How Rugby United Ireland | Craig Doyle | The Big Jim Show

Irish TV presenter Craig Doyle explains how the game of Rugby United a very disrupted Ireland, and what it was like making his documentary 'Shoulder to Shoulder' alongside fellow Irishman Brian O'Driscoll.
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[@kevclaremcd]

Great interview, if my memory serves me correctly when things were really bad in Northern Ireland and Scotland and Wales refused to travel to Dublin to play Ireland, England did and received a standing ovation in Landesown Road. Apparently one of their players quipped 'We might not play great rugby, but at least we turn up"

[@robhallie]

That's correct & a big reason why England is our closest rugby brother on these islands, not our so called Celtic cousins.

[@SchmozzleGTO]

Funnily enough, documentary called "The Team That Turned Up", if my memory serves me correctly, played on RTE weekend of Irl Eng slam game ... if anyone else missed it, is worth watching. Will likely be on RTE Player still.

[@aidanmasterson50]

It’s true, England RFU have been one of greatest friends throughout the history of the sport between our two countries.

[@JSL2000]

@@aidanmasterson50 Ya The RFU and IRFU are very good friends. England voted for us when we put in a bid for the 2023 World Cup. Our so-called Celtic cousins voted for South Africa.

[@alanreid9385]

When was that?

[@trevorburns3634]

Well done Craig. Did us proud there.

[@john9675]

Craig's a clueless git

[@cathalryan3509]

I would love for the you lads to mention that the boxing team was also all Ireland team. One great story is Michael Carruth and Wayne Mc Cullough winning a Gold and Silver medal in the 1992 Olympic games. One an Irish soldier from Dublin the other young lad from the Shankill road Belfast. There is a great story to be told from that sport, over all the years before and during the troubles. I am from Dublin and boxed in the Harland and Wolff social club in Belfast against a Protestant lad. Every thing went fine, but you can imagine in 1982 the feelings we had being from Dublin. We were looked after very well, by everybody. Just a suggestion lads. take care.

[@MrRugbylane]

Yes 100% correct.

[@walshjoseph7991]

great report

[@Sineadhawk]

Take your suggestion to a boxing podcast . Not a rugby podcast

[@richard_1111]

Fair play Craig. Good overview for the layman

[@SMacCuUladh]

apart from the mistakes.

[@beaglaoich4418]

@@SMacCuUladh always puts me on edge when someone is going to run through the history of this island

[@tomdeane878]

Craig Doyle for the Late Late gig!

[@peteymax]

Craig seems like a very positive and respectful person

[@davecap2641]

I am old enough to remember clearly the time of the troubles, I found this piece heart warming. Well done.

[@williampatrickfagan7590]

And there are some who.would stir the pot again over Brexshit

[@chrismccready5432]

Great interview and a good potted-history Craig, you summed it all up very well.

[@karlosdeevs]

7:57 Nigel Carr did in fact play rugby for a short while after (incl. for an Ireland XV side v South of Scotland), but yes he would never play for the main team again.

[@philriley1002]

Brilliant interview, keep up the great work Jim.

[@redneckReno]

Very interesting! Am over here in the U.S. , is the only way to watch it is on BT sport? is it available anywhere else?

[@Alex-mj5dv]

He knows that .. he was talking about living in Derry as a kid, his father was British Army, and the unease he sometimes felt there

[@maurecara6908]

Very good interview well done you could almost post this as a very neutral spiel about Irish history

[@dbjmk8083]

I would love for Ireland's call to be sung in Irish.

[@fergalbannon4614]

Would kinda defeat the purpose no?

[@margaretglover1620]

Just sing it during the game like the Welsh and French It's terrifiç

[@fergalbannon4614]

@@margaretglover1620 I'm sure we can sing it whenever we want, though I'm not that big a fan. But it goes before the match. That's the whole point.

[@johnmc3862]

Desperate song in any language!

