Who is the Invisible Man ?

[D'Artagnan 13,319]

When Dr Joseph Bradley wrote his dissertation on “Sport and the Contestation of Ethnic Identity: Football and Irishness in Scotland” he made a number of fairly radical arguments. Central to these arguments was his notion that the Irish in Scotland as a race were “ethnically invisible”

Such perspectives constitute a view that Irishness in Scotland has been pushed to the periphery of social, cultural and political narratives. The Irish in Scotland have become largely invisible; they are for the most part absent from research, novels, histories and stories from life in Scotland.

Of course along with such ethnic invisibility goes a lack of representation at social and in particular political level. The main thrust of Bradley’s argument is that Celtic remains the primary expression and focus of Irishness in Scotland. As one of his research subjects espouses...

Just to see the green and white hoops running out is evidence that we’ve survived despite what many have thrown at us. Seeing the tricolour and the shamrock somewhere publicly where we don’t usually see them, usually we have to keep them hidden, is the greatest thing about Celtic. Without the Irish in Scotland there is no Celtic and without Celtic there is no Irish in Scotland. They’re inextricably linked spiritually at one.

How Bradley squares such invisibility with things such as Irish Themed pubs which can be found in most of Scotland’s cities, St Patricks Day Parades (which he mentions himself) and of course the republican motivated political marches which take place from time to time, is beyond the understanding of this observer. Nor does he seek to explain where that Irish identity overlaps with Irish republicanism and terrorism.

Furthermore Bradley’s assertion that there is an absence of social/cultural/political narratives seem somewhat questionable when one conducts an internet trawl for just the last couple of months or so....

http://m.local.stv.tv/coatbridge/news/11749-tick-the-irish-box/

http://www.bobdoris2011.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=319:msp-pays-tribute-to-scotlands-irish-diaspora&catid=1:news&Itemid=3

http://www.irishinscotland.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/feb2011.pdf

http://www.scottishr...aBhain105.shtml

In recent weeks following the OF game which saw the Rangers and Celtic management teams at loggerheads with one another....(for those of you living on the dark side of the moon and who missed it - think of handbags at 100 paces)......there has been considerable political and social activity as a result.

What is interesting is that there is no shortage of both cultural, social and political narratives defending the primary focus of Irishness in Scotland – Celtic FC – laying the blame solely at the feet of Rangers FC and their support.

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/culture/jmacmillan/100052373/is-it-now-officially-ok-to-sing-anti-irish-anti-catholic-hate-songs-in-scottishs-football-stadiums/

Furthermore some of those individuals have sought to negate any counter accusations by the Rangers support....

http://www.heraldscotland.com/mobile/comment/herald-letters/why-the-fans-who-sing-songs-of-hate-are-committing-an-offence-1.1093147

Prof Tom Devine was subsequently castigated for the content of that letter by a number of contributors, none of whom I may add are honoured enough to have letters after their name.

Some observers have described these intellectuals who continue to defend Celtic FC on a regular basis, with intellectual argument, as the “Opus Writers”. What is particularly fascinating as a study in objectivity is the fact that many of these “Opus Writers” have such strong links to the primary focus of Irishness in Scotland – Celtic FC – Bradley of course being the author of the Celtic Minded series of books.

Of course it doesn’t stop there. For Senior Lecturer, University of Glasgow, Jeanette Findlay, sprang to prominence when she, as did Prof Devine, sought to legitimise the songs of hatred emanating from the Celtic support.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/celtic/7104362.stm

What is more remarkable is the penchant of some of these opus writers to defend the indefensible.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/scotland/article2934034.ece

For those of you who can’t be bothered reading all of that let me cut to the chase...

Ironically, I am of a mind to defend Dr Jeanette Findlay, the head of the Celtic Supporters Trust, whose comments about Reid and about political chants among the Celtic support suddenly cast her into infamy last week. While I disagree with Dr Findlay on both issues, it seems to me she is infinitely more capable than some of her plankton-brained critics who have tried to impale her since her ill-fated dialogue with Nicky Campbell on the BBC on Tuesday.

