MARIA O'CONNOR
Sir, - Just back from holidays, I hope I am not too late to respond to the letter (April 20th) from Martin O'Connor (no relation) on the booing of Rangers players at Lansdowne Road. Like Martin, I go to most of Ireland's games at Lansdowne Road, and I was at both matches recently when players were booed every time they got near the ball. At the second game, I sat behind a father with a very young son, and witnessed with disbelief, the father's jeering of the Rangers player. I got the impression that this man was "joining in the fun" almost as if it was a Mexican wave he was participating in.
Isn't it great to see that bigotry is alive and well on this little island? I hope it never dies out, because you have to admit we are very good at it. The same people who were up in arms about the disgraceful booing of Niall Lennon when he played in the Northern Ireland strip were the very ones who were moronically leading the jeers and sneers at Lansdowne Road.
There is another misconception I would like to clear up. Going for a pint after these games, my friends were castigating "Celtic fans" for their bigotry in leading the booing at Lansdowne. Wrong, I have been a Celtic fan for years. I lived in Scotland and went to as many games as I could (which was a lot). I had friends there who were Celtic, Rangers, Hibs and Hearts fans. There was much bragging and slagging depending on whose team was "on the up", but the only time I saw the kind of bigotry witnessed at Lansdowne recently was from, for want of a better word, the scumbag element that you get just about everywhere in sport.
These "booers" are not Celtic fans, or indeed Ireland fans. They think they are, in the same way that they think they are Man United supporters, or Arsenal supporters - depending on which team is top of the league at the time. They are not real soccer fans, but empty headed gurriers who will follow any team or cause as long as it is popular, cool or "a winner". As every fan of the beautiful game knows, after the World Cup, when Ireland are 3-0 down in the pouring rain at Lansdowne, these guys will be nowhere to be seen. They will have left 20 minutes before the final whistle.
As for the real fans, thanks for having the courage not to join in the booing. See you in Lansdowne, in all weathers, later in the year. - Yours, etc.,
MARIA O'CONNOR
Charrywood Park,
Clondalkin,
Dublin 22.