[@neil216]

Oddly, I think it was a mistake to translate the Soldiers Song from the original English. 😂

[@davidboylan8365]

Very well said Craig.

[@t2theizzo146]

Fantastic stuff. Where can I see the rest of this?

[@keithrichardsom1898]

Absolutely brilliant

[@pmoran7971]

Don' forget Cricketreland and Hockey Ireland! represent all!

[@ondersteunwitboere2950]

Great interview. Thankyou all, especially Brian's hand of friendship. I feel Brian lifted the Lambeg drum for a bit of a laugh, and it was harmless fun. Everyone can see how warmly you both where welcomed. It's so ironic that irelands most famous sportsman, former Irish captain, Irish speaking and proud irishman gets slaughtered by Republican, nationalist, Catholics All over a bit of a laugh. And these people say loyalists are bigots lol pot and kettle Personally I applaud Brian and Craig Thankyou

[@noodlyappendage6729]

It’s just as bad in the South. The Love Ulster event in Dublin turned into a riot.

[@beaglaoich4418]

It’s still incredibly tribal in so many ways but this was still aired and watched and I’d say the vast majority of people would’ve been comparably uncomfortable as Donal Lenihan, I think they also on reflection would realise that he isn’t condoning their sectarian organisation and showing that it isn’t only about being a sectarian organisation that it has genuine aspects of culture-which hopefully is what that order will become exclusively

[@beaglaoich4418]

@@noodlyappendage6729 pretty despicable reaction to a pale excuse of an organisation. Thankfully the political rioters were of a party that only got 2000 votes in 2011 so shows how popular that was. As for Love Ulster they must’ve loved the reaction to their own partisanship. All for protesting but I condemn any and all organisations that celebrate Republican, loyalist, police or military violence committed on this island, which is something FAIR did

[@ronjeremy7629]

Jim is a great host! We need the full videos tho it’s 2023 for fucks sake Jim! Let m see the whole interview

[@darraghfleming6515]

I am noticing more channels doing the same thing…only showing snippets. Not sure if the rationale for it but it’s very annoying.

[@sachinbangaru737]

Love you Big Jim.

[@jonkelly1920]

Great interview! Super informative 🇮🇪✊

[@Ruah236]

12 July parades were loud and fired up and once had a close call of antagonisting these parades even more (like BOD). Interview reminds me of that close-call incident while driving up to NI when got totally lost somewhere en route. Ended up turned into a small narrow country road with an Orange Mans Parade marching towards my car in the distance (not too far away thou) and my car having southern reg plates driving toward them. Did an 8 point turn with car so quickly without going into a ditch! Wasn't aware was 12 July when started the road trip. The marching parades are loud and proud of their tradition - don't antagonise on 12 July! What was BOD thinking playing the drum? Was he thinking?

[@beaglaoich4418]

What he was thinking is he was trying to be polite and given they rocked up to these lads and wanted to film and talk to them why not acquiesce to a request to play a musical instrument? Most were very polite and friendly and whilst I detest the sectarian bigotry that is hard to separate from the orange order and seeing O’Driscoll play the Lambeg I respect the fact he did it

[@Ruah236]

@@beaglaoich4418 don't get me wrong I'm fond of BOD still alot of people including me would not respect that he did it - it shows insensitivity - gross insensitivity to how tentative it can be there and I have given a parallel situation I found myself accidentially in years earlier to his documentary being made just for that reason to draw the comparison on a judgement call made and described how I handled that situation with a little more sensitivity and most probably me and my passanger's safety. He was it seems to me unaware that he was antagonising for the sake of making a good documentary - but void of being sensitive to the attitudes of the people involved. You simplifying his action in this manner says your attitude is similar to himself. He should 'nt be too surprised if his family's safety was then threatened, it offended some people obviously - because we all, including rugby players or ex-rugby players are responsible for the consequences of our actions - no one is above it. I tell ya he'd never survive in the Middle East and trying to handle the Taliban!

