‘Sam Maguire’ used to normalise British rule

national | miscellaneous | press release Monday October 29, 2007 14:06 by Des Dalton - Republican Sinn Fein saoirse at iol dot ie 223 Parnell St Dublin 1 01 8729747

Statement by Republican Sinn Féin Vice President Des Dalton

Referring to the use of the GAA’s Sam Maguire All-Ireland Senior football trophy in the so-called ‘International Police Gaelic Football Tournament’ in London on October 26/27 involving the RUC/PSNI.

Referring to the use of the GAA’s Sam Maguire All-Ireland Senior football trophy in the so-called ‘International Police Gaelic Football Tournament’ in London on October 26/27 involving the RUC/PSNI RSF Vice President Des Dalton said:

“The hijacking of the Sam Maguire trophy to help in the normalisation of British rule in Ireland is an abuse of a symbol of Irish national independence and unity. Each year the Sam Maguire trophy is presented to the winners of the Senior All-Ireland football championship, as such it symbolises the essential unity of the Irish nation, something which is denied by the Stormont and St Andrew’s agreements.

“The campaign of normalising the continued British occupation of Ireland is insidious. This is not the first time that an important symbol of Irish cultural historical identity has been abused in this way. In February the England rugby team was hosted in Croke Park, along with the playing of the English national anthem ‘God save the Queen’ there, whilst in August Pairc Elser in Newry was used for the playing of a hurling match involving the British colonial police.

“In recent years the Sam Maguire trophy has been brought to Stormont, in order to lend that assembly, a bulwark of partition and British rule, legitimacy in nationalist eyes. The irony of using a symbol of the unity of the historic Irish nation for such a purpose is not lost on those who organise such events. As a member of the GAA I am immensely proud of all that our Association has contributed to the Irish people at home and abroad in sporting, social and cultural terms. The GAA should not allow itself to be co-opted into aiding the normalisation of British rule in our country. “

Ends.