'Even the RA aren't singing Up the RA' - Patrick Kielty on that song

A debate around the singing of controversial chants has come at a good time, according to comedian and broadcaster Patrick Kielty.
He was speaking after the women's football team was filmed singing 'Up the RA' after their World Cup qualifier win over Scotland.
Days later a group of people were also filmed singing the chant in Dublin Airport.
Patrick told The Hard Shoulder this is part of a much wider debate.
"Even the RA aren't singing Up the RA these days, it's a very weird thing," he said.
"Even the RA are going 'Up the social housing, let's not talk about the RA'.
"In a weird way it's timely; I think that it shows you the complexities of the island.
"The idea that you have 5,000 people getting together for a Shared Island Forum just a couple of weeks ago, and then you've got this sort of taking people's attention.
"I think if people have to ask themselves questions because of this, I think it's a good thing.
"It's something that we've had to do up North for years."
'People are who they are'
Patrick said there is no point being 'pearl-clutchy' about what happened.
"I think it sort of falls very much into the idea of Three Green Fields; it's much easier to actually sing the rebel song about the united Ireland than kind of not to in order to have it.
"There's no point being pearl-clutchy about any of this - people are who they are and believe what they believe.
"It's weird the 'whataboutery' which has come out of it - what about this and what about that - I just feel that anybody can sing whatever they want, that is Orangemen and football supporters and football teams.
"Ultimately if anyone is remotely interested in a united Ireland, if you look at census results in the North, there's a huge chunk of people there in the middle which call themselves Northern Irish.
"If you're sitting in Dublin and somebody said: 'You know what lads, I think it's probably time for you to sit and think about rejoining Britain and the Commonwealth - and you had a Northern Ireland team in the dressing room singing The Sash - you'd probably go to yourself: 'Do I really want to be part of that?'
"I think it's a conversation that kind of needs to be had, and I think it's come at a timely point," he added.
#ireland #northernireland #newstalk

[@AmsterdamagedHQ]

If the Brits can wear their poppy to commemorate their heroes who slaughtered their way around the world then the Irish can sing their songs about their heroes who resisted that slaughter.

[@craughan]

True

[@gerardodwyer5908]

We need to restore the Gaelic aristocracy. Four provincial kings and an über High King. Problem solved.

[@Gaelfist]

Amen brother lol

[@LarryFogarty]

maybe concentrate more on the abuse and death threats james mc clean gets

[@Gaelfist]

Enough were Irish in Ireland we can sing what we like. The British play rule Britannia and God save the Queen for God sake. we've went above and beyond to bring the union's with us but the hardcore loyalists will never ever have respect for us our country or our religion. Enough is enough we move on without them and no more talk of changing anything in our culture or emblems they took enough from us. And singing up the rá is singing up the republican army meaning up the Irish people. stop this crap we're not the British we owe nothing to know one let them change their country to accommodate the people who they stole their land from and butchered. FFS we have nothing to be ashamed of as a people the only people we ever fought was because they invaded us and tryed to distroy us. So wind your neck in for God sake