Dr Findlay has done impressive work at Glasgow University. She has specialised in studies on housing, urban renewal, gender issues and, amid it all, the economics of football. Laughably, one tabloid football columnist last week tried to lampoon Dr Findlay, whereas in fact, she would swat him around the ears and be done with him in five seconds flat if the two were ever allowed to go head-to-head in debate over bigotry or the ethnic make-up of Celtic.

That’s great Graham....alleged crusader and champion against sectarianism....so is killing people by virtue of their religion, or supporting their murder by a singing endorsement of such organisations and their acts, acceptable so long as it can be justified by some kind of high browed intellectual argument ?

Perhaps Graham you should be assigned to the Forensic Search Team who will sift the wreckage and debris of Constable Ronan Kerr’s car, and pick up his body parts amidst the wreckage, his crime to be a Roman Catholic serving in the Northern Ireland Police Service.

Perhaps Constable Kerr’s mother would last a whole lot more than 5 seconds before Dr.Findlay’s “swat around the ears” proved to be a knockout blow.

But Dr Findlay is not alone. Her comments all those years ago do not appear to have damaged her....she still remains as head of the Celtic Supporters Trust, an organisation of several thousand, who more recently came to prominence when they supported ǝpɐbıɹq uǝǝɹb ǝɥʇ protest regarding the poppy on Celtic shirts...

We further note with dismay the demonising of those people who exercise their right to free speech and dissent on this question and we oppose any action which may be taken against anyone who chooses to peacefully demonstrate their point of view, whether in a football ground or elsewhere.

My question is this...where are the Scots MP to condemn ǝpɐbıɹq uǝǝɹb ǝɥʇ and the Celtic Supporters Trust point of view. ? Where are the Scots MP’s to commend Rangers on their recognition of British Armed Forces ?

http://wn.com/45_Commando_Royal_Marines_at_Ibrox

Where are the intellectuals/MP’s/MSP’s to condemn the anti-British hatred amongst the Celtic Support ?

Where are the intellectuals/MP’s?MSP’s to commend the Rangers support for their ongoing support for Erskine Hospital ?

Let me ask you a more pertinent question....at the start of this post I quoted a term “ethnic invisibility”. Given the foregoing which group of people do you think is “ethnically invisible” ......has been pushed to the periphery of social, cultural and political narratives IN Scotland ?

I would respectfully suggest to you that we have been both invisible, silent and unrepresented for far, far, too long. It’s high time we made our presence known, felt, respected and feared.

[rossDas 1,071]

Ironic that those who claim to be invisible seek to deflect scrutiny, attempting to hide beneath an umbrella made of semantics such as 'it's political.'

[jimgers 565]

Well said and well written.

[Johnny Dangerously 7,564]

Feck them, I ticked Scotish & British

[laudrupforever 17]

Bradley's a fuckpiece.

Irish are 'invisible' when it suits him, but he's proud of the prominence of the tricolors and the like?

I'm sick of Scotland taking a lamping from cunts that would rather be elsewhere.

Get them to fuck.

We've got enough problems in Scotland, we don't need their ilk trying to colonise us as Little Ireland when the fact is, the Irish hate them as much as us.

[D'Artagnan 13,319]

Bradley's a fuckpiece.

Irish are 'invisible' when it suits him, but he's proud of the prominence of the tricolors and the like?

I'm sick of Scotland taking a lamping from cunts that would rather be elsewhere.

Get them to fuck.

We've got enough problems in Scotland, we don't need their ilk trying to colonise us as Little Ireland when the fact is, the Irish hate them as much as us.

We need to be careful laudrup....whilst I agree he is prominent by his contradictions he like many others of the Opus Writers is held in great esteem in many influential circles.

