A Protestant GAA player has quit over sectarian abuse by rival players, he claimed today.Darren Graham, 25, from Lisnaskea, Co Fermanagh, whose soldier father and two uncles were shot dead by the IRA, said he was hounded out because of his religion.
He vowed never to wear his club jersey again until he gets a full apology, after storming off a pitch in disgust at the years of alleged taunting.
Mr Graham said: "It just came to a head. Something bad (was said) on the field - `You`re a black c***`.
Then another ran by and said `It`s the truth, you`re nothing but that`.
The Lisnaskea Emmets hurler, who has represented his county at Under-21 level, is believed to be the only-non Catholic player in Fermanagh. His decision to walk away is a major blow to the Gaelic Athletic Association`s efforts to widen its appeal and attract more Protestants. It was not until 2001 that a controversial ban on any members of Northern Ireland`s security forces joining the organisation was lifted.
Mr Graham, a joiner with a local timber frame company, was an unlikely Gaelic footballer. He was only weeks old when his father Cecil Graham, an Ulster Defence Regiment soldier, was shot dead in November by the IRA.
Two of his uncles, Ronnie and Jimmy Graham, who both served in the UDR as well, were also assassinated by the IRA, in 1981 and 1985.But his religion and background never stopped him becoming involved from the age of 12.
"I just loved the sport. All my mates were going up to it and I just decided I wanted to play the sport. Everyone knew I was a Protestant."
It was only once he started to progress that the harassment began in earnest, he revealed.Mr Graham, whose two-year-old daughter is being raised as a Catholic, said: "I`ve been getting it from opponents and supporters. It`s been happening up through the ranks but not really bad until I got to senior level, when I was 18. It`s definitely because I`m a Protestant. No-one else on the pitch would get it half as bad. I`ve been told Protestants shouldn`t be allowed in the GAA. I know it`s a minority, but it`s happening."
"Everybody knows it, but I never pushed it any higher. What`s the point? Nothing is going to be done about it."
The abuse has been worst during Lisnaskea Emmets derby clashes with local rivals, he added.Finally, on Sunday, he walked off during a match against Brookeborough.
"I told my club I was quitting and I`m not going back until something is done about it. The last words said to us going out on the pitch that day were `Enjoy it`. How can you enjoy something like that?"
"My own team mates would slag me, but they don`t mean it. It`s light-hearted, like in training sessions I get `Hit the ball, you Protestant`."But out on the field the real hatred is bad."
The hurler also warned his experiences could scare off others.
"The GAA is asking for Protestants to get more into the sport. But what`s the point if they are going to listen to stuff like that. Unless there`s a formal apology by the County, saying it has been happening and they are going to do something about it, I won`t be back."
Fermanagh County Board spokeswoman Deirdre Donnelly said they could not comment on an individual case until an official complaint is made.
"If Darren has an issue he should go through his club and then on through the County Board. We are awaiting a referee`s report from the game on Sunday."
Ms Donnelly did, however, stress that tough action would be taken against any such intimidation.
"Abuse of any description towards players, officials and referees is unacceptable and will not be tolerated in Fermanagh," she said.
"Personally I have not witnessed any sectarian abuse and I would absolutely condemn it. It has no place in our Association."
GAA representatives at the sport`s Croke Park headquarters in Dublin pledged to launch a probe if any formal complaint was received.
Spokesman Fergal McGill said: "The GAA by its own rules is a non-sectarian organisation. There are processes in place if anybody feels they have been abused, and reporting structures can be followed through the club and county. The first thing we need is to be informed of it formally. If we are, there will have to be an investigation into the matter and the GAA would take action based on it."
He added: "Thankfully over the years this hasn`t been a problem for us. There are many Protestant players throughout the country."
Martin McGuinness, Northern Ireland`s Deputy First Minister, also spoke out against any intimidation within the game.
The Sinn Fein Mid Ulster MP, himself a big Gaelic football fan, said: "I would unreservedly condemn any form of abuse either sectarian, racial or other. I am confident that this is a stance which is shared by the GAA who I know is making strenuous efforts to reach out to all sections of the community. I have consistently put on record that intimidation or abuse of any section of our society is not to be tolerated and this was a message which was underlined by my attendance at the launch in Derry of the Pride festival that I was pleased to attend."
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Disclaimer
No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to either myself or to the blogspot ‘Clerical Whispers’ for any or all of the articles placed here.
The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that I agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.
Sotto Voce