[@williampatrickfagan7590]

As a Nationalist, I do not see why the 12th could not be an all Ireland holiday. And the Lambeg drum be invited to Irish music competitions. Like Feis. Even as a demonstration of our culture. If Irish Nationalists insist Unionists are Irish true n true, we must embrace their music and culture too. As the late great Nobel laureate John Hume said you cannot eat a Flag. It does not put bread n Butter on the table.

[@beaglaoich4418]

@@williampatrickfagan7590 agree with you lad!

[@DavidTurner11]

This was great

[@Fighting_Irish184]

The time I feel the most Irish is when I am belting out Ireland’s Call and roaring Ireland on.

[@iano239]

I think it's great that Rugby, Hockey, Cricket and Golf have always been All Ireland sports with a single Irish team. Some Nationalists considered those Sports to be "foreign" (aka British) Sports and would not play them. Rugby, outside of Munster, had a fairly elitist reputation. Just to say it's complicated. The GAA had to modify Rule 42 to allow Ireland Rugby to play in Croke Park. The biggest pushback for allowing Rugby to be played in a GAA stadium came from Northern Counties. I think the Irish Rugby team is a great example of how Ireland, united and respectful of all of its inhabitants is World beating. I think other forces played a bigger role in uniting Ireland such as it is. I'm not a member of the GAA and I'm at least as into Rugby as I am into GAA but I'd like to give credit to the generosity and empathy of the G.A.A. when they decided to create a space for everyone to embrace Irelands' Rugby team. Giving ground, and their most sacred ground, to a game that at one stage represented the foreign elite subverting the local culture wasn't easy or unconsidered. At the same time we have something beautiful because of it and Gaelic Games are doing fine. I think the title is little jarring but I get it.

[@jeromecoward9370]

2 sides to every coin but great interview! Love the Irish Rugby Rugby Team

[@Traaaaad]

ehhhhhhhh what

[@kevinhyland1544]

Wow well done great job

[@bryanellis459]

When it comes to sport, football is the exception when it come to the Ireland team. Nearly (maybe every) other sport plays as one,, and the football team did for year, until there was a dispute between Belfast and Dublin, so they split. The Irish population fell from 8.2 million to 6.5 million between 1841 and 1851, and further to 4.5million over the years. We're only now getting back up to ~7million

[@UnrepentantFenian]

and a good chunk of that population arent irish

[@RazorMouth]

The population of the island is 7 million now. It was over 8 million pre famine and dropped to about 6.5 million in a decade directly due to death from the famine and for the rest of that century a further 2 million were lost most from emigration but also a lot from starvation especially in the decade after the famine. Crazy that the population is roughly the same now as it was 200 years ago. Without Britain we'd have about 15 to 20 million on the island.

[@hotbeefymcd8162]

Don't forget that 8mil was the all island figure and 5m is the 26 county figure.

[@RazorMouth]

@@hotbeefymcd8162 yes as is the 7 million figure I quoted just now, an all Ireland figure. No point talking about Irish population history including partition.

[@hotbeefymcd8162]

@@RazorMouth Sorry I wasn't actually meaning to reply to you

[@guyveegee]

This is up there with 'Chasing the sun' for laying the backstory to stoic teams

[@Fighting_Irish184]

My family are Protestant from Messiness Park and they called it Derry. The main Presbyterian church is called 1st Derry. It is being over-politicized.

[@MrRugbylane]

Funny enough, soccer having two international teams is more the exception. As well as rugby, the national Olympic, Cricket, Hockey, Cricket, Boxing Golf and Sailing organisations (and others) are Ireland and not divided.

[@noodlyappendage6729]

Team GB is actually Team GB and NI.

[@MrRugbylane]

@@noodlyappendage6729 "Ireland"Olympic Team is Republic & Northern Ireland. Northern Irelanders can opt for either. We have had Ulster Loyalists win boxing medals for Ireland.

