If you are reading this and you are a parent then you will instantly get what is about to appear a few lines down your screen. If you are not a parent then you will either dismiss the statement I am about to make or take my word for it, because you certainly wont “get it”. This is a parent thing. There is no way I can explain it to the childless. In fact I didn’t think it is possible for anyone to explain the following to the childless.
Ok here goes.
You will not tolerate a situation for your own kids that you endured as a child.
All the parents reading these words nod inwardly in quiet comprehension.
The rest of you will have to take it on faith.
That is how I felt when the “Famine Song” came to my notice in May of this year.
The UEFA cup final in Manchester had not passed without incident.
Manchester had seen the worst outbreak of civil disorder since the Miner’s strike of 1985.
The rioters were supporters of Rangers’ football club.
I wasn’t surprised by any of this. Anyone who knows the reputation of Rangers support knows that crowd trouble is a camp follower of their expeditions into European competition.
What WAS new was a song that was sung by a section of the crowd in the City of Manchester stadium.
It mocked the Irish famine and implored the target of this ditty “ to go home”.
That the opposition on the night was Zenit St. Petersberg from Russia mattered not a jot. This song was written for back home. It was intended to bait and taunt the supporters of their city rivals Celtic.
Most Celtic supporters in Glasgow can conjure up an Irish ancestor or two.
My own ancestry is a probably not uncommon for Glasgow born followers of Celtic.
One Irish born parent (my father from Mayo) and a settled family in Scotland who came to Scotland during the land war evictions. My mother’s grandparents were from Carlow and Donegal. All were rural poor Catholics. All of my great grandparents were children of the Famine generation. They had held on in places like Mayo and Donegal, just.
Not surprisingly between such a household in the East End of Glasgow and summer vacation on Mayo’s Atlantic coast I grew up with a keen sense of Irishness.
It was a proud rite of passage when the Irish embassy in London posted me my green passport with the golden harp embossed on the front.
Inside I savoured the words “saoranach d’eirinn”. The literal English translation is “free person of Ireland” on the passport it was “Irish citizen”.
I was indeed a citizen and not a subject of someone’s hereditary good fortune.
Citizen was good enough for me and it has been so ever since. One of the reasons I loved foreign travel as a young man was my affirmation at airports and borders of my Irish identity.
I have relatives with an identical genealogy in Philadelphia and in Ohio. There it isn’t a problem in the USA to have an Irish lineage. In fact it is something of a social advantage.
The Famine song would never be sung to Irish Americans. Never.
With the new football season in Scotland the famine song was again sung by the supporters of Glasgow Rangers.
This time it was what they really wanted. They were allowed to sing it inside the stadium of their archrivals as their team comprehensively beat Celtic 4-2.
In this hate fest the excellent performance of the Rangers’ players who fully deserved their victory was a mere sideshow for the Rangers support.
They had the serious business of pouring out racial hatred for those in Glasgow who remember that part of them will always, emotionally, be in Ireland.
A couple of weeks later the Irish Times published a letter by a Mr. Dan Duggan who had been at the game with his children. He was appalled at the anti-Irish racism given vent and fury in 2008 in a British soccer stadium. He was sickened by the “Famine song”.
Reading Dan Duggan’s (Rangers and racism, Irish Times 10/09/2008) reminded me that I made the correct decision to take my young family out of Glasgow in the mid 1990s.
The day that I read Duggan’s letter my son received his Junior cert results from his Gaeilscoil here in Donegal. Like his Mayo grandfather he is a fluent Irish speaker capable of a subtle and nuanced conversation in the first language of this republic.
In sean Dun Na nGall it is not a crime to be called Cathal. His sisters Roisin and Aislinn are in also in a culturally safe place.
The “famine Song” is only the most recent manifestation of Scotland’s oldest racism. It is also the racism that is tolerated by the leaders of Scottish society.
Although Rangers FC are currently subject of a probation order from UEFA for “discriminatory chanting” at UEFA controlled games the club will escape any sanction from the Scottish soccer authorities for their domestic outpourings of racism towards the Irish community in Scotland.
Moreover the Scottish media tend to turn a blind eye to the racism that is all around them.
The Famine is indeed over, although we Irish here in Ireland and in the global Irish Diaspora continue to deal with the demographic and psychological aftermath.
I did come home and it is sad that, in a very fundamental way, the city of my birth will never be home while these racists enjoy official tolerance.
A week or so after the derby match in Glasgow I was contacted by a source inside the foreign affairs department that the Irish embassy in London had received many complaints following on from the soccer match in Glasgow in August.
From my time with the Irish post in London I knew a few people I could call in the embassy.
