- Joined
- Oct 3, 2002
Here it is lads:
Fans of the Edinburgh team Hibernian have been selling t-shirts ahead of their sides pre-season tour to Cork and Dublin with the words Cumann Sacair Hibernian, or Hibs F.C. in English, proudly emblazoned across the front.
The text has nothing to do with a new EU directive on the official status of the Irish language, it was a move made by the passionate fans of the original Scots-Irish team, determined to retake their vows with the old sod.
Founded in 1875 by Irish Catholics in Edinburgh, Hibs are celebrating their 130th anniversary by visiting these shores for the first time since 1975 and their centenary celebrations.
Their fans will sing of being the first team to wear the green and white, in reference to the adoption of those colours by Glasgows Celtic F.C. but there is more to the chant than meets the eye. And much more to the rivalry than one imagines.
For starters - Celtic will launch their latest version of the Hoops on July 1 - two days before Cork City host Hibs, and there will be more people queuing for this jersey than there will be for tickets to see the Hibees.
In the land that spawned the famous Edinburgh side, its something that disappoints many Hibees. As the side who first wore not only green and white hoops but also had the Irish national insignia of the Harp on their crest, why, they would ask, are we not big in Ireland?
The simple answer the fans agree upon is that Celtic have stolen, as they did their colours and their players, all the fans.
Its never too late to convert though they say. Hibs are the original and best Irish club abroad, says Conor ......, founder of the northern Ireland Hibs supporters club.
If youre into football and the history of a club they should be the ultimate Irish club as far as you are concerned.
Celtic didnt just take the idea of our club they took our players and the Hoops, which is why they tend to think their history is superior. I think if people knew that bit more thered be a lot more fans.
Talk about stealing the shirt off your back
... himself became aware of the club when living in Scotland and took them to his heart so much so that he began his own supporters club in the north.
There may be only 20 members right now, but never a wider spectrum will you find. Included in the group is a Protestant elder, a member who lives on the Falls Rd and another who hails from the Shankill - hardly the norm.
The reason for the harmony? Unlike most Rangers and Celtic fans groups, there exists a policy of no politics among Hibs fans in the six counties.
Some people see supporting Hibs as having an extra meaning to it, he explains of the Irish angle. But that means more to some than others. Some people up here would support Hibs if they had the same history as Livingston.
We never talk about politics its a golden rule in the north. We have a policy that we dont talk politics we only wave Hibs flags because we dont want to fall out over differences like that.
I think Hibs history in an Irish sense, is something to be very proud but we leave it at that.
Weve only got about 20 people on the books now but its a fairly fanatical bunch and Im sure there are more supporters out there.
Theres a greater support in Dublin and to be honest were a little jealous of them. There was a fans forum there a couple of years ago and about 100 Hibs fans in Dublin came to it. Thats great to see.
Mark Keogh is one such man; a paid up member of the newly former West Dublin Hibs supporters club and goes to about 20 games per season. He insists his favourite game of the last season was beating Celtic on their own ground - thanks mainly to the rivalry outlined above.
We hate them because of how the clubs were founded with Celtic ripping us off and taking our players, says Mark. But we get on grand with the real Celtic fans who we meet in the airport going to games.
Im over the moon that Hibs are coming over next week because itll be the first time Ive seen my team play in Ireland. Ive taken a few days off work and Ill be going to all the games. Im a St Pats fan too so it might be a bit awkward when we play them - a 4-4 draw would be grand.
I think the club might be fighting a lost cause, unfortunately if theyre trying to pick up fans here, but perhaps its only a gesture to the fans.
One of the West Dublin fans is an ex-pat Scot who moved recently to Dublin; yet another of the thousands of Scotsmen travelling the Ireland-Scotland route of the 1870s in reverse. Wouldnt it be nice if they had something as long lasting to contribute to Old Hibernia as Hibernian was to them.
Fans of the Edinburgh team Hibernian have been selling t-shirts ahead of their sides pre-season tour to Cork and Dublin with the words Cumann Sacair Hibernian, or Hibs F.C. in English, proudly emblazoned across the front.
The text has nothing to do with a new EU directive on the official status of the Irish language, it was a move made by the passionate fans of the original Scots-Irish team, determined to retake their vows with the old sod.
Founded in 1875 by Irish Catholics in Edinburgh, Hibs are celebrating their 130th anniversary by visiting these shores for the first time since 1975 and their centenary celebrations.
Their fans will sing of being the first team to wear the green and white, in reference to the adoption of those colours by Glasgows Celtic F.C. but there is more to the chant than meets the eye. And much more to the rivalry than one imagines.
For starters - Celtic will launch their latest version of the Hoops on July 1 - two days before Cork City host Hibs, and there will be more people queuing for this jersey than there will be for tickets to see the Hibees.
In the land that spawned the famous Edinburgh side, its something that disappoints many Hibees. As the side who first wore not only green and white hoops but also had the Irish national insignia of the Harp on their crest, why, they would ask, are we not big in Ireland?
The simple answer the fans agree upon is that Celtic have stolen, as they did their colours and their players, all the fans.
Its never too late to convert though they say. Hibs are the original and best Irish club abroad, says Conor ......, founder of the northern Ireland Hibs supporters club.
If youre into football and the history of a club they should be the ultimate Irish club as far as you are concerned.
Celtic didnt just take the idea of our club they took our players and the Hoops, which is why they tend to think their history is superior. I think if people knew that bit more thered be a lot more fans.
Talk about stealing the shirt off your back
... himself became aware of the club when living in Scotland and took them to his heart so much so that he began his own supporters club in the north.
There may be only 20 members right now, but never a wider spectrum will you find. Included in the group is a Protestant elder, a member who lives on the Falls Rd and another who hails from the Shankill - hardly the norm.
The reason for the harmony? Unlike most Rangers and Celtic fans groups, there exists a policy of no politics among Hibs fans in the six counties.
Some people see supporting Hibs as having an extra meaning to it, he explains of the Irish angle. But that means more to some than others. Some people up here would support Hibs if they had the same history as Livingston.
We never talk about politics its a golden rule in the north. We have a policy that we dont talk politics we only wave Hibs flags because we dont want to fall out over differences like that.
I think Hibs history in an Irish sense, is something to be very proud but we leave it at that.
Weve only got about 20 people on the books now but its a fairly fanatical bunch and Im sure there are more supporters out there.
Theres a greater support in Dublin and to be honest were a little jealous of them. There was a fans forum there a couple of years ago and about 100 Hibs fans in Dublin came to it. Thats great to see.
Mark Keogh is one such man; a paid up member of the newly former West Dublin Hibs supporters club and goes to about 20 games per season. He insists his favourite game of the last season was beating Celtic on their own ground - thanks mainly to the rivalry outlined above.
We hate them because of how the clubs were founded with Celtic ripping us off and taking our players, says Mark. But we get on grand with the real Celtic fans who we meet in the airport going to games.
Im over the moon that Hibs are coming over next week because itll be the first time Ive seen my team play in Ireland. Ive taken a few days off work and Ill be going to all the games. Im a St Pats fan too so it might be a bit awkward when we play them - a 4-4 draw would be grand.
I think the club might be fighting a lost cause, unfortunately if theyre trying to pick up fans here, but perhaps its only a gesture to the fans.
One of the West Dublin fans is an ex-pat Scot who moved recently to Dublin; yet another of the thousands of Scotsmen travelling the Ireland-Scotland route of the 1870s in reverse. Wouldnt it be nice if they had something as long lasting to contribute to Old Hibernia as Hibernian was to them.