[@desabc221]

How do you watch Shoulder to Shoulder in the USA?

[@redneckReno]

good Question! Been tryin to find it here and have had no luck

[@15briangriffin]

It's here on KZbin. Just type in shoulder to shoulder full documentary and it will come up

[@redneckReno]

Awesome thank you I will give it a try...

[@JSL2000]

My family did really well out of the Irish famine. Tenants who couldn't pay their rent were kicked off, beef farmers from elsewhere in Tipperary were moved in as exporting beef was profitable, and that's our family farm today.

[@stiofain88]

How scummy

[@JSL2000]

@@stiofain88 we didn't personally kick anyone off. Landlords cleared tenancies due to near financial ruin. Then we took up advertised and now vacant land.

[@stiofain88]

@@JSL2000 I didn't accuse your family of murder and theft. I said it was scummy to take advantage of desperate people. Perfectly legal under British law.

[@JSL2000]

@@stiofain88 I know you didn't and that's fine. But it wasn't taking advantage. That land was empty and vacant. By not renting it, it's still vacant. Remember, the previous occupants were tenants too. The new tenant replaces the previous one.

[@stiofain88]

@@JSL2000 Yes but the previous tenants didn't leave voluntarily. They were thrown off the land by a landlord who had no right to the land other than in the opinion of a foreign country to go die elsewhere. I said it was scummy which is. I made no comment on the morals of your family. You stated they did really well out of the Irish famine. That suggests they were not Irish and that you yourself see no harm in the deliberate starving of 25% of the population as long as others can profit. Hence my distaste.

[@peterwomersley]

Phoenetic Pronunciation RG SNYMAN EHHRR GHEEE Now the G is a gutteral sound Not a a soft G Its starts at the back of the throat and sounds like a someone clearing out phlem Great shows always

[@Stand663]

What I don’t understand is how can there be violence in a representative parliamentary democracy ? Government is of the people, by the people. If you want any change, you use your vote.

[@Kenny-zn6dl]

It's derry jim, always derry. London Edinburgh, London Glasgow wouldn't be tolerated, just say derry, it's quicker and easier to say 😅😅😅

[@beaglaoich4418]

We’ll give them London Irish an raise them one DerryLondon

[@Muesli711]

@6:15 Traditionally, I would think there would have been far more Nationalists / Unionists on the team than Republicans / Loyalists.

[@Fighting_Irish184]

Protestants in the North also don’t learn Gaelic at school, so couldn’t sing it even if they wanted to.

[@The_Republic_of_Ireland]

I actually forgot Craig Doyle was still alive not gonna lie

[@15briangriffin]

He had been the main rugby presenter on BT sport for years now

[@beaglaoich4418]

@@15briangriffin have to be paying for BT sports to know

[@andypandy4465]

When people ask about the Derry / L’Derry thing it’s always best to just explain that 6.5 million people living in Ireland call it Derry and half a million of the people living there call it L’Derry, hence it’s best to just call it Derry

[@michaelvdunne]

Only soccer is not an all ireland sport. Cricket horse racing hockey greyhound racing rugby tennis swimming 12:22 boxing judo gymnastics plus a few more are All Ireland

[@eh8184]

No there not all Ireland sports Look at the Olympics GB & NI take in the rest of them

[@markshields5883]

There should be an all Ireland football team as well

[@FannyShmellar]

@@markshields5883 Will never happen. Football is much more tribal, nobody really cares about rugby. When Northern Ireland fans go to watch games they are supporting their own country of Northern Ireland. They are die hard fans and would never accept that being taken away from them.

[@rewdwarf123]

@@FannyShmellar Or maybe the Republic of Ireland football team should disband and let the north run things? It would have to be a unified team, then,

[@FannyShmellar]

@@rewdwarf123 But they don’t want a unified team, that’s the thing. People who go to watch Northern Ireland have literally nothing in common with people from Cork who go to watch Ireland. Culturally they are absolutely worlds apart and that’s why there will never be a unified football team.

