Ireland

[Pavilionaire]

I was watching the news and, after having finished with the England report, they described the other Home Nations as having had a "mixed night" for, while Wales drew and Northern Ireland hads lost, the Republic had won 3-0.

Since when has Eire been one of the Home Nations?

And why are they deemed to be 'our second-favourite team'?

As far as I am concerned I couldn't give a toss whether they qualify or not, although any tournament would be the richer for having Eire qualify because they've got excellent fans.

 

[El Presidente]

I suppose you are really showing ur intelligence by using the 'OLD' and frankly tiresome Macdonalds joke against anyone who has worked hard to acheive an education

Worked hard, oops sorry, I thought you had said earlier that you studied in Liverpool, I take it all back, my mistake. You clearly do not know how easily degrees are given out these days though

This is not a political thread its simply about the BBC using my Licence money to follow a foreign team. Please tell me why this should cause anyone any grief?!

To get back to the orignal debate, it is not 'Your' licence money, it os 'Our' licence money. As someone who is of Oirish descent, I like to see how the Irish are progressing, as I suspect do many others. Therefore I have no beef with the BBC. It's not as if Gary Lineker is presenting International Match of the Day wearing a green suit and carrying a pig under his arm.

Can you quantify the 'excessive' amount of time that the BBC have given to them, as from what I recall the Northern Ireland match was given 90 minutes on Saturday with a report on the Republic at half and full time for a few minutes only. The Irish are also reasonably successful (only one place behind England in the rankings), unlike Wales, Scotland and those from NI, and people like to see sides win. BBC Wales and Scotland also spend a lot more time reporting on their respective countries, but of course you are ignoring this.

 

[Safeway]

Yeah but showing their country would mean we accept them, which we quite clearly don't.

Very good point.

 

[Little Piggy]

I think you've precisely illustrated the problem of how too many English people tend to overreact to the provocative "Anyone But England" banter from the Celts of whatever nationality. It's just a larff, innit.

Indeed. I have lived over in Ireland now for nearly 3 months. I came over during Euro 2004, and was watching the England games in the pub quite fearful of upsetting the locals so kept quiet. The fact is they DID cheer on the other team, so I assumed they would get lary if I showed my colours.

When Lampard equalized against Portugal however, I forgot myself and launched into the air. About 3 seconds later I shut up quickly and sat down again. The reaction from the entire pub was to laugh, a couple of blokes came over and shook my hand, someone else actually bought me a drink for causing them so much amusement! It is just a laugh really. They are not all a couple of hundred years old and still bitter about the potatoes and all that...

 

[Safeway]

But where will you draw the line huh? Should i complain that the BBC showed the Rangers v Celtic game? I mean come on i'm not a Scot and don't care for the SPL.

As Simster already pointed out, Scotland, whether we like it or not, is in the United Kingdom and therefore served by the BBC. Ireland, on the other hand, is NOT in the UK (the currency is EUROS ffs) and should not be covered.

 

[Shegull]

when we were at our best in the 80's,have you any idea how many irish played for us.mark lawrenson,michael robinson,and club captain in the 83 cup final tony grealish,to mention just a few.when you talk about ireland not being in the uk,there happy not to be,and concider northern ireland,to be part of the whole island of ireland.i am london born of irish parents,hold an irish passport,live in ireland,but support an english team,us!.if you dont understand what has been happening over here,and the history between the two countries,i suggest you steer clear of this subject,and the grief it can cause.

Not to mention Liam Brady as manager. Its only a short while ago that Liam Brady's name came up again on the shortlist.

 

[Shegull]

So let me get this straight. You don't want the BBC, ITV or Sky to show anything at all to do with the Republic.


What about Rugby. The six nations springs to mind.

Be honest and let us know your true feelings so that the Irish people who post on here and also support the Albion know exactly who and what we are up against.

 

[Sorrel]

When Lampard equalized against Portugal however, I forgot myself and launched into the air. About 3 seconds later I shut up quickly and sat down again. The reaction from the entire pub was to laugh, a couple of blokes came over and shook my hand, someone else actually bought me a drink for causing them so much amusement! It is just a laugh really. They are not all a couple of hundred years old and still bitter about the potatoes and all that...

I would expect a similar reaction from most places in England, if the situation were reversed.

I saw one of the England Euro matches in a pub which had a bloke wearing a Scotland top in it, and one or two Celtic ones. There was no problem at all.

 

[Vicar!]

End of the day, if there are enough people watching they will show Irelands games. If there wasn't the interest they wouldn't. You pay your money and take your choice.

If they cancelled the Irish games and they went back to Setanta, now available on Sky and NTL, then I dare say quite a number of viewers would follow.

Its supply and demand.

