The Rebels. It's a moniker that Cork fans have long been proud of and one that they would never shy away from. That pride has taken many forms over the years and one such form has been the regular appearance of the confederate flag whenever Cork are playing.
On face value, the flag is viewed as that of the rebel south in America, something which Cork fans can draw parallels with. However, without wishing to go too deep into the history of it, the reality of the situation is that the flag stands for much more than rebellion.
The racist implications of flying a confederate flag have reached worldwide consciousness in recent weeks following Dylann Roof's mass shooting in Charleston, South Carolina. Moves have been made to remove the flag from public buildings in the south and now calls have been made to ensure the flag is no longer seen at Cork matches.
The flag has become less ubiquitous at Cork matches in recent years but Sport Against Racism Ireland have made moves to ensure the definitive end of the practice.
Ken McCue, the organisation's international and education officer, has told the Examiner that, after a flag was spotted during the Munster final in Killarney, SARI would like to ensure that is the last time it is seen in a GAA ground.
We’re calling on the Cork County Board to issue a statement asking the fans to desist because it’s a flag of hatred. It sends out the wrong signals. We would call on stewards to be vigilant to make sure it doesn’t appear in grounds.
McCue confirmed that Gardaí have already been instructed to confiscate confederate flags around Croke Park and he has hopes that the escalation of the issue will see the GAA take a different stance they have in the past.
Myself and Peadar King, a Kerryman living in Cork, in the past mounted a campaign against the flag and we wrote to the GAA and they wrote back saying it’s a tradition in Cork because they see it as a rebel and they’re the Rebel County.
Given the increasing interest of the GAA abroad, McCue also made the point that it would be a stain on the organisation if a confederate flag were to be spotted at a GAA ground and then gain attention in the States.
[interaction id="559a3fd0529840a30e9a59e9"]