[@SMacCuUladh]

Craig, Ulster is 9 counties, Northern Ireland is six counties. The famine started in 1845 not 1847, and there was 8 million+ people in Ireland at the start of the famine not 5. There are other mistakes as well but I'm shocked a guy who made a documentary about the history of Irish rugby can get such basic facts wrong.

[@markadams738]

Tbh he has to boil it down for easy understanding . Ref Britain and an occupation , I've always understood that one of the Irish Kings needed help and 'invited' Norman knights from an occupied England to give him some muscle . The Norman knights never left though.

[@andrewfitzsimons21]

Give him a break. 2 years isn't far off. Hes referring to Ireland being 5 million in population now.

[@ahlads]

He was probably referring to black '47 which was the worst year. Doubt he didn't know it started in 1845. Doubt he doesn't know the difference between Ulster and NI.

[@gallowglass2630]

@@andrewfitzsimons21 Its not its 7.1 million ,because at the time of the famine the island wasn't divided ,so 8million was the population of the whole island.

[@aaroneymere2311]

Give over man you get the point

[@patrickbrennan911]

Population before the famine was 8 Million. After the famine it was 4 million. Also worth mentioning that the Protestant majority that (when the time came) wanted to keep the 6 counties separate, has that demographic because they were purposely planted there at the time the threw the indigenous Irish out of the north and into the west as Craig mentioned.

[@miorboy4447]

Derry

[@Yum191]

Derry! For fsake

[@williampatrickfagan7590]

Just listened for 5 minutes. You tell it correctly. And earned another Subscriber.

[@nickybutt9733]

Big Jim is a handsome man, but my god Craig Doyle is gorgeous but god doesn't he know it.

[@seamus9750]

Derry is in the North of Ireland Jim

[@Runboyrun89]

It’s in the U.K., mate

[@harryocallaghan8082]

@@Runboyrun89 It’s in Ireland

[@Runboyrun89]

@@harryocallaghan8082 yeah the island of Ireland. It’s in the U.K. sovereignty wise, as accepted by anyone who voted for the GFA. 🎩

[@PFarrell]

​@Mh1989 for now it is , clock is ticking fast which is great for the Island. Ireland will be complete again soon 🇮🇪

[@Runboyrun89]

@@PFarrell nah, check the most recent polls and census. Unfortunately nationalism has blown the shot at a 32 county Ireland.

[@dannywilson2600]

I wouldn't say rugby united Ireland. The only people here in Northern Ireland who play rugby are rich elite grammar school kids. The ordinary working class protestants play football in high school and have never seen a rugby match in their lives. I'm from a protestant estate and couldn't even tell you the rules of rugby. So it maybe united the rich people from both sides but most of us have no clue about it.

[@finbarrcorcoran9342]

Moderate unionism has no problem with the rugby setup,but I don't think you'll get many in the shankill watching the irish rugby team.

[@angusmckenzie9622]

It's ANZAC Day in Australia. My mate and neighbour, from Liverpool, ergo of Irish ancestry, like me, alerted me to the United Ireland Rugby team. It's been around for a few years, now. I particularly love the way "Ireland's Call" has taken off in other sports, there's a video of an Irish girls hockey/lacrosse ? team inviting in the girls from other countries to joint in ! Mary McDonald preaches an entirely new country sans tricolour, Soldiers Song, Union Jack or monarchy but accommodating loyalists(not my idea of a united Ireland but I lost my rights to influence when my 8 great grandparents emigrated in the 1850s.

[@eoin79]

His potted history is accurate enough. But his conception of the Irish rugby team's popularity is completely overblown. Sure, it's been popular for the past 20 years while they've been reasonably successful. But outside of the Dublin 4, and especially during the Troubles, it was and to a large degree still is an elitist minority sport, far less popular than soccer or the GAA. I grew up in the west of Ireland during the Troubles era and no one in my class would even have known when a rugby match was on TV, let alone understood the rules. Very much the same in the North.

