All Discussions Tagged 'Sports' - The Wild Geese2024-03-29T09:18:40Zhttps://thewildgeese.irish/forum/topic/listForTag?tag=Sports&feed=yes&xn_auth=noThe Meaning of the Poppytag:thewildgeese.irish,2014-11-11:6442157:Topic:1270962014-11-11T16:10:22.562ZJim Curleyhttps://thewildgeese.irish/profile/JimCurley
<p>Here is a copy of the letter written by a Wigan soccer player to his club's owner on why he is not wearing the poppy on his uniform. What say the members of TWG?<br></br> <br></br> Dear Mr Whelan<br></br> <br></br> I wanted to write to you before talking about this face to face and explain my reasons for not wearing a poppy on my shirt for the game at Bolton.<br></br> <br></br> I have complete respect for those who fought and died in both World Wars - many I know were Irish-born. I have been told that your own…</p>
<p>Here is a copy of the letter written by a Wigan soccer player to his club's owner on why he is not wearing the poppy on his uniform. What say the members of TWG?<br/> <br/> Dear Mr Whelan<br/> <br/> I wanted to write to you before talking about this face to face and explain my reasons for not wearing a poppy on my shirt for the game at Bolton.<br/> <br/> I have complete respect for those who fought and died in both World Wars - many I know were Irish-born. I have been told that your own Grandfather Paddy Whelan, from Tipperary, was one of those.<br/> <br/> I mourn their deaths like every other decent person and if the Poppy was a symbol only for the lost souls of World War I and II I would wear one.<br/> <br/> I want to make that 100% clear .You must understand this.<br/> <br/> But the Poppy is used to remember victims of other conflicts since 1945 and this is where the problem starts for me.<br/> <br/> For people from the North of Ireland such as myself, and specifically those in Derry, scene of the 1972 Bloody Sunday massacre, the poppy has come to mean something very different. Please understand, Mr Whelan, that when you come from Creggan like myself or the Bogside, Brandywell or the majority of places in Derry, every person still lives in the shadow of one of the darkest days in Ireland’s history – even if like me you were born nearly 20 years after the event. It is just a part of who we are, ingrained into us from birth.<br/> <br/> Mr Whelan, for me to wear a poppy would be as much a gesture of disrespect for the innocent people who lost their lives in the Troubles – and Bloody Sunday especially - as I have in the past been accused of disrespecting the victims of WWI and WWII.<br/> <br/> It would be seen as an act of disrespect to those people; to my people.<br/> <br/> I am not a war monger, or anti-British, or a terrorist or any of the accusations levelled at me in the past. I am a peaceful guy, I believe everyone should live side by side, whatever their religious or political beliefs which I respect and ask for people to respect mine in return. Since last year, I am a father and I want my daughter to grow up in a peaceful world, like any parent.<br/> <br/> I am very proud of where I come from and I just cannot do something that I believe is wrong. In life, if you’re a man you should stand up for what you believe in.<br/> <br/> I know you may not agree with my feelings but I hope very much that you understand my reasons.<br/> <br/> As the owner of the club I am proud to play for, I believe I owe both you and the club’s supporters this explanation.<br/> <br/> Yours sincerely,<br/> <br/> James McClean</p> 2014 World Cuptag:thewildgeese.irish,2014-06-13:6442157:Topic:985782014-06-13T10:17:47.537ZRyan O'Rourkehttps://thewildgeese.irish/profile/RyanORourke
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/122492173?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-right" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/122492173?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="250"></img></a> <strong><span class="font-size-7" style="font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;">W</span>ell, Ireland didn't qualify</strong> for the World Cup (again); however, we have members here in The Wild Geese community from all over the planet. I'm curious about just how many World Cup nations are represented here in our community. </p>
