Northern Irish Players And Celtic

Hope this is an appropriate place to put this. Been thinking lately about Northern Irish internationals that played for Celtic, in particular Neil Lennon, Niall McGinn and Conor Hazard. Here are some thoughts on each:

Neil Lennon

Was raised a Catholic (which doesn't necessarily make him a nationalist of course), supported Celtic growing up (viewed by many as an unofficial nationalist team), played Gaelic football (an Irish game), went on to play for and manage Celtic and spoke of his desire to play for a unified Irish team one day. But despite all that he played for Northern Ireland, not the Republic, does anyone know the reason(s) for this? Was he eligible to play for the Republic when he became an international player for NI in 1994? Did the FAI ever approach him? I've got my own theory on this but I'd like to hear other peoples first.

Niall McGinn

I must confess I don't know a thing about McGinn's background, but obviously I know he played for Northern Ireland and Celtic. And that he received bullets in the post for the latter. Anyone know why he chose NI over the Republic? Again was he eligible? Did the FAI approach him at all?

Conor Hazard

Hazard had a very similar background to Lennon, was raised a Catholic, grew up supporting Celtic, played Gaelic and of course played for Celtic. All the signs pointed to a career with the Republic, but he plays for Northern Ireland. Again, was he eligible for the Republic? And was he approached by the FAI?

I'd love to hear peoples thoughts on this!

 

They would have all been eligible to play for ROI. Its likely that they were not approached to Id guess.

RIO had a strong midfield in 1994 when Lennon was coming though - Keane, Townsend, Sheridan, Whelan etc. Would have been hard for Lennon to break into the team then.

 

I've read different things about eligibility rules for players from Northern Ireland so I wasn't sure.

That's a very good point about the ROI midfield, I hadn't thought of that. However, Lennon could have rejected the chance to play for NI when he was approached and waited for a possible ROI call.

 

For eligibility - if you are born anywhere in Ireland North or South you are automatically entitled to Irish citizenship. So players from the North have always been eligible to play for ROI.

 

Anton Rogan played for Northern Ireland. Scored for Spain as a result

McKnight played too, if the rumours about the tattoo are true no way was he ever playing for ROI

 

McCourt too

 

Aye forgot about him. Him, McGinn and Lennon got bullets in the post at the same time for playing for N.I.

 

Internationals or not, I can't imagine being motivated by a percentage of a fan base that hates you.

 

Charlie Tully played for the North.

 