[@stiofain88]

You've obviously never been to Munster

[@ProTantoQuid]

Rugby didn't unite Ireland. At the time Rugby in the North was still largely segregated. Romantic rugby.

[@noodlyappendage6729]

The Ireland rugby team hasn’t quite unite Ireland. The Republic of Ireland treats the team as though it’s its own. Like flying the Tri-Colour at matches for instance. Many people in Northern Ireland don’t watch it for that reason. Try flying the Union Flag or the Ulster Banner at a match and you’ll soon find how un-united things are.

[@phar874moochieter4]

The tri colour represents both sides, green for nationalist and the orange for loyalists with white in the middle for peace, so it seems kinda counterintuitive to not go. I'd say soccer would be a different matter though.

[@beaglaoich4418]

Many people in the north do watch it, even the documentary that they filmed included an Irish rugby star the orange order members posed with showing that even for the more loyalist end of the spectrum they follow Irish rugby. Ulster rugby doesn’t have an issue with players not wanting to play for Ireland either. And like with Irish rugby games they both supply fans to fly their rugby flags and not the national symbols. And as a southern Ulster person I’ve not felt uncomfortable seeing the Ulster banner at rugby matches in Ravenhill

[@noodlyappendage6729]

@@phar874moochieter4 the Irish Republican Tri-Colour doesn’t represent Northern Ireland it represents the Republic of Ireland.

[@phar874moochieter4]

@@noodlyappendage6729 and?

[@williampatrickfagan7590]

Not alone rugby. Just look at that most British of British sports. Cricket. All Ireland cricket team. Golf team. The soldiers song needs to be abandoned. plus the Irish Tricolour. What could be better than a flag of the 4 proviences of Ireland. That would make everyone compromise. The Unionists would have their beloved red flag of Ulster.

[@aperaruapeeta4309]

British did that in NZ as well and Australia and Africa and Asia shit most the world 80% of the British commenwealth is Black and Brown.

[@Oncewasdonka]

Brian banging the drums is nowt compared to Michelle O'neal going the coronation. Republicans are streets ahead of the unionists.

[@rileydibling9883]

jheesuz, starts of by calling it londonderry to an Irish man 🤦‍♂🤣

[@johnmc3862]

Yeah, Craig is so United Ireland jersey he’s worked in Britain for the last 30 years!

[@jmo8934]

What would working in Britain have to do with someone believing in a united ireland? The two are mutually exclusive.

[@ciaranwalsh2131]

Stop being a skeptic

[@johnmc3862]

@@ciaranwalsh2131 The 'United Ireland' thumbnail is the skeptic part.

[@seanogcarey]

Lovely words Hate to burst the bubble a bit but Irish rugby was always (or is) the upper class sport in Ireland and whos allegiance traditionally was to the crown. Upper class Catholics were hardly republicans and if anything tended to side with the British on matters of the troubles. Irish Rugby Union worked because they stayed under the British "home nations" model. Recent years much more healthy to I still dont think we'll see Irish rugby internationals from the Falls Road just yet

[@aldozilli1293]

As an English person and like many other English people I have a good portion of Irish blood from both parents, both had ancestors who came over in the time of the famine and a while after. I don't know how to feel about this, I think all history gets recounted in a black and white way when there's a lot of grey. My ancestors would have been affected no doubt directly by the events of the past, but the way people go on about history as if they lived it themselves and appear to have an attitude where the ordinary people of today should be made to feel guilty about it is just rubbish in my book. Unless you were there and involved at the time, you should learn from the history but there's no reason to feel bad about it. Craig Doyle comes across as if he's lived the famine and talks down to the other guy in an almost accusatory way cos he's English, and if he wants to call it Londonderry let him although I think its time they just renamed the town something else so all can get over ridiculousness such as names of places.

