Oh dear.

Disco Biscuit · Post by **Disco Biscuit** » Sat Jul 15, 2006 11:53 am

Ok, so may be the gaa "managment" are distancing themselves from these shirts. But did they do the same here a few months back.

http://www.gaelsport.com/html/club/newf ... =13938&p=n

The GAA reports to be an apolitical sporting organisation. I'm sure many of its members want it to be and believe it to be. I am and will continue to be unconvinced.

browner · Post by **browner** » Sat Jul 15, 2006 6:41 pm

With respect Disco, the issue here is not the GAA. ( for me anyway)

If the report is accurate, the fact that O'Neill's accepted this business is very disappointing.
As probably the biggest sportwear manufacturer on the island of Ireland the decision to produce such an item with i assume their name on it somewhere beggars belief.
I know they supply mainly to gaelic sports but football and rugby gear is also their business and one which i imagine they would hope to expand in.

I feel they have done themselves no favours here, at least in the short term.

Cockatrice · Post by **Cockatrice** » Sun Jul 16, 2006 12:58 pm

browner- you are indeed right that O'Neill's hope to expand into the football and rugby circles particularly here in Ulster.

On the face of it such an association here appears ill-judged however as a manufacturer of bespoke kits they are able to provide any number of designs for any clubs. However this does on the face of it look different although there is still confusion as to whether it was as the report stated that O'Neills launched the product or not.

If so this would be the equivilant of say Nike or Umbro producing not a Rangers or Linfield kit but an exclusive 'Billy Wright' shirt or a 'UDA' shirt to celebrate something.

It appears that the GAA have tried to distance themselves from the launch and that O'Neills have declined to say anything on the matter which may confuse the issue for some.

On the face of it there is nothing stopping anyone approaching O'Neills with a design and asking them to fulfil the order. It might be interesting to hear how they actually approached this subject and whether they would turn down 'other' similar type shirts.

This doesn't appear to be a case of say a design being printed onto a branded shirt without the manufacturers knowledge which is possible except that it also appears that the launch was in the O'Neills shop. I am sure that either SSMoorse or the Atlethic Store would not be so willing to supply a range of UDA shirts and make the nesessary judgement.

In the absence of an explanation I do feel that this will hamper any desires to reach into the rugby and football worlds here. I find it hard to actually accept that any manufacturer could produce a shirt to celebrate what were after all convicted terrorists.

Disco Biscuit · Post by **Disco Biscuit** » Sun Jul 16, 2006 5:01 pm

browner wrote:With respect Disco, the issue here is not the GAA. ( for me anyway)
If the report is accurate, the fact that O'Neill's accepted this business is very disappointing.

Browner, you are of course right with regards to the shirts / GAA / O'Neils. It would seem from the reports that the GAA want nothing to do with them. However, I would argue that a mindset must exist that made the whole idea appear acceptable and I don't mean an O'Neils mindset looking for a quick buck.

Alister Scott · Post by **Alister Scott** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 1:50 pm

I don't see that what the GAA does or doesn't do in respect of this is of any relevance to Ulster rugby. Also, there may not be any direct link between this "commercial activity" and any sport, but the Ulster Rugby Supporters Club could be perceived to be linked with this by association.

Are members happy to receive money from a company who have raised that money in this way? I suspect not - and that would apply to sponsorship associated to whatever quarter of the political spectrum anyone would care to mention.

People are entitled to their politics and whether we agree with them or not is immaterial, but can the URSC afford to be seen to be sponsored (or have some of their activities sponsored) by a company who are, or appear to be so overtly political? I thought we in rugby circles tried to be all inclusive and avoid such things.

All fans can have their politics, but please don't bring them to Ravenhill, even by association!

jamesie · Post by **jamesie** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 2:19 pm

i'm really disappointed... i thought o'neill's were one of the few organs associated with the GAA which tried hard not to be political.

this is a horrendous decision for them to market this filth... am ragin'... anybody who tries to defend this is 'defending the indefensible'

i'll never buy an o'neills garment now as long as i live.

i always got the impression they were positioning themselves to become ulster official kit supplier... i hope this has put paid to any chance they had... w*nkers.

ding dong2u · Post by **ding dong2u** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 3:06 pm

It's difficult to understand why a company wishing to extend into other markets would be so stupid to involve themselves with this

Surely a big shot in the foot

Rooster · Post by **Rooster** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 3:10 pm

If the design and idea is O'Neills then it would be an issue, if on the other hand it is mearly fulfilling an order from another organisation I don't feel there should be a problem with it, after all there is nothing to stop someone ordering a batch of plain shirts from O'Neills, Adidas, Nike etc and then doing the printing themselves, so why not do the complete job, the textile industry is a very competitive one.

jamesie · Post by **jamesie** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 3:19 pm

Rooster wrote:the textile industry is a very competitive one.

maybe so, but its not a political one

Alister Scott · Post by **Alister Scott** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 3:49 pm

Fulfilling an order for a customer is one thing (POSSIBLY defensible), marketing it through your retail outlets to enhance your own business and whatever political ramifications go with that is another entirely!

Rooster · Post by **Rooster** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 4:12 pm

I had not noticed the selling through their own outlet bit, NOT GOOD but on the other hand a very difficult decision to make if you had an outlet situated there. All in all the press have created a storm in a teacup over something that would never have come to the notice of most of us if anyone at all outside West Belfast. In the end of the day the ones that potentially suffer most are O'Neills themselves, as ding

Surely a big shot in the foot

Thought shooting in the foot was off limits these days ding, surely you mean an accident with a falling kerbstone

BR · Post by BR » Mon Jul 17, 2006 4:16 pm

Rooster wrote: All in all the press have created a storm in a teacup

A storm in a slightly-salted-water cup, surely?

Rooster · Post by **Rooster** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 4:26 pm

BR wrote:
A storm in a slightly-salted-water cup, surely?

Perhaps even a bit of cyanide in it BR, the point I was making is the fact that the press have now given these shirts a heap of publicity.

ding dong2u · Post by **ding dong2u** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 10:56 am

Rooster shouldn't that be a 'community' accident with a kerbstone

Rooster · Post by **Rooster** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 11:09 am

ding dong2u wrote:Rooster shouldn't that be a 'community' accident with a kerbstone

Nah, they are always a freak accident with some innocent person being in the wrong place at the wrong time