Galway Advertiser 1998/1998_06_04/GA_04061998_E1_015.pdf 

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C o m m e n t & Letters

IS TE GAA Gardai only doing duty H OT O S E? U F TP
et's put it as bluntly as we can: Rule 21 is divisive, discriminatory, and outdated. In fact, it's all the things nationalists have been saying about various laws and practices of the Northern State, from Stormont to the day before yesterday. To declare that no member of the RUC or any member of the British security forces can participate in any of the activities overseen by the Gaelic Athletic Association, while it may have had some slim justification in the past, has none at all in the context of the unam biguous vote supporting the Northern Ireland peace plan. Unfortunately, there seem to be many in the GAA for whom the old battles are still being fought, who believe that the slightest dropping of the guard would imply they were somehow 'going soft' on the 'national question'.

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Dear Editor, I would like to reply to the letter in your newspaper, May 28, complaining of presumed harassment of homosexuals by members of the Gardai in Galway. I think in this instance that the Gardai are only doing their duty. Homosexual 'cruising' is a type of behaviour which must not be encouraged, for the benefit of those involved and society at large. If there was any true love in homosexual relationships then such 'cruising' would not be needed. Jesus came to this earth to die for sinners. Homosexual acts, as described by the author of the letter are contrary to the law of God (Genesis 18:20; Leviticus 18:22; Romans 11:26,

27) and can even help one from inheriting eternal life Corinthians 6:9, 10). The writer of the letter may despair ol his present life but Jesus has a wonderful plan for his life. Jesus said when He came to this earth "I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance" (Matthew 9:13). The homosexual lifestyle is a danger to both body and si but God's lifestyle is full of joy and health, as God says in Bible, "For I know the plans I have for you . . . plans to p per you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11) Yours sincerely, Oliver Marty n

Rule 21 pointless and divisive
It is only needs a moment's consideration to realise that the retention of the ban - like the old kerfuffle over that other equally pointless ban - does a grave disservice to the idea of sport in general and Irish sport in particular by forcing an identification between a par ticular ideology and the wonderful games of prowess and skill under the wing of the GAA. What could do more to reinforce the misleading, but unfortunately widespread, belief on the part of those excluded by this ban, that to be a GAA player or enthusiast is to neces sarily and automatically support Sinn Fein and the IRA? For let there be no mistake, that has been and, as a result of the weekend's failure to remove Rule 21, will now continue to be the conclusion drawn by loyalists, be they mod erate or more extreme. Rule 21 states, in so many words, to play Gaelic football or hurling or camogie, you have first to acknowledge - or at least not disavow - nationalist aims and aspirations in order to participate in a sport. Only a moment's reflection should convince any fair-minded person that this is absurd. Imagine if the US Baseball Commission exclud ed members of the the Episcopalian Church. Or the International Rugby Association banned Maoiris. You get the idea.

The steady destruction of old Galway
enough room to build more new flats, Dear Editor, This past weekend, as everyone rest without having to tear down the few lit ed, the little stone building that wa>
Joe McDonagh - a decent man in a difficult position
We have the greatest sympathy with GAA President Joe McDonagh, an honourable, decent man who has had the wit and the grace to recognise just bow divisive and discrim inatory and out of date Rule 21 looks, not just to the majority of fair-minded Irishmen and women, but the outside world, which has the right to expect a more generous attitude from the country's main sporting organisation. He put a good face on it when it became clear that there was no chance of the rule being rescinded, but his disappointment must have been great, particularly in light of his courageous and forthright declaration at the GAA's annual conference, "I believe that time (for abolition) has now come."

VVay out of 'lonely' void
Dear Editor, I would like to respond to the letter published last | week by a gay man in his early 30s. 1 felt the pain in the words "I have no friends" and his description of his world as a "lonely void". I feel a great sadness for people who feel trapped in a situation of hopelessnesss and helplessness. I realise that many homosexuals feel that way (as indeed do many hetero sexuals who don't have a partner or those who feel trapped in a loveless marriage). But the situation of homosexuals is special in sever al ways. There is help and hope for those who would desperately like some. With increased understanding of| the causes of homosexuality in the developmental years, it has become possible to develop therapies to address the root causes. The sense of hopelessness that so many feel comes when one is told that homosexual ity is an accident of birth and therefore purely an issue of sexuality and therefore fixed. The truth is that the causes are lately psychological and occur during the developmental years in childhood when one is rather unsure of one's identity. Any unccr tainty of sexual orientation during adolescence is usu ally reinforced by homosexual practice and one ends up confirmed as a homosexual. Fortunately, many people have found a way oui of! this dilemma. Not all want to change, but for those who desperately do long for change there is hope. As a Christian Counsellor I don't treat homosexuals with a judgmental attitude but with understanding and respect. There is hope for a new way of life. The lone ly void doesn't have to last forever. Yours sincerely, Graeme Wylie, New Life Centre, Monivea Rd, Ballybrit-

Looking for Spellman ancestors
Dear Editor, I wonder if I may, through your columns, enlist the help ol your readers? My great, great grandfather, Joseph Spellman was born in Galway in about 1824. His father was Richard Spellman, a butcher. At some stage Joseph moved to Liverpool where he worked as a messenger and a customs officer at Albert Dock. He married Mary Murphy in 1848 and they had seven chil dren. He died in 1906. I wonder if anyone has any idea of the distribution of the name 'Spellman' in Galway, and if anyone recognises these names from their family tree? I would be most grateful for any information. Yours sincerely, Vivienne Cliff, 43 New Road, Haverfordwest, Pembs, SA61 ITY, Wales, UK.

Weasel words at the weekend
Instead, after the weekend, we are left with a dishonest fudge: agreeing to delete Rule 21 in principle but not in practice. In other words, weasel words. Despite the fact that steps to remove Articles 2 and 3 of the Irish Constitution have now. with the overwhelming assent of citizens of the Republic, been initiated, the retention of Rule 21 is an unhappy reminder of how far we have yet to go before any realistic hope of reconciliation can be contemplated. In light of the tremendous upsurge of hope and constructive thinking that has charac terised virtually all of the participants (the diehards on either side can only be regarded as dinosaurs who've not yet realised their day is done), the GAA has shown itself to be badly out of step with the mood of this island. Irish Times sports columnist Sean Moran expressed all of this with biting but very appro priate wit: "Like the Japanese soldiers who used periodically wano, of jungles up until the 1970s, believing that World War n was still in progress, the O A V eventual emergence on the issue of Rule 21 will be a matter for baffled amusement. than congratulation." We had a right to expect something better from the custody . rish sport. They havelet us down badly.

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