[@ciaranwalsh2131]

Its Derry

[@countycricklewood]

That was a good interview. 10yrs? Apartheid/Gerrymandering state is over!

[@noodlyappendage6729]

If you are talking about Northern Ireland you’re very much mistaken. The vast majority are Unionists.

[@beaglaoich4418]

@@noodlyappendage6729 that’s simply false, more like a plurality, but certainly not a vast majority

[@noodlyappendage6729]

@@beaglaoich4418 They most certainly are a majority. Those who want to remain a part of the UK are over 50% of the population.

[@beaglaoich4418]

@@noodlyappendage6729 took issue with the “vast” aspect of your comment I am not trying to pretend unionism is not a plurality perhaps even a majority but it certainly isn’t vast saying so implies this is set in stone or a ridiculous idea to converse about, which it is obviously not

[@noodlyappendage6729]

@@beaglaoich4418 Republicans don’t like to accept it’s set in stone because like any fighter they have to believe they have a chance. No matter how ridiculous their view is. But NI will remain in the UK. The latest poll showed there was only 27% support for leaving the UK and joining the RoI. Leaving the UK and joining the RoI means leaving the £ and joining the €. Not even Unionist Remainers wanted to leave the £ to join the €. Most Unionists voted to leave the EU. And even many Republicans aren’t interested in the EU. They want the RoI to leave too. The traditional Republicans stance was always Eurosceptic. SF stance only changed when they thought they could “stick it to the Brits”. But now the UK has left and is diverging more and more from the EU. That boat has sailed.

[@Tip_Top]

Until Paddy Jackson divided us again

[@countycricklewood]

Craig. What? 😅

[@Jay-to2cn]

Leinster rugby has been an exclusively private school sport. Leinster and Wesley rugby club also has a pretty bad reputation for underage girls being assaulted.

[@beaglaoich4418]

In fairness rugby in Uk and Ireland seems to be rife with it, not so sure about Munster and Connacht tbf but the rest are really troubling

[@Jay-to2cn]

@@beaglaoich4418 you think they'd just tell Wesley if they wanna throw underage discos in their clubhouse maybe they close the bar upstairs. Ireland only has a united team because they both support the boarder. Blackrock have a string of allegations about their changing room after cup wins too.

[@Irish780]

It's definitely derry London should never be added to it like saying dublin London ridiculous

[@noodlyappendage6729]

It’s been called Londonderry from the very beginning.

[@Irish780]

@@noodlyappendage6729 balax it's Ireland not England never from beginning derry is they name

[@beaglaoich4418]

@@noodlyappendage6729 ​ no actually it hasnt. The London prefix was added to the new walled settlement built on the opposite bank of the Foyle, which is a fairly common thing to build a new richer area to an existing settlement than knock and rebuild.

[@broneobraonain8506]

Irelands call genuinely turns a massive amount of Irish people off supporting the Irish team, it’s just not our national anthem and the people who have a problem singing Amhrán na bhFiann hate Ireland

[@aidanbrophy86]

Sorry to lose your support. Hopefully we can cope without you.

[@taintabird23]

I have no problem with either. I think Ireland's Call is an appropriate song under the circumstances.

[@johnmc3862]

@@taintabird23 I’ve nothing against it per se, it’s just a desperate song. Like a failed Eurovision qualifier.

[@SMacCuUladh]

wow, if that's your attitude, don't support the team.

[@Dreyno]

A massive amount? A few gobshites is all. Most people, even if they don’t like it, couldn’t care less. I watched it sang for the first time on the “Late, Late Show” and thought it was a bit shite. But it’s been almost 30 years. Get over it.

[@nialldolan4443]

repent for ones sins

[@swavgav31]

Londonderry?!!! FFS Jim, do your homework.... Not the best start to an interview

[@noodlyappendage6729]

Londonderry

[@durthacht]

Craig's understanding of Irish history is poor and there were so many inaccuracies in what he said.

[@22grena]

Like what?

