When the Irish Taoiseach was told to keep his snout out of Scottish football

[mdingwall]

When the Irish Taoiseach was told to keep his snout out of Scottish football

Going through an old folder of clippings and submitted material for Follow Follow fanzine from around early 2000.
You and I might find some fault in parts of his analysis but his central message was sensible, “Bertie, stay out of Scottish football”.

I “knew” Alan Ruddock from a few phone calls and exchanged emails from the time he edited the Scotsman 1998-2000 - we had a couple of mutual pals from Dublin where he came from.

A liberal Protestant in the truest old-fashioned sense of the word. He amusingly planned I should have a column called “Loyal Life” in the paper - a weekly diary of musing on football, faith and flutes as it were - somehow the idea run into the sands of time and never got going - but not before he handed out a few heart attacks around the editorial table.

He was also the courageous editor of the Irish edition of the Sunday Times when they were engaged in a court battle with Slab Murphy - the Chief of Staff of the Provisional IRA.

Alan died aged just 49 whilst playing for his beloved Halverstown Cricket Club back in 2010.

 

[mdingwall]

By coincidence - wee memorial article by his son was in an Irish paper this weekend.

 

[Rangerista]

The criticism of Bertie Ahern for attending an Old Firm match I'm guessing, would have been controversial in some quarters in the Irish Republic, more so by stating some facts about the atavistic characteristics of the Celtc fans. Even so, back in 2001 that country was embarking on a journey from the RC clerically dominated and conservative society, that the "Up the Ra" brigade on this side of the water celebrated and still clings to. I would think that the Republic has just about completed that journey, but there's no sign it will ever be replicated by the fans of the club like no other.

I'm struggling to remember the circumstances surrounding Ahern's proposed visit to the Famine Memorial in Carfin, though I'm sure Frank Roy's role in it wouldn't have passed without comment, given his known antecedents.

The accompanying article by Daniel Ruddock is as fine a remembrance as any son could write, it was a good read.

 

[BobbyShearer]

Why did Carfin decide on a famine memorial again?

Did it have an unusually high number of immigrants based there?
A direct link with a town in RoI affected?

Or, just, you know..

 

[Orange Man]

Carfin is a midden just like Croy.
Funny that.

 

[mdingwall]

If you watch the "Bertie" documentary produced by RTE - it's in various parts on Youtube - there's no doubt he was a sports fan.

The problem is, he supported Drumcondra which in those days was a League of Ireland team and as an adult he spent every spare weekend he could supporting Manchester United.

Celtic was simply a sectarian affectation he felt he had to play to in later life.

 

[KazKoz]

The criticism of Bertie Ahern for attending an Old Firm match I'm guessing, would have been controversial in some quarters in the Irish Republic, more so by stating some facts about the atavistic characteristics of the Celtc fans. Even so, back in 2001 that country was embarking on a journey from the RC clerically dominated and conservative society, that the "Up the Ra" brigade on this side of the water celebrated and still clings to. I would think that the Republic has just about completed that journey, but there's no sign it will ever be replicated by the fans of the club like no other.

I'm struggling to remember the circumstances surrounding Ahern's proposed visit to the Famine Memorial in Carfin, though I'm sure Frank Roy's role in it wouldn't have passed without comment, given his known antecedents.

The accompanying article by Daniel Ruddock is as fine a remembrance as any son could write, it was a good read.

While I understand your sentiments about the journey Ireland were making back then, by voting in such large numbers for Sinn Fein, a party ultimately still run by leading IRA men, somehow the point has lost it’s veracity.

 

[mdingwall]

Remembered today.

 

[Rangerstid72]

We could be doing with a journo or 10 like him these days!

 

[LOL 133]

Why did Carfin decide on a famine memorial again?

Did it have an unusually high number of immigrants based there?
A direct link with a town in RoI affected?

Or, just, you know..

My understanding is a substantial amount of money was 'gifted' to Carfin Grotto from 'surplus' cash left over when Strathclyde Regional Council was wound up following the creation of the new unitary authorities which exist today in Scotland. The head of SRC was, as you'd expect, a Roman Catholic.

I cant remember his name but I did confront him a number of times at various public 'consultation' meetings as he led the programme to shut numerous non denominational schools in and around Coatbridge and Airdrie. A programme designed to reduce costs and better reflect the changing demographics in the Monklands.

A Roman Catholic version of "build it and they will come" or as the song goes, "soon there'll be no Protestants at all".