Did you know the all Ireland GAA Sam Maguire Cup' is named after an individual implicated and involved in the assassinated of an Ulster Unionist MP?
The start of the Irish Civil War was expedited by this murder. Sam Maguire, a person that should not honoured or celebrated.
Field Marshall Sir Henry Wilson 1st Baron Wilson, GCB, DSO saw active service in the Boar War and World War One. He also served as Commandant of the Staff College, Camberley, and then as Director of Military Operations at the War Office. Upon retiring as Chief of the general staff in January 1922 he was elected as an Unionist MP for North Down.
Henry Wilson MP was particularly reviled in Republican circles for his military service and being a security advisor to the Northern Ireland Government.
Michael Collins, commander-in-chief of the IRA
subsequently moved and acceded to repeated requests by none other than the London IRA leader 'Sam Maguire' to assassinate him. On 22nd June 1922 the IRA did just that on his doorstep by two IRA gunmen whilst returning home from unveiling a war memorial at Liverpool Street station, London.
As a result, republicans, particularly the IRA/SF, would no doubt be ecstatic to see the likes of Steve Aiken holding aloft a trophy named after an IRA leader, intelligence officer, and a guy intimately linked to the death of a fellow Unionist MP! As will they be by the like the current leader of the UUP Doug Beattie, Robbie Butler MLA, Mike Nesbitt MLA, and indeed Paul Given the DUP's 1st Minister in celebrating and congratulating the cup coming to Northern Ireland.
Some may today ignore historical facts and actions from a century ago, however Ulster GAA Executive Brian McAvoy recently stated, "It remains the right of clubs to name their grounds and competitions after IRA and INLA members'
What an insulting corporate endorsement of people who have been tied to 1,700 murders of Innocent people, including newborns and babies. It's bad enough that Unionists support the GAA receiving millions of dollars, but their ignorance and silence over the GAA honouring sectarian murders by naming trophies after them is disturbing.
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