Well what did we expect. He is from Holywood for Gods sake and thats different from Cork. Some parts of Norn Iron are very different from Cork. Some places like Warrenpoint (where I was today) are not very different from Cork.
People here have an absolute right to live their Britishness, Irishness or (oddly) Both.
I am Irish. Rory McIlroy is British.
Obviously I am prepared to support Irish sportspeople. I cannot therefore support Rory McIlroy.
I dont measure my Irishness by animosity to any nation……despite the historical baggage, I like a number of British sports people…Andy Murray, Jessica Ennis, Paul Scholes. And there are some I just cannot like…….Chris Hoy for example.
I never cared much about Rory McIlroy anyway. And he easily joins Chris Hoy. Hopefully he wont even qualify for the 2016 Olympics.
Keeping An Eye On the Czar of Russia 
Looking forward to hearing whatever ‘comment’ there is on UTV and Newsline tonight, never mind the fluff pieces by Gail Walker et al in the Bele Tele.
I would love, but would die of shock, if a line somewhat different to the one that will be spewed were actually voiced; that he has decided to nail his colours to a mast and by doing so he has lost the support of a sizeable proportion of Northerners, namely Nats.
Though granted, for me to voice any kind of opinion on Rory would mean me having an opinion on golf that is a positive one, something I could never bring myself round to saying. Frankly, it’s an insanely tedious sport which, like baseball, is best viewed and/or played completely hammered.
Mark Twain and I have much the same opinion on Golf.
Rory has just released a statement saying he has yet to make a decision which to country to represent in Rio.
Yes but I noticed that the Belfast Telegraph are claiming he is British.
What do they say about the internet ? Once it’s out there , it can’t be taken back . Rory’s latest statement is more of a damage limitation exercise . I would imagine the various comment sections of the newspapers that carried the interview both here and in the states ( how long before he can apply for residency over there ) had something to do with his clarification . Rory is prone to silly outbursts ….his comments about the Ryder Cup and Tiger Woods to mention a couple . There’s one more I can’t quite remember at the moment ….I’m sure it will come back to me soon .
Yes I think you are right.
It is the nature of a sports fan to know that there are players/athletes that we only tolerate because they are on “our side”. Especially true of Football of course.
Wayne Rooney plays for Manchester United but there are not many Manchester United fans who actually like the guy and if he ever moved on, he would quickly becomea “hate figure”. Likewise Liverpool and Saurez and John Terry at Chelsea.
Other players are held in respect…….say Shay Given. International Sport is no different. I cant help liking Jessica Ennis Or Usain Bolt. But Rory McIlroy is someone I have never taken to.
Surely choosing one’s nationality is the essence of the Belfast Agreement? Many might view it as a peculiar choice but it highlights at least a frequently glossed over community or class in the north-east of the country which votes with its wallet. Even the perception or accusation by others that one might be aligning with those who inflicted violence on one’s own family, as may be the case with McIlroy, is no deterrent. Nor, I suppose, should it be.
And it is worth bearing in mind that a reunited Ireland will probably be the Belfast Agreement in reverse. Will we object to people from a regionally administrated 6 Counties in a 32 County State choosing to field for the British rather than Irish team? I don’t think we should, even as we encourage them to think differently.
I agree.
But it took me a long time to accept that Britain was just another country but there is certainly a “celtic” thing (as with our Welsh and Scottish cousins) where I enjoy “England” getting defeated.
And frankly my animosity to Briatin would have extended beyond the mere sporting to being a bit unpleasant about the Malvinas/Falklands.
I am more “mature” now.
But while recognising the right of Coleraine rowers and McIlroy to do his own thing…..I feel uncomfortable that any success will be siezed on by pro union politicians. So I cant fully wish him well as it will have a form of triumphalism which I dont like.
Someone once said ” football was a funny old game ” and how right they were . I’ve gone from detesting Robin Van Persie to idolising him in the space of three weeks . I wonder how you felt Fitz when United signed Gordon McQueen and Joe Jordan from …. ( I can’t even bring myself to say their name ) back in the 70s .
Some of my sporting heroes growing up were from accross the pond . Ian Botham , Steve Ovett , Bryan Robson , Giant Haystacks to name a few . And a few were homegrown like Jimmy Keavney , Derek Daley , Barry McGuigan etc …….
I think I was fairly ok about McQueen and Jordan. TV has changed Football over the last twenty years. I hate Dirty Leeds……but there wasnt this phoney kissing of badges and no replica shirts until the 1980s.
And it wasnt until 1993 I think that football shirts were personalised eg #10 Rooney at United and #10 Van Persie at Arsenal.
Ah 93 – what a year ……
Yes , badge kissing is embarrassing and fools nobody . There’s not much loyalty left in any sport never mind football . Tevez epitomises all that’s wrong in footie today . There aren’t too many one club players around today . Giggs , Scholes , Gerard and that lout from Chelsea .
Dirty Leeds ….that reminds me of a story I heard regarding John Giles . He was giving an after dinner speech in a Golf Club in Wexford . He talked about the Leeds team under Reeve and how they would seek to gain an advantage at any costs . He mentioned how whenever they got a throw in , they would try and move a few yards up the pitch if the ref wasn’t paying attention ( standard fare these days ) . When the speech was over , the members of the club weren’t too pleased with his ” lack of sporting morals ” and asked him never to come back to their club .
Matt Busby had no time for Leeds United and in 1964/65 they had to play three times in the FA Cup Semi Final before Leeds won. After the match Jack Charlton went into the Man United dressing room and told them that he had just been selected for England (I think it was his first cap).
Nobody spoke. Then Paddy Crerand said “Thats kgreat Jack…now f**k off”