<p>So, if the country of your residence is…</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/122492173?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="250" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/122492173?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="250" class="align-right"/></a><strong><span class="font-size-7" style="font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;">W</span>ell, Ireland didn't qualify</strong> for the World Cup (again); however, we have members here in The Wild Geese community from all over the planet. I'm curious about just how many World Cup nations are represented here in our community. </p>
<p>So, if the country of your residence is playing for the World Cup in 2014, please sound off in a comment below with your country and how you think your side will fare in the competition.</p>
<p>If you don't know which countries qualified, here's the full 32-squad list:</p>
<p><strong>Group A</strong><br/> Brazil<br/> Cameroon<br/> Croatia<br/> Mexico</p>
<p><strong>Group B</strong><br/> Australia<br/> Chile<br/> Netherlands<br/> Spain</p>
<p><strong>Group C</strong><br/> Colombia<br/> Greece<br/> Ivory Coast<br/> Japan</p>
<p><strong>Group D</strong><br/> Costa Rica<br/> England<br/> Italy<br/> Uruguay</p>
<p><strong>Group E</strong><br/> Ecuador<br/> France<br/> Honduras<br/> Switzerland</p>
<p><strong>Group F</strong><br/> Argentina<br/> Bosnia and Herzegovina<br/> Iran<br/> Nigeria</p>
<p><strong>Group G</strong><br/> Germany<br/> Ghana<br/> Portugal<br/> United States</p>
<p><strong>Group H</strong><br/> Algeria<br/> Belgium<br/> Russia<br/> South Korea</p> Irish Influence in Institutions of Higher Learningtag:thewildgeese.irish,2014-03-04:6442157:Topic:811542014-03-04T00:07:41.916ZJames Richard Johnsonhttps://thewildgeese.irish/profile/JamesRichardJohnson
<p><a href="http://www.sites.stfx.ca/institutional_analysis/sites/sites.stfx.ca.institutional_analysis/files/Campus2012resized.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-left" src="http://www.sites.stfx.ca/institutional_analysis/sites/sites.stfx.ca.institutional_analysis/files/Campus2012resized.jpg?width=400" style="padding: 3px;" width="400"></img></a> I think my alma mater my qualify. It has a great Highland Scot Gael influence but there were many Irish who had a great impact. Irish & Scottish Gaelic are taught there to this day and one may obtain a degree in Celtic Studies at St Francis Xavier University located in Antigonish, Nova Scotia.<br></br> <br></br> Msgr. Moses Coady & Rev…</p>
<p><a href="http://www.sites.stfx.ca/institutional_analysis/sites/sites.stfx.ca.institutional_analysis/files/Campus2012resized.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.sites.stfx.ca/institutional_analysis/sites/sites.stfx.ca.institutional_analysis/files/Campus2012resized.jpg?width=400" width="400" class="align-left" style="padding: 3px;"/></a>I think my alma mater my qualify. It has a great Highland Scot Gael influence but there were many Irish who had a great impact. Irish & Scottish Gaelic are taught there to this day and one may obtain a degree in Celtic Studies at St Francis Xavier University located in Antigonish, Nova Scotia.<br/> <br/> Msgr. Moses Coady & Rev Jimmy Tompkins were two powerful leaders in the development of the university. Actually a hero of the Wexford Rebellion of 1798, Moses 'Mogue' Doyle brought the Coady & Tompkins families with him to settle in Nova Scotia.<br/> <br/> Some prominent alumni include former New Brunswick Premier & Canadian Ambassador to the US, the Honourable Frank McKenna; The Right Honourable Brian Mulroney served as Prime Minister at the same time as Pres. Ronald Regan.....Mulroney hosted the famous Shamrock Summit in Quebec City with the then President.<br/> <br/> The late Charles Keating was a great philanthropist and 'X' grad who was a wealthy & generous eastern Canadian entrepreneur. The Keating Centre at the university is a great testament to this generous Irishman.<br/> <br/> The greatest sports broadcaster known to Canadians, Danny Gallivan, the 'voice of the Montreal Canadiens started his career broadcasting X-Men hockey games in the 1940's.<br/> <br/> I could go on & on.<br/> <br/> Richard</p>