Six Nations - Thugs must not ruin this historic day

THERE could hardly be a more eloquent intervention than Michael Hogan’s hand of friendship gesture in the simmering controversy over the singing of God Save the Queen at today’s historic Six Nation’s rugby match between Ireland and England at Croke Park, the symbolic heartland of Gaelic sport.

Few Irish people are better placed to speak on this sensitive topic than the nephew of Tipperary footballer Mick Hogan who was shot dead in a revenge atrocity committed by British colonial forces on Bloody Sunday, November 21, 1920.

His clarion call for respect to be given to the English team’s national anthem will go a long way towards counter-balancing the entrenched attitudes of some die-hard elements.

Above all, Michael Hogan’s generosity echoes the refreshingly outward-looking and progressive philosophy of the leadership of the Gaelic Athletic Association.

This inspired the realism of the democratic vote by a majority of its members to open Croke Park to rugby and soccer, games still regarded by a minority as “foreign”.

Nonetheless, the opinions of the latter are held in good faith and must be respected. But suggestions that neither the Irish nor English anthems should be sung today, were off-the-wall, utterly nonsensical and do not merit serious consideration.

As a sovereign nation, the Irish people should take pride in the singing of Amhrán na bhFiann and show respect for the English national anthem. And it is worth recalling that in darker times, it was the English team that came to Lansdowne Road when Wales and Scotland refused to turn up in 1973.

Given the potentially explosive nature of the circumstances surrounding today’s match, it is understandable that a security ring will be set up around Croke Park by uniformed gardaí, with the riot squad as back-up.

If violence erupts, it will more than likely come from lunatic fringe elements, combining a ragbag of perverse ideologies, ranging from extreme and violent nationalists to “professional” anti-establishment anarchists and other elements bent on causing trouble at every opportunity. There is a real danger that thugs may try to

piggy-back on a peaceful protest being staged near the stadium by Republican Sinn Féin who plan to distribute “Brits out” leaflets and deliver a letter of protest to the GAA.

Hopefully, the gardaí will be better prepared for an outbreak of public disorder than they were during the abortive Love Ulster march which descended into a full scale a riot on Dublin’s O’Connell Street.

Anyone is entitled to make a peaceful protest but violence should not be tolerated.

Internationally, today’s event will be seen as a measure of Irish democracy. Under scrutiny will be Ireland’s newfound sense of confidence and our growing image for tolerance and inclusiveness.

Furthermore, the progress made in forging stronger bonds between Ireland and England, and between North and South, will also be in the spotlight.

For the second time in as many weeks, a vast television audience will view the magnificent GAA stadium that is Croke Park, one of Europe’s finest sporting arenas. The state-of-the-art facility, with its sell-out capacity of 82,000 fans, is more than double that of Lansdowne Road, which it replaces while the latter gets a major facelift.

Having lost to France by the blink-of-an-eye in the dying seconds of the first international match played at Croke Park, Ireland’s dream of clinching the Grand Slam has evaporated.

But hopes of winning the Championship and the Triple Crown remain alive for both teams and that lends extra spice to today’s historic rugby encounter between Ireland and England.