#cormac moore

[headstuff-org]

Reviewables #27 | Quantum Casting with Cormac Moore

http://dlvr.it/Np7SRx #HeadStuff

[brianjohnspencer]

Cormac Moore - The GAA remains outside of the experience of Protestants

Cormac Moore wrote: "The study reported that participation and interest in soccer, rugby and Gaelic games all continued to be affected by the community divide. From the interviewee responses, and the results of the survey questions on TV viewing and willingness to attend sports fixtures, it was “clear that Gaelic games remain the preserve of Catholics. Rugby and soccer are more mixed overall, although there are divisions within the latter in relation to local and national team support”. “The GAA remains largely outside of the experience of most Protestants. Only 1 per cent of Protestants had watched ‘a lot’ of Gaelic football in the last year compared to 31 per cent of Catholics. Similarly, 39 per cent of Protestants said they would attend a match in Casement Park if offered tickets compared to 78 per cent of Catholics,” it reported. “In regard to the GAA’s efforts to be socially inclusive, Protestants believe that it could and should be doing more to make Gaelic sports amenable to their tradition. Thus, 40 per cent of Protestants agreed that the GAA was taking active steps to welcome all traditions, compared to 72 per cent of Catholics. “Qualitative data from the interviews revealed Protestant disapproval of the GAA for its political associations with Irish nationalism, yet at the same time, positive recognition of its community spirit and organisational acumen, and respect for Gaelic sports per se,” it added. It further found 28 per cent did not believe the GAA was taking active steps to welcome all traditions, while 78 per cent said they would like to see more Protestants playing Gaelic sports. A number of Catholic interviewees were uncomfortable with the political associations of the GAA. Rugby in Northern Ireland was “overwhelmingly” regarded as inclusive and unifying. “TV coverage of Ireland rugby matches attracted equal levels of Protestant and Catholic interest (although Ulster rugby matches attracted a slightly higher proportion of Protestant viewers). A total of 83 per cent of survey respondents believed that Ulster Rugby was taking active steps to welcome all traditions, including almost equal proportions of Protestants and Catholics.” Of the three respective GAA, soccer and rugby stadiums at Casement Park, Windsor Park and Kingspan Ravenhill it found the Ulster rugby HQ the “most inclusive”." Read Cormac Moore in full here: http://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/two-teams-in-a-small-country-like-this-is-nonsensical-1.2463380#.VmsBplRdwLE.twitter And read the sport report in full here: http://brianjohnspencer.tumblr.com/post/145750242623/social-exclusion-and-sport-in-northern-ireland

[brianjohnspencer]

Catholics remain very favourable to Northern Ireland football

Cormac Moore wrote: "It [the report, social-exclusion-and-sport-in-northern-ireland] also found however that Catholics were quite positively disposed towards the Northern Ireland team. More Catholics (71 per cent) than Protestants (65 per cent) felt that the Irish Football Association was taking active steps to welcome all traditions. Two-thirds of Catholic respondents said they would like to see more Catholics supporting the team, while only a slightly higher proportion of Protestants (60 per cent) than Catholics (56 per cent) said they would be willing to attend Windsor Park if offered tickets. Many interviewees commented upon the good work done by the Football for All campaign." Read Cormac Moore in full here: http://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/two-teams-in-a-small-country-like-this-is-nonsensical-1.2463380#.VmsBplRdwLE.twitter And read the sport report in full here: http://brianjohnspencer.tumblr.com/post/145750242623/social-exclusion-and-sport-in-northern-ireland

[brianjohnspencer]

Although not supported by the IFA nor the FAI, the match did prompt the FAI to contact the IFA to discuss the possibility of re-unifying. Soccer in Ireland had been governed by the IFA in Belfast on an all-Ireland basis from 1880 to 1921. In 1921 the Leinster Football Association seceded from the IFA, the FAI was established later that year. The IFA unanimously agreed to meet the FAI and talks that had not taken place since 1932 between both associations begun again. The intervening period had seen the relationship between the IFA and the FAI wane considerably with both claiming the right to call on players from the whole island to play for their different “Ireland” teams. It led to bizarre scenarios. In one instance, Johnny Carey played for an IFA selected “Ireland” team against England on 28 February 1946. Two days later he played for an FAI selected “Ireland” team, also against England. FIFA put a stop to this practice by prohibiting associations from selecting players not born in an association’s jurisdiction. The practice came to an end in 1950. The IFA was still reluctant to part with the name “Ireland”. It retains its original name today, the Irish Football Association, despite previous campaigns by the FAI to have the association change its name to the Northern Ireland Football Association to reflect the area it governs for. Success at Northern Ireland’s first World Cup finals appearance in 1958 did prompt some to call for a change in the name of the team. The bus to collect the team at Malmö in Sweden flew the Irish tricolour and was reprimanded by the IFA for doing so who stated they were not the FAI. At a shop close to the Northern Ireland training camp, there was a photograph of the Irish team displayed, except it was an FAI and not an IFA team. Northern Ireland did remarkably well in the tournament, reaching the quarter-final stages. So frustrated were some with the lack of political capital gained from the team’s showing with most countries referring to them as Ireland and not Northern Ireland, there were calls for the first time north of the border for the team to be known as Northern Ireland in future.

Cormac Moore (Here: http://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/two-teams-in-a-small-country-like-this-is-nonsensical-1.2463380#.VmsBplRdwLE.twitter)

[brianjohnspencer]

George Best claimed all players, North and South, wanted an all-Ireland team.

Cormac Moore 
(Here: http://m.independent.ie/life/an-ugly-divide-in-the-beautiful-game-34787152.html)

[brianjohnspencer]

Euro 2016 is upon us and for the first time ever, two Irish teams are competing at a finals tournament at the same time. Had talks between the Irish Football Association (IFA) and the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) concluded successfully in the 1970s, there would potentially be just one team representing the island of Ireland in the coming days. Incredibly, the talks between the two Irish football associations took place during the height of the Troubles and the prospect of one international team for the island was seriously considered.

Cormac Moore (Here: http://m.independent.ie/life/an-ugly-divide-in-the-beautiful-game-34787152.html)

[playerattack]

Brisbane's iconic Mana Bar to close

After more than five years in business, Australia’s original Mana Bar is closing its doors for good this weekend. Labelled as Australia’s first cocktail bar and video gaming lounge, the Brisbane venue will open this weekend for one more time, with last call on Sunday, May 24.

Read more: http://www.playerattack.com/news/2015/05/20/brisbanes-iconic-mana-bar-to-close/