Other Sports

Sectarianism in Scotland

May 3rd, 2011
by Weeshie Fogarty

Bombs, bullets, love and hate. Violence, loathing, bigotry, beatings, stabbings, fights. Catholic and Protestant.  Hard to believe but I refer to a "sporting" occasion. All of this and much more is incorporated in the greatest soccer derby in the world. Glasgow Celtic against Glasgow Rangers. Here you will find nakedly frightening hatred at its very worst and it all goes as far back to when Celtic themselves were founded and they met Rangers for the first time and the game was abandoned. Celtic recognized as the Catholic club, Rangers the Protestant side. Deadly dangerous enemies since that first game back in 1905.  The old adage "familiarity breeds contempt" was never more suitable than in this instance.

Neil Lennon is the Celtic manager and has always been the focal point for Rangers extreme sectarian hatred since his playing days with that club. He seems to attract the very worst form of football animosity where ever he goes. He has been beaten in the street, one very violent Rangers fan even tried to ram his car off the road and as a player so serious were threats to his life that he was forced to retire from international football and leave the Northern Ireland team.  And now things have taken a far more sinister and dangerous turn.  The news recently that parcel bombs had been intercepted in the post on their way to Lennon and others in the club has raised the stakes to a frightening new level.  And only last week another device was discovered also on his postal way to Lennon's home. And let's be clear about this, the police have stated that all these parcel bombs could have been lethal if opened.

Lennon himself must take a share of the blame in all of this. Always a man to wear his heart on his sleeve he should be showing a little more restraint following these games against his great rivals. In March he was forced to apologize after his run in with Rangers Ally McCoist. The full time whistle had gone and both men were seen by a vast TV audience spitting hatred at each other as they squared up head to head on the side line. Then last Sunday week when the game came to an end it was Lennon again drawing the hatred and venom of the Rangers supporters on himself as he walked off the pitch happy with a draw provocatively cupping his hands to his ears as if saying to the opposition supporters "I don't hear you now ." It takes up to one thousand police to assure this derby goes off without any serious rioting. It has been proved that the incidents of domestic violence increase greatly on the days of the old firm games as supporters drowning their sorrows bring their troubles home to their families.

It's really unbelievable in this day and age all of this sectarian hatred and loathing still goes on.  It appears that the football authorities in Scotland are powerless to put a stop to it. If it was happening in some far away country such as South America where passions run so high it might be understandable. One of the big problems is that the sides meet each other so often. This year has been even more exceptional as they have squared off seven times against each other. Last Sunday I settled down to watch their latest meeting; it finished a scoreless draw as both clubs are once again and for the umpteenth time neck and neck in the race for the Scottish League title. It's only because of their intense rivalry that their games make for compulsive viewing. The football is not great and the league itself in Scotland is a two horse race every single year with a very rare exception. It's like putting the twelve weakest football counties in Ireland into the same group as Kerry and Cork every year.

However I have a confession to make because like many people I know I am an avid Celtic supporter and have been all my life. Kerry, Manchester United, Celtic and Brazil in that order are the teams I have followed all my life. My fascinating with Glasgow Celtic began as a youngster as I kicked a ball around the streets of Lower New St Killarney. Living in one of the lanes off the street was a little Scotch man who was know to us simply as "Scotty". He was a self thought electrician and a very good one at that. He would stop and chat and enthrall us about his days watching Celtic and one particular story has remained with me to this day and indeed I appreciate it even more as the years unfolded.  A true tale it was all about a great Celtic goalkeeper whom Scotty referred to "A Prince of Goalkeepers". Johnny Thomson was one of the greatest goalkeepers Celtic or Scotland ever saw. In 1931 at the age of 22 years he was playing against Rangers at Ibrox. Five minutes gone in the second half and I have seen an old grainy black and white film of the incident, Johnny advanced and dived at the feet of Ranger's center fordward Sam English. It was a fifty/fifty ball. The knee of the Rangers man connected with the goalkeeper's temple. He was immediately knocked unconscious, rushed to hospital where he died later that evening. The game ended in a scoreless draw.

Over thirty thousand turned out for his funeral, songs and ballads have been written about him, a street  Thomson Court has been called after him and fans still visit his grave in their hundreds. Scotty's favourite story about Johnny Thomson's would hold us enthralled; I still wonder was it true?  As a young boy the budding goalie was at a children's party at a friend's house in Fife. A rag football was being lashed around the room; one lad kicked it straight at an oil lamp on the table. Disaster seemed certain until one young slim lad hurled himself through the air and grasped the ball at the last spilt second and a serious fire tragedy was averted. The legend of Johnny Thomson was born.  So back to the present and it looks certain the naked sectarian hatred between the so called old firm will go on and on. For me the only solution that might help would be their participation in the English Premiership. Attitudes and behavior would c certainly have to change. However this wont happen in the near future and the Republicanism and Orange-ism insanity will go on as both clubs strive to be masters of one another. Its a sad and pathetic story in the world of to days sport.  

Fogra; I was shocked and saddened to hear of the sudden death last week of former Kerry and John Mitchels great footballer and gentleman of the highest caliber Teddy Dowd. "Dowdy" won six Kerry senior county championship medals with his beloved Mitchels. He played Minor Junior and Senior championship football with Kerry winning Munster medal s in all grades Happiest anywhere in the full forward line he was a prolific scorer and in the 1963 county final his two goals won the game. I loved meeting and chatting with him at games and functions. A tremendous bubbly character always it seemed in good humor one would always come away feeling much better following time in his company. His death lives a huge void in the Tralee GAA landscape. To his wife, family and old five-in-a-row championship winning team mates we extend our deepest sympathy.



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