GAA President, Aogán Ó Fearghail, has clarified comments made ‘regarding flying the flag and playing the anthem’ at venues throughout the country.
In an interview on RTE Radio’s Saturday Sport Programme Ó Fearghail stressed the importance the GAA places on its culture and heritage.
“They won't be scrapped, that is for sure,” Ó Fearghail commented about the flag and anthem.
“I was asked a question in the context of World GAA and the question I was asked was when we go around the world our flag flies happily alongside the flags of every nation.
“It never causes an issue anywhere. A journalist at the interview simply asked me about that, I said there was no issue with the flag flying around the world, the only place where it has ever caused some issues is back in our own country.
“I was asked a further question from a journalist, would the GAA change its position at home regarding flying the flag and playing the anthem, I replied we wouldn't, that it was very much part and parcel of our culture, it was very much valued by us and that it was a key part of our heritage and it will remain.
“I did offer the opinion, that who knows what may happen in the future. We all aspire to, certainly within the GAA, to a new unified Ireland, it is something that we would welcome, it is something that we would be very happy to see happening.
“In those new political realities which hopefully will happen, who knows what may happen in the future? That was very much in the realms of speculation as to a new future."
