Elitism in Irish sport...

Snobbery still prevails in some areas of Irish sport and cliques still exist , kinda like a gentlemans club or a 'No Homer Club' if you watch the Simpsons. Rugby has always been the home of the elite within the upper strata of Dublin society. Posh schools and D4 heads have always held rugby as their preserve . At weekends Fiachra and Sorcha hope on the 'Dort' to attend the 'Leinster' games and afterwards have their few pints of 'Heino'. GAA clubs have become a haven of cliqueness with those in country using it as an opportunity to network but also a little fifedome. Some tales from the net
http://www.hoganstand.com/forum/Mess...?TopicID=36381

http://www.wexfordsupporters.com/boa...=1eebaa59bc563..
http://www.gaelport.com/nuacht?NewsItemID=6367

While the cliques are not as bad as I have made out, it still is an issue. Football on the other hand is representative of all classes and especially the working class. Friday night League of Ireland football attracts all sort of people from all sorts of demographics. Children of all nationalities can be seen and the same applies to clubs like Celtic etc.

The League of Ireland fans

Many thanks to my friend K for his insight into League of Ireland fan groups. He told me the following of course all of this is paraphrased but a lot of it makes for engaging reading.

The club in discussion has two fan groups and both are seperate. One group is a group of young lads whom have developed a bad name for themselves. They have been warned about their conduct about their conduct on buses and other public transport and at a recent match within the Leinster province were intent on causing trouble. They lack and sort of leadership and the parents are doing their best at dragging them, no way are these lads being rasied. 

On the other hand, the older fan club is full of the older discerning lot, plus thirty they come across as a clique and crusty old lads whose idea is to bandy together like a gaggle of geese or aul ones at a bingo hall on a Friday night . They berate the club but add nothing to it constructively.

My friend went on to make the point, we need to look at the dynamics and get the two groups working together and I agree whole heartedly. Divided they are conquered , united they fall. They would be better off being barstoolers if the truth be known....!