EDDIEB
23-02-2007, 11:12 AM
Hogan’s nephew says it’s time to welcome England
By Conor Kane
A NEPHEW of the Tipperary footballer killed in Croke Park on Bloody Sunday has extended the hand of friendship to the English rugby players and supporters ahead of tomorrow’s crunch Six Nations rugby match.
Michael Hogan, nephew of Mick Hogan, who was shot dead at GAA headquarters by the colonial British forces on November 21, 1920, has called on Irish supporters to respect the English team’s national anthem before the start of the game.
“The English team and supporters are our guests for the weekend, so we will have to welcome them. We have to respect their anthem as well. If the Irish team was over in Twickenham, they’d respect our anthem,” Mr Hogan said yesterday.
While originally against the GAA’s 2005 move to allow the use of Croke Park for soccer and rugby during the Lansdowne Road redevelopment, the native of Grangemockler, Co Tipperary, says he “accepts the democratic decision” and will feel no bitterness tomorrow evening when the English team walks onto the famous sod.
“I haven’t anything against them (the English team). Sport is sport. It all happened before our time. We’re a different generation now. We have to move on in this day and age.”
He also called on anyone planning a protest in Dublin tomorrow, against the arrival of the English team or the playing of God Save the Queen, to desist.
“I wouldn’t like to see that happening. They’re only troublemakers anyway and they’re only looking for more to join in.
“I wouldn’t have any time for that.”
Mr Hogan lives in the farmhouse at Currasilla, Grangemockler, where his uncle lived before travelling to the capital on the morning of Bloody Sunday to play for Tipperary in a challenge match against Dublin. His father, Paddy — brother of Mick — was 14 at the time of the atrocity but remained silent on the issue throughout his lifetime.
“The family wouldn’t ever say much about it. It was too sad an occasion, I suppose.”
A keen GAA fan, he says tomorrow’s events won’t prevent him from attending games in future.
“I wouldn’t be going to cock my nose at it and it wouldn’t stop me from going there.”
By Conor Kane
A NEPHEW of the Tipperary footballer killed in Croke Park on Bloody Sunday has extended the hand of friendship to the English rugby players and supporters ahead of tomorrow’s crunch Six Nations rugby match.
Michael Hogan, nephew of Mick Hogan, who was shot dead at GAA headquarters by the colonial British forces on November 21, 1920, has called on Irish supporters to respect the English team’s national anthem before the start of the game.
“The English team and supporters are our guests for the weekend, so we will have to welcome them. We have to respect their anthem as well. If the Irish team was over in Twickenham, they’d respect our anthem,” Mr Hogan said yesterday.
While originally against the GAA’s 2005 move to allow the use of Croke Park for soccer and rugby during the Lansdowne Road redevelopment, the native of Grangemockler, Co Tipperary, says he “accepts the democratic decision” and will feel no bitterness tomorrow evening when the English team walks onto the famous sod.
“I haven’t anything against them (the English team). Sport is sport. It all happened before our time. We’re a different generation now. We have to move on in this day and age.”
He also called on anyone planning a protest in Dublin tomorrow, against the arrival of the English team or the playing of God Save the Queen, to desist.
“I wouldn’t like to see that happening. They’re only troublemakers anyway and they’re only looking for more to join in.
“I wouldn’t have any time for that.”
Mr Hogan lives in the farmhouse at Currasilla, Grangemockler, where his uncle lived before travelling to the capital on the morning of Bloody Sunday to play for Tipperary in a challenge match against Dublin. His father, Paddy — brother of Mick — was 14 at the time of the atrocity but remained silent on the issue throughout his lifetime.
“The family wouldn’t ever say much about it. It was too sad an occasion, I suppose.”
A keen GAA fan, he says tomorrow’s events won’t prevent him from attending games in future.
“I wouldn’t be going to cock my nose at it and it wouldn’t stop me from going there.”