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UUP Mad About Sport
No, not mad in a good way; mad as in stir crazy!
Trevor Ringland, Ulster Unionist spokesman for sport said that sport can break down sectarian barriers. This is fair enough, in many cases it can. He talks about promoting sport at local levels through church groups and other community organisations. Brilliant! That all sounds like it might help.
Unfortunately he ruins it all by going on to talk some severe rubbish!
Follow up:
"Look at the success of Linfield playing in the UEFA cup, of seven girls from Ulster playing in the hockey world cup, in the Ulster rugby team about to embark on another European cup campaign, in Tyrone playing Dublin in the GAA all–Ireland quarter finals and in the global success of our local golfers like Darren Clarke and Graeme McDowell."
Trevor Ringland, UUP Sport Spokesman
Some of what he says is fine. The bit about Northen Ireland's golfers for example, may sound logical enough. I don't know how much hockey or rugby would bring communities together to be honest, but I'll bow to his superior knowledge on the topic.
Frankly though, the idea that a bunch of bog-hopping culchie meatheads from Tyrone taking on some Mexicans in a sport organised by a blatantly sectarian governing body doesn't make me want to run out on the streets mimicking Riverdance is a touch propsterous. Next we'll be hearing about the positive community relations flourishing as a result of the Old Firm!