I found out that the appropriate minister in the Scottish government didn’t know of the existence of the Famine song, never mind the import of this racist ditty.
The Irish consulate in Edinburgh did bring up the issue of the Famine song with the Scottish government.
I dipped into the Scottish soccer debate around the “Famine Song” by giving an interview to Ewen Cameron of Real Radio on the 16th September 2008.
The very mild intervention of the Irish Consulate caused some embarrassment to a sporting establishment who had sought to deal with the Famine song “in house”.
This non-confrontational approach had seen the Rangers songbook not advance an inch towards the enlightenment in decades.
It took a Panorama programme in 2005 and UEFA sanctions in 2006 for “discriminatory chanting” to make the singing of the original Rangers’ battle hymn “The Billy Boys” a banned substance inside Ibrox Park.
Although it is heard regularly wherever the rougher end of the Rangers support is found it is not heard inside Ibrox.
Result.
The Famine song was penned within the last twelve months.
It was a replacement for the “Billy Boys”.
Although marching “up to our knees in fenian blood” is no longer publicly acceptable (or legal) the need to bait and taunt those of Irish descent is still a deep-seated need probably best dealt with by a psychotherapist.
After this particular news cycle we know this much.
The Famine song-sung publicly in a soccer stadium in Scotland is likely to lead to the singers arrest for a “racial breach of the peace”.
Result.
Here in Donegal it isn’t a crime to be Irish anymore. My children are citizens of a republic and in times to come one of them may even be elected president.
That is why, when I hear the laughter of my children outside in the garden, I know that their mother and I acted in their best interests when they were too young to know that they were the objects of hatred of so many where they were born.
Their laughter is the best antidote to the hatred and bile that created the Famine song.
Alex
“I have relatives with an identical genealogy in Philadelphia and in Ohio. There it isn’t a problem in the USA to have an Irish lineage.”
I’ll wager they sing The Star Spangled Banner and display The Stars and Stripes with pride, when the celebrate the fact that they were lucky to be born in the United States.
The problem is not with us, it’s with you!
October 26, 2008 at 8:40 am
GweedoreGerry
Reading through this makes me laugh, all this high moral rage at Celtic fans singing IRA songs. UVF/UDA singsong at Ibrox anyone, talk about hypocrisy and denial. Ach sure it’s only banter, blame the Schools/Fenians/Celtic/Taigs, did I mention Schools, aye blame everyone. Keep the good work going Phil, expose them for what they are.
October 1, 2008 at 8:34 am
Mark Cowan
Mary, firstly may i offer you my deepest condolences on the passing of your friend. I enjoyed reading your reply but feel you may have missed at least part of the point.
Internet aside, the majority of Rangers \”Home\” fans are against the Famine Song and do not sing it but the issue we have is the picking and choosing of what to be \”offended\” by.
It is hugely ironic that you finish your comment off with:
\”another family somewhere will be grieving for the unexplainable loss of a dearly beloved\”
Perhaps Phil wouldnt mind explaining why he hasnt felt it neccesary at any time in the last 20 years to take humbrage to the illegal chants about the IRA coming from his fellow supporters. The devastation the IRA have caused may not be anywhere near the scale of the Irish Potato Famine, but is it only some of the \”Dead\” who deserve respect or should we respect them all equally ?
This is why Phil has caused such an uproar and is getting silly emails sent to him.
Perhaps Phil should spare a thought for the widow/widower who has to sit \”at the dinner table\” and tell their tearful kids that the fans on the telly are celebrating the very people who took their other parent away from them.
In the words of Jesus(thats the Protestant and Catholic version)
\”Let he who is without sin cast the first stone\”
PS – I was in the City of Manchester Stadium and did not hear the Famine song once.
September 20, 2008 at 9:15 pm
jim
phil, the words hammer, nail and head all spring to mind, these sad people say it is only to get a rise out of celtic fans, so why was it sung so vehemently to noel hunt dundee utd v rangers and at very many other club games involving rangers but not celtic
September 19, 2008 at 9:52 am
Sean Fallon
Phil, can you not see what the apologists from Ibrox are saying? It’s all a lie, they never held the World record for not signing Catholics, they never had a campaign aimed at slurring the name of Celtic and Scotland Manager Jock Stein, they never threw potatoes onto the pitch at Celtic park, those nine Celtic fans murdered in and around games against Rangers aren’t really dead, they never wrecked the seats and toilets at Celtic Park, they never attacked Neil Lennon, they never attacked the various other Celtic players who were assaulted by them, they never made the ambulance banner, they never sang in glory of the death of over one million taigs, they never wrecked Manchester, they were not the ones attacking the Police in Spain and they never sang songs about the Pope.
