ABOUT halfway between Newry and Armagh, there’s a GAA club called O’Donovan Rossa, Mullabrack.
The Gaels there are as staunch and committed as any in the country, but unfortunately they face challenges that are unknown to many.
Just down the road from their club grounds is the town of Markethill. On the way home from an Armagh game last year, a local family stopped off there at the chippy.
While they were waiting for their food they had the orange and white flags ripped off their car and broken, in broad daylight, by a group of brazen bigots (who don’t represent the people of the town) who protested at their very presence in what they described as “a Protestant town”.
What would those same bigots have made of the recent events around the Mullabrack club?
The club’s bunting and flags, put up to support Armagh in the All-Ireland final, were stolen. Undaunted, clubmen and women got to work on a lorry, painted messages of support for the Orchardmen on it and parked it on the side of the road for the team to see on their way to Croke Park.
By the time the Armagh team returned from Dublin with the Sam Maguire the lorry had been burned-out.
The anti-GAA message that drives these actions has been reinforced again and again this week. When Armagh got to the All-Ireland final in 1977, police wouldn’t have gone into Camlough unless they were in an armoured car with British Army helicopters buzzing around overhead.
Even in 2002, the sight of the police in the South Armagh village would have raised eyebrows.
So a cop car doing laps of the roundabout with the sirens and lights on and an Armagh flag out the window! Honestly, it was one of the highlights of the whole weekend – heartening evidence that some things do change and maybe we can move on in this country.
But the excellent piece of community policing was frowned upon by the Unionist leadership and they seemed to be competing for who could be the most offended.
The second someone sent me the clip of the police car on Sunday evening I knew there would be trouble and you can imagine the scene at PSNI HQ on Monday morning.
9.01am. Receptionist: “Jim Allister’s on the line sir – something about Armagh.”
…
9.02am. Receptionist: “Are you still there sir?”
Chief Constable: “I’m a Derby County man? Up a Rams!”
Receptionist: “I don’t think he wants to talk about the match sir.”
Chief Constable: “I’m just in the middle of something here.”
9.04am. Receptionist: “Jim Allister again sir – he says he’s ‘gravely’ concerned.”
Chief Constable: “Yeah, well I’m just flat-out at the minute.”
9.06am. Receptionist: “Jim Allister for you again sir.”
Chief Constable: “Can you take a message?”
9.07am. Receptionist: “He says he’ll hold.”
9.27am. Receptionist: “He’s still holding sir.”
Doug Beattie joined the chorus and Carla Lockhart took it a step further by actually going to see the poor oul Chief Constable to outline, in that plaintive Margaret Thatcher-style of hers, her absolute bewilderment, disappointment and no doubt ‘grave concern’ that such a thing could actually happen right here in Ulster.
SEVERAL of the Armagh All-Ireland winners – including Blaine Hughes and Connaire Mackin – went to St Paul’s HS just down the road from Camlough. During his years as principal at St Paul’s, Jarlath Burns - who once again spoke brilliantly after the final – invited the Orange Order to the school to talk to the pupils about their culture and beliefs.
They accepted the invitation from the now President of the GAA and I wonder what Free Presbyterian Minister Reverend Ron Johnson thought of their visit?
On Sunday he lambasted the GAA from his pulpit, giving it the big ‘un to his captive audience.
“You’d think everyone in Northern Ireland is captivated to get a memorial cup taking place at this very moment,” he said, wearing his enormous Orange sash.
“Who’s that cup to? Sam Maguire, an IRA terrorist.”
Sam Maguire was a Protestant from Cork who was allegedly involved in espionage for the Irish Republican Brotherhood while working in London.
The GAA reflects the history of this country and Ireland’s history is a violent one, there is no getting away from that. As Jarlath Burns said, the GAA still has “distance to go with unionists” but the GAA’s doors are open to everyone.
The same cannot be said of the Orange Order which has its roots in sectarian conflict.
The words of the Reverend Johnson would resound with a deep-rooted minority who resist change.
But change is coming.
Lurgan Irish League club Glenavon sent a message wishing Armagh well for the All-Ireland final. Why wouldn’t they? There were four starters from Lurgan in the Armagh team and Stefan Campbell joined the fray to set up the vital goal.
Glenavon faced a bitter backlash for their message of support. Supporters’ club SO14 (who obviously don’t speak for the club or their fans) voiced their “grave concern” (yes, them too) that their club had extended the hand of friendship to the GAA-community of the town.
I’m not going to trot out the predictable vitriol of the SO14 statement (which included the Bryson-esque term “tangentially”) because although Glenavon took some flak for their message the important thing is that the club – and nearby Dollingstown FC and Portadown Rugby Club and many others too – put the love and goodwill out there.
That’s what counts.
I know lads from a Protestant background who were on the Hill on Sunday cheering on Armagh and I know people from a Catholic background who had no interest in the game. I spoke to a Protestant clergyman on a GAA field last Tuesday night who was delighted with Armagh’s victory and the local priest may never have watched a game on it. I met a fella who listened to the second half of the final on his way home from playing at a band parade in Scarva…
The haters are gonna hate but the vast majority of us want to live, love and laugh and celebrate a team that brought so much joy and happiness this year.
Up Armagh.