[@marcmcdonald48]

Very balanced summary imo!✌️

[@PFarrell]

Truth hurt mate ? What he said is completely factual.

[@fergalbannon4614]

Correct. If you're going to talk about those things in an interview, you gotta try not fall into the trap of using England, Britain and the UK as synonyms. Funnily enough, Scotsmen had a large role in the famine, also interestingly disproportionately involved in the slave trade. Also, the famine should be 1845 to 1852 (in parts). But I'm fairness he clarified this isn't a history discussion.

[@aidanbrophy86]

You're right. This should be a 14 hour interview on Irish History.

[@walshjoseph7991]

very poor this journalism; spoofers who dont know what they say, what does mullarkey mean...is it Irish or English language

[@noodlyappendage6729]

Malarkey is an English word from the 1920’s with an unknown origin. There is also an Irish surname Mullarky which is from Ulster.

[@padruigmacrodain]

Northern Ireland is not Ulster Craig. For the love of God, get it right.

[@henrys4852]

The Irish really do love talking about themselves.

[@treatyman25]

Are you English Henry?

[@brendanf1591]

You should about how the English forced the English language upon the Irish. If they didn’t have a habit of this you wouldn’t have to listen to them.

[@gerardodwyer5908]

BS. Gaelic games unite Ireland. Rugby might unite the island's mohair brigade, nothing else.

[@Driver2616]

Ah would ye ever stop out of that ye Amadán...

[@chesterdonnelly1212]

Yeah the famous Gaelic Games Ireland national team.

[@noodlyappendage6729]

It may united Republicans from different counties in Ireland but it doesn’t unite Ireland as one team in an international competition. This is because nobody else plays GAA.

[@michaellynn8]

Ulster is British (from a proud British man).

[@ciaranbrk]

No it’s not. Your of course welcome to live here and have your culture and live in peace but Ulster is not British.

[@harryocallaghan8082]

No one asked for your opinion about our beautiful country and land.

[@Josh-lo6ws]

Only 2/3 of Ulster is in Northern Ireland

[@The_Republic_of_Ireland]

Ape

[@PFarrell]

Ulster is Irish and always will be. The 32 counties will be joined soon 🇮🇪 tick toc 😂

[@johnmurphy7316]

Don't like Doyle

[@polomis27]

I think Craig did well. I admire his goal. But........the idea that the Irish rugby team was a bastion of unity during troubled times in Ireland is not quite right. The Irish rugby team played it's first game in the year 1875. The first time an Irish catholic captained the Irish rugby team was in the year 1948. His name was Karl Mullin. But...... before Karl Mulin was allowed onto the field he was brought into a room, by his betters, so it could be explained to him that he could not be "political". No other captain of the Irish rugby team in 73 years of Irish rugby international captains up until that point had been brought into a room and told that they could not be "political", whiile captaining the "Irish" rugby team. Karl Mullin was. I wonder why? Wasn't the Irish rugby team a beautiful unifying symbol for a divided Ireland throughout all of the troubles that have beset our benighted island??? That year Ireland won their first grand slam. They toasted the King at the dinner to celebrate. The reason that Irish rugby did not split is not because of a principled stance against Irish or British nationalisms. The reason Irish rugby did not split was because the IRFU were always explicit British nationalists and took decades to adopt to the different reality. The "British" lions are a terrible relic of this terrible period in the history of the Irish rugby team. It is, kind of, acceptable to lie about history for a desirable political goal. It is entirely unacceptable to lie about history to feel good about yourself on a public platform. Especially Irish history!!!

[@henrys4852]

"Terrible period"? There wouldn't be an Irish rugby team without those men.

[@polomis27]

@@henrys4852 There would actually be two Henry.....One really good....and one really, really, bad X

[@seanogcarey]

finally...someone explaining it properly. Thank you!

[@davidclarke8750]

Rugby is for the West British in Ireland.

[@Shane-zx4ps]

It’s a great game, isn’t it