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Rebel Pride

Triple All-Ireland winning hurler, the openly gay Donal Og Cusack, gave a mighty address at the recent Derry Pride, drawing parallels between the gay-rights struggle and the fight against institutionalised sectarian discrimination in Norn Iron..

Eamonn McCann, 10 Sep 2012

Donal Óg applauded DUP Lord Mayor of Belfast Gavin Robinson for attending a Pride event in the city a few weeks previously, allowing that his presence “represents massive progress… It’s a huge step forward for the party of Edwin Poots and Iris Robinson…”

There was something just lovely about the gay captain of the Cork hurling team bestowing praise on a DUP mayor of Belfast for a tentative step towards enlightenment.

As measured and thrilling an account as we’ve had of the way we all struggle for one another when we confront oppression in any form, of reasons to be cheerful about how far we have come and of the need to draw breath for the road that remains to be marched.

Afterwards we got to talking about turning hurling into a global game. “The greatest game in the world,” says Donal Óg, so why not? We agreed we’d need, not just for television, a vividly coloured ball. It’s a mystery how hurlers pick the sliotar against the dappled background of a packed terrace. Cricket, just as tradition-bound, had no difficulty introducing the white ball for one-dayers.

Well, Davey McCauley and myself took exception. But we got over it.

Incidentally, Hot Press readers should make themselves more receptive to the allure of cricket. If hurling is the best game in the world, it’s a close-run thing with the thwack of willow on leather on a warm dusky evening as the run-stealers flicker to and fro, to and fro.

If it’s good enough for Samuel Beckett, Mick Jagger and me, it must be worth giving a chance.

Camogie could be the Gaelic game with real global potential. From the number of young women I see shouldering hurleys home, it’s rapidly growing. It’s the only women’s field game organised on a national basis and offering well-run structured competition. Give it five years and go for world domination.

Soak followed Donal Óg at the Void. Her set is up on Facebook. Exudes hyper-intelligent references. Bit of Björk, modicum of Melanie, nuggets of Nirvana and Noah, Beatles and Bombay Bicycle Club, Florence.



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Eamonn McCann

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