We need to challenge these lies...we need to enter and take control of the intellectual field....bawling... "No surrender"....or defiantly signing The Billy Boys wont further our arguement.

Its time for some of our intellectuals to stop being frightened and to speak from the heart.

[wullho 25]

The takeover sagas bad enough but the constant slagging haranging and putting down of our football club

has to stop we need to take up the fight ourselves its a fecking disgrace we need a famous figure with

a bit of clout to get our point put forward.

[ritchieshearercaldow 22,258]

Great piece D'Art

However I have to hand it to them, they have managed to get Irish down as one of the main nationalities in Scotland,a gift for any follower of the darkside to make a difference in our society, it just shows who has the influence in our country these days, considering most of the Scum support, associate themselves with the deluded darkside of Northern Irish and not the republic, putting the all encompassing Irish on the census seems a bit cheeky.They'll have many false possitives that they'll quote at every opportunity

I've had Welsh and English neighbours but never Irish.

[TheNuts 552]

just cause you go to a taig school, play gaelic football, make a number of trips to ireland doesnt make you irish

"im a proud scot but im not going to forget my irish heritage"

well then put scotland you daft delusional papist fuck.

[Londonderry_Bear 111]

Fantastic post

:praise: :clap: :clap: :clap:

[delamonty 992]

Well said D'Art. Terrific post.

[rollman1972 0]

magic great post mate but we need to fight but not with singing protests at matches banners and suchlike we need to defend our club it has gone to far now for me .

[TheBoyDave 123]

Good post Dart Will rep you tomorrow as I am all out.

[Thermopylae 15,287]

Sounds like a typical delusional tim

[SirWalterSmithLegend 206]

Steve Davis?

[gunslinger 270]

dont meet many irish people in glasgow.

more poles and such.

[jafrfc 614]

As much as I dislike Paul McBride, it would seem that rangers could do with a figure like him to defend the club and it's traditions. The current board and representatives have a habit of doing too little too late.

Obviously McBride is a man with questionable morals, However I would like to see someone at rangers who would stand together with the fans.

A great article btw.

[Ozblue 4,332]

dont meet many irish people in glasgow.

more poles and such.

Light poles don't count, GS!

[Ozblue 4,332]

Another great article as usual,D'Art. The only problem with it is that you are preaching to the converted here,as you well know.

These articles must be shown to the people who don't follow Rangers FC as such, but still have no voice in their own Country...Shown to People with power and influence in Parliament.

Before you know it, their will be a separate Irish state bordered by Coatdyke in the East and Gallowgate in the West,with the capital obviously being Coatbridge.

The silent majority have remained silent far too long in this day and age.

[gunslinger 270]

Light poles don't count, GS!

quite a svelt race i find but not light. most seem quite well built.

[Ozblue 4,332]

quite a svelt race i find but not light. most seem quite well built.

Well they've got to be well built in case they get hit by motor cars....Oh! you mean the human poles! I see what you mean.

[blueben_d 40]

The last quote there is an interesting one given that she could very easily be referring to us in our current uefa probe

[Frankie 505]

As ever an excellent bit of analysis from D'Art which every bear should be made aware of.

[gunslinger 270]

Well they've got to be well built in case they get hit by motor cars....Oh! you mean the human poles! I see what you mean.

they actually had a box on the recent sensus there are so many of them.

big pet people thats why i come across alot of them.

[D'Artagnan 13,319]

Another great article as usual,D'Art. The only problem with it is that you are preaching to the converted here,as you well know.

These articles must be shown to the people who don't follow Rangers FC as such, but still have no voice in their own Country...Shown to People with power and influence in Parliament.

Before you know it, their will be a separate Irish state bordered by Coatdyke in the East and Gallowgate in the West,with the capital obviously being Coatbridge.

The silent majority have remained silent far too long in this day and age.

Its not only that they have been silent to long Oz - my concern is that in the apathy of our prolonged silence we have have actually forgotten how to fight back.