(Irish Independent, 20 February 2007, p12)
Look closely at this cartoon, and answer the questions that follow
When Ireland played England in rugby at Croke Park in 2007, Justine McCarthy wrote about the tensions surrounding the playing of the English national anthem at the GAA’s most imposing stadium. An accompanying cartoon helped identify some of the major elements in the newspaper article.
(Irish Independent, 20 February 2007, p12)
Look closely at this cartoon, and answer the questions that follow
Few of us relish the prospect, but when the provocative words of ‘God Save the Queen’ clang around Croke next Saturday, it will be genuine Irish republicans who will stand and listen with civility.
Only fake patriots will try deluding themselves that anything other than a polite audience would be an appropriate response to the triumphalist, monarchist anthem. Courtesy has seldom demanded such collective stoicism as bitter and bloody Anglo-Irish history comes crashing back into the here and now. The primary purpose of the afternoon may be for Ireland to vanquish England in a rugby match … but the hardest challenge will be laying the past and the ghosts that haunt Croke Park itself , to dignified rest.
The stiffest upper lips will belong not to the English, but to the Irish. For a country that has been lethally flagellant with its flags, emblems and anthems, Ireland has been utterly hypocritical about them too. We wrap the tricolour round us at football matches while allowing it to be cynically dragged through the political mire by people who equate republicanism with violent disorder. The flag of Ireland has been exploited as a symbol of exclusive, militant, supremacist nationalism.
In the Irish squad for the Six Nations, there are players who are proud to wear the green shirt but for whom “God Save the Queen” is their national anthem. In the stands, there will be supporters ready to roar themselves hoarse for Ireland but who will sing along with “Send her victorious / Happy and glorious / Long to reign over us / God Save the Queen”.
(Justine MacCarthy, “Republicans … now please rise for the Queen’, Irish Independent, 20 February 2007, p12)
For an English perspective on the game, see Owen Bowcott, “God Save Croke Park”, The Guardian, 23 February 2007. Bowcott gives an indication of the debate surrounding the issue, showing why the tension arose.