Vicar

 

[Captain Sensible]

Here's a strange one. Was in New York for the England Austria game. Watched it in an Irish Pub, run by Irish people. No coverage of the Ireland game at all. However they charge 20usdollars to watch the game (which is the same for all games, Premier etc..), Loads of England fans in there. So you could say how nice of them to show the England match and not the Ireland game. But then again, the England fans outnumbered anyone irish or Irish/American by about 3 to 1. So The English paid 20usd to watch it so by rights the England game was shown on all screens in there. However, some of the Irish were let in free of charge on the grounds that they weren't watching the match. Load of Bollocks! They were almost dancing around in their ledderhosen slapping eachothers arses when ever Austira were in Possesion. My work mate (female) has no interest in Football and was made to pay because she was English and not American/Irish? Confused? I was. So not quite sure what the morale is in that. Most Irish bars in NYC show the England matches Instead of their own, but only because us English will pack out their pub and pay to watch the game.

 

[London Irish]

Most Irish bars in NYC show the England matches Instead of their own, but only because us English will pack out their pub and pay to watch the game.

And people call the Irish THICK? They made you pay to watch Calamity on Saturday? SAKE, even the Irish-Americans, not exactly the brightest specimens of our race, are putting one over on you

 

[Safeway]

So let me get this straight. You don't want the BBC, ITV or Sky to show anything at all to do with the Republic.

What about Rugby. The six nations springs to mind.

You're missing the point. Of course they're going to show Ireland games, they're a participating team in exactly the same way they show France and Italy matches.

What I've got a problem with is the media treating the Republic of Ireland as a home nation when it isn't. It's quite simple really. It's not a case of me hating the Irish or whatever, I just don't believe they should get the same coverage as England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

 

[CHAPPERS]

I feel as close to Ireland as I do to Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland (if not closer because of the irish blood in me).

 

[Cian]

Since when has Eire been one of the Home Nations?

Firstly, as we're speaking English, its Ireland, not Eire

Secondly, ever heard of the (now defunct) Home Nations Tournament. England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and, wait for it, wait for it... Ireland.

Thats where the term, when used in football, comes from.

 

[Shegull]

You're missing the point. Of course they're going to show Ireland games, they're a participating team in exactly the same way they show France and Italy matches.

What I've got a problem with is the media treating the Republic of Ireland as a home nation when it isn't. It's quite simple really. It's not a case of me hating the Irish or whatever, I just don't believe they should get the same coverage as England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Well I was out on Saturday and missed the Ireland game on tele. Came home that night and the only news that was on tele at the time was the english news and guess what ............... they showed Northern Ireland England and Wales and not even a mention of the Republic. I seriously reckon that if we had lost there would have been great coverage.

 

[John Boy]

Ireland is British when you want it to be. Remember the 100 greatest Britians poll? 4 were Irish. The 100 greatest British comedys, Father Ted was 11th.

 

[m20gull]

Ireland is British when you want it to be. Remember the 100 greatest Britians poll? 4 were Irish. The 100 greatest British comedys, Father Ted was 11th.

I'm glad you mentioned the 100 greatest Britons as it made me
go and look it up

Bono?!
Julie Andrews?!
Aleister Crowley?!
Donald Campbell (what no Malcolm?!)

Ireland is British when the BBC want it to be.

 

[John Boy]

Ireland is British when the BBC want it to be.

Amen

 

[Half Time Pies]

Worked hard, oops sorry, I thought you had said earlier that you studied in Liverpool, I take it all back, my mistake. You clearly do not know how easily degrees are given out these days though



To get back to the orignal debate, it is not 'Your' licence money, it os 'Our' licence money. As someone who is of Oirish descent, I like to see how the Irish are progressing, as I suspect do many others. Therefore I have no beef with the BBC. It's not as if Gary Lineker is presenting International Match of the Day wearing a green suit and carrying a pig under his arm.

Can you quantify the 'excessive' amount of time that the BBC have given to them, as from what I recall the Northern Ireland match was given 90 minutes on Saturday with a report on the Republic at half and full time for a few minutes only. The Irish are also reasonably successful (only one place behind England in the rankings), unlike Wales, Scotland and those from NI, and people like to see sides win. BBC Wales and Scotland also spend a lot more time reporting on their respective countries, but of course you are ignoring this.

Cant believe you are still asking for me to Clarlify this it really is Simple - the Irish team gets the same treatment as the home nations when it isnt one - its a foreign team!

And it is 'my' Licence money as well as yours so I should be allowed to have an opinion on how it is spent. Obviously because of your Irish blood you are going to be perfectly happy with the Irish being treated the same as the home nations, but as an Englishman Im not.

As Safeway said this does not mean that I hate the Irish it just seems to me a bit strange that a foreign team is treated in this way.

Comprende?!

 

[John Boy]

I watched the Northen Ireland match on Saturday as I don't have sky. At half time and full time they had a 30 second reporton the Republic.

Football Focus probably showed a bit on Ireland because there were no premiership games and Scotland weren't playing. It is a 50 minute show and had to fill the gaps. They also have a round up of forigen games.

It's not like the BBC show Ireland games apart from WC etc.