When Ireland and England play each other in the 6 nations this week it will be an historic occasion of significant political and sporting relevance.
The winners will be first of all Ireland for coming to terms with history and the shocking treatment that the received at the hands of the English in 1920 when 14 Irish gaelic football supporters were shot by the Black & tans and Police. Congratulations to them for moving on and opening up their magnificent stadium to host the hated English.
The second winners will be England who as a nation began their/our desire to make amends for our past by defying IRA threats in 1973 to play at Lansdown road. The England players led by John Pullin were greeted by a 5 minute standing ovation from the Irish crowd and were subsequently on the receiving end of a good stuffing. As John Pullin the then England captain said after the match "we may not be much good, but at least we turned up"
The greatest winner of all though has to be sport in the way that it brings people together (with the obvious exception of football) inspite of historical, tribal and religious differences.
On the other hand shame on the miserable curmudgeonly cowardly Scots and Welsh who were scared off from playing at Lansdown rd in 1973, many of who still to this day bear grudges against the English in a way that the Irish do not.
The winners will be first of all Ireland for coming to terms with history and the shocking treatment that the received at the hands of the English in 1920 when 14 Irish gaelic football supporters were shot by the Black & tans and Police. Congratulations to them for moving on and opening up their magnificent stadium to host the hated English.
The second winners will be England who as a nation began their/our desire to make amends for our past by defying IRA threats in 1973 to play at Lansdown road. The England players led by John Pullin were greeted by a 5 minute standing ovation from the Irish crowd and were subsequently on the receiving end of a good stuffing. As John Pullin the then England captain said after the match "we may not be much good, but at least we turned up"
The greatest winner of all though has to be sport in the way that it brings people together (with the obvious exception of football) inspite of historical, tribal and religious differences.
On the other hand shame on the miserable curmudgeonly cowardly Scots and Welsh who were scared off from playing at Lansdown rd in 1973, many of who still to this day bear grudges against the English in a way that the Irish do not.
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