea seniors who, along with the only other senior club in the county, Lisbellaw, play in the Armagh League. No, he said, he had no complaints to make locally and, as far as the Armagh League went, 'people there did not know about my background'.

It was clear that the abuse and the nature of the abuse had affected him. He admitted that he had never complained to his own club, preferring instead to 'let it brush over my shoulder'.

But, he felt particularly angry on two fronts: his service to Fermanagh was undermined, and the totally wrong message that the abuse sent out to his co-religionists.

"As regards Protestants playing gaelic, I think I am the only one throughout the county that I know is Protestant who is playing that sport. Don't get me wrong: there are plenty of other players who have a Protestant mother/father, but were brought up as Catholics, but I think I am the only true Protestant.

"At the end of the day, this is happening, so why should I get that sort fo abuse when I am trying to recognise that this is a sport for both religions? This, after all, is what the GAA is trying to encourage, but why should other Protestants take it on when they're getting that sort of abuse?".

Lisnakea Emmetts chairman, Barry King, who plays alongside Darren in the Lisnaskea senior team, confirmed that Darren had not made an official complaint to the club of sectarian abuse from opposing players. But, he insisted that it was not something the club would endorse.

"There is a certain amount of chat goes on during the game and there are certain players involved in that. Is it sectarian? It is not for me to say but, if Darren is being subject to sectarian abuse, the club would definitely condemn it.

"We have detailed disciplinary procedures within the club advising members how to air their concerns and we have procedures and guidelines on how complaints are to be investigated and followed up through the County Board."

"As for Darren retiring, we would be hoping to reverse that decision. He has quite a bit to offer us and we're certainly not in the business of losing players. If there is action required, we will certainly follow it up and make representations on it. But, from the point fo view of the club, I think the less said about this the better until such times as there is a formal complaint. No player has been in touch with me."

Likewise, Deirdre Donnelly, the Press Officer for the Fermanagh County Board GAA, told the 'Herald' it was the first time she had heard of that form of abuse: "And, I know from talking to other officials, they have never been aware of it. But, certainly, if individuals feel there is an issue, they should bring it to their club and the club should take it to County Board."

Darren Graham is adamant: 'unless there is something really done about it and the County Board realise that this is all happening, I am definite, I am not putting on the shirt again'.

For the record, Rule 7(b) of the GAA constitution states clearly: 'the Association shall be non-sectarian'.

And, in Febraury this year, the GAA President, Nicky Brennan, in the course of an interview for the Church of Ireland Gazette, insisted there was nothing wrong with the GAA that would stop Protestant people joining. Indeed, he suggested the only intimidation might come from their own community.