Know your place Timmy, keep your head down and you might just get by, this is Scotland, it is their little rotten sectarian backwater and it’s really all in your mind Timmy, move along now the Scottish media don’t want to know…..WHY DON’T YOU GO HOME.
Keep up the good work and keep exposing the Nazi vermin.
September 19, 2008 at 9:50 am
Mary
Well, what a disgrace some of the responses on this website really are.
Both the responses to the issue of the song above and those against the author as well are beyond belief and the mentality they reflect.
I came across this website on the issue of suicide and then to see such vile, blatently bigoted comments utterly sickened me and from people who seem to think that the self perpetuation of their archiac prejudices from an empire long since diminished against the backdrop of, to me anyway, more serious issues in society today well, I wish I had the vocabulary to express myself.
I am not going to get personal based on comments posted here but there are a few people who have posted here really should be utterly ashamed of themselves and need to take a good look at themselves to see where they think they fit in to a civil society.
It sounds to me that some are clinging to a regime that was once in control, oppressing another part of society by any means they could, who have saw their power almost eradicated and their only means of survival is to stoke the flames of hatred against others. No division, no control, can’t you see it – start exerting as much time and energy helping your fellow citizens (not prods, not fenians, just other humans) to a decent life and you might actually make a difference to someones life.
It is clear some people have no regard for civil respect, decency towards other human beings and doing what is just and right for all regardless of colour or creed.
A good friend of mine sadly took his own life a few years back – did society care if he was Protestant or Catholic, if he went to Ibrox or Celtic Park, if he was Black or White?
NO, did they fuck (excuse my language but the only words I am thinking some of you will understand!). But some people commenting on this website here seem to think it matters and each and every one of them need a good kick in the ballocks, but unfortunately most of them don’t seem to have any to kick! It is easy to be brave and opinionated from the solitude of a keyboard.
What a shambles of public opinion and reflection on any society and, from what I can tell, particularly in Scotland as this seems to be origin of most of the disgustingly bigoted and blinkered comments I have read on this website so far. The issue of suicide knows no religious prejudice, it is a social issue, as most issues are that affect us all no matter where we live.
You know, Phil is right to express his opinion about the song or words in question. No dressing up any song as a ‘joke’ can justify it in any circumstances nor should it be tolerated. It is not about political correctness as believe you me, this is an another issue altogether that needs sorting out, but simply just an issue of common decency and respect for ones self and others. Now some of you are going to discredit me for this but, I have never heard of the song myself but from what I read here it is a song that should meet with such revulsion. It should meet with as much revulsion as those trying to defend it as a ‘joke’ or okay in the right context! How ridiculous is that? Even more ridiculous than the song itself. Any vain attempt as to justify it by saying well your side says this or that just shows the level of narrow mindedness that exists in some people.
I am sure if the shoe was on the other foot those trying to validate it would see it differently as they claim to do so in their attempts to take the moral highground from a perspective not in any position to claim such.
Why also miss the point of Phil’s comment by trying to discredit his standing or opinions, it is the old smoke and mirrors attempts to gloss over the real issue here and in the end, do nothing about it. I don’t care who Phil is or why he is taking this stance, the fact of the matter and reality of the situation is simple. No song, in jest or otherwise, can be justified in this respect whether it comes from one side or another. It is as simple as that to me.
Now, are you going to reply saying I am biased this way, biased that way, or how else are you going to discredit my opinion, I await with interest….
By pointing the fingers at the other side and claiming the moral high-ground is no defence and as somebody said, ‘defending the indefensible’ is a meek act to papering over the cracks of pure bigotry in my opinion.
Is this all some of you have to do in life, can you not make a better contribution to society in a more productive capacity?
So while you all take the time to say ‘the famine is over go home’ (in jest may I add to pacify those who see it as a ‘joke’), or accuse people of wearing green spectacles remember this, another family somewhere will be grieving for the unexplainable loss of a dearly beloved.
September 18, 2008 at 9:09 pm
Her Majesty
1 potato, 2 potatoes, 3 potatoes, 4
The ‘ra have lost, accept it Phil, ya scummy bigot whore
September 18, 2008 at 11:47 am
Alan Mair
I think your green tinted spectacles reveal your own bitterness and bias. The song in question does not mock the Irish potato famine. Rather it mocks the fact that supporters of Celtic themselves chose to make banners about it. What on earth has that to do with supporting a Scottish football team? Of course these same supporters have a history of anti British, anti Scottish sentiment. For years these very easily offended supporters have loudly chanted support for the IRA who murdered so many innocent people in their terrorist campaign. What has that to do with a football team? These same supporters delight to call their rival’s supporters ‘huns’( a vile reference to the horrors of World War 2). The Famine song simply mocks the sheet hypocrisy that folk like you peddle. I have no idea where you live. But if your ‘Irish’ roots are so much part of of who you are. Perhaps you should really think of going ‘home’ rather than live in the UK which you and your kind so despise. After all when Celtic play on European soil as a Scottish team, the flag their supporters will wave and drape around their shoulders will not be a Scottish saltire or Lion rampant or a Union Flag, but the flag of a foreign country. Do supporters of any other team in the world do this? Maybe it is time for you and and your team and its supporters to go home. Then there would be some credibility and honesty to all this Irishness.
September 18, 2008 at 4:29 am
Sean Reid
Hi Phil
Interesting to read your article regarding the famine song, it is disappointing that the Scottish Governemnt claim to know nothing of this until now, I wrote to them in May this year, letter as below:
To: info@theredcardscotland.org
Cc: info@scottishfa.co.uk; info@fifpro.org; enquiries@eis.org.uk; ceu@scotland.gsi.gov.uk; matt.smith@unison.co.uk; scotland@gmb.org.uk; info@scotrefugeecouncil.org.uk; customer@sqa.org.uk; john.muldoon@pcs.org.uk
Sent: Saturday, 10 May, 2008 8:28:55 PM
Subject: Re: Racist singing at Celtic park 27-04-08
Sponsors of Show Racism the Red Card
I have been corresponding with Show Racism the Red Card in regards to racist songs by Rangers supporters at recent football matches, as you will see from the reply received the organisation have mentioned some dialogue that they are supposed to have had with Rangers FC as well as various groups linked to Rangers FC.
Any discussions that have been made are obviously falling on deaf ears as I have just witnessed some utter disgusting racist abuse directed at Dundee United player Noel Hunt in their game against Rangers FC at Ibrox Park today, he was subjected to a chant that refers to the Irish famine and now that it is over he should go home, if this was a minority then I would understand that SRTRC have had an effect, unfortunately this was the majority of the 50,000 attending the match (less the few thousand from Dundee Utd FC).
1. Is this country anti Irish ?.
2. Do you regard anybody being anti Irish as racist?.
Is your answer to any of these questions no? if so let me know and I can discuss with you on an individual basis.
Is your answer to any of these questions yes?, if so are you happy that the organisation you are sponsoring is not competent enough to deal with it?
My personal opinion is that this country is rife with people who have an issue with the Irish population and of those who have a link and a bond with the people of Ireland, I also have the opinion that it is not viewed on the same level as racism through a persons colour.
I would appreciate your thoughts on everything I have written and an early response would be appreciated.
This letter was written to sponsors of SRTRC who are weak in their anti Irish racism policy, the sponsors include the Scottish government, this would have been the earliest correspondence they received from myself, if you reqiure further letters I will send them on to you.
Regards
Sean
September 17, 2008 at 8:48 pm
Maggie
You sir are a liar and what is commonly known as a Shit Stirrer.
I have never read so much tripe in my life.
The famine song was not sung in Manchester. Not in the stadium anyway.
I was there, very front row, and I can assure you that I never heard one line of it. Even if it was sung. It is not sung in a way to decry those that died or starved.
It is decrying those people who say they are Irish or love Ireland and want Britain done away with but actually live here.
We say, if they do not like it, then go home.
You are also being very biased about your version of events. I do not mind someone relating a story, but to tell blatant lies, is just stupid.
Where is your proof that Rangers fans sang the famines over at the uefa final?
Manchester has never had such civil disorder since’85. Have you forgotten the IRA bombing of a shopping mall where innocent woman and children died.
Tell your children that story.
September 17, 2008 at 7:38 pm
Jim Glennie
Hi Phil, I have no desire to get involved in the political side of this debate, we would never agree with each other and life is too short.. but I attended the UEFA Cup Final and I certainly didn’t hear the song that seems to have caused mass hysteria not only here in Scotland but seemingly in Donegal too.
I’ve spoken to several friends who were sitting in different parts of the stadium and they didn’t hear it. When exactly was this song song during the UEFA Cup final?
Is it’s almost mystical appearance that night the product of a fevered imagination or of a poisoned mind with an agenda to follow?
Regards
Jim Glennie
September 17, 2008 at 5:41 pm
Sentry
the famines over so why dont you and your kind stay out of my country until you refrain from anti Protestant trash
September 17, 2008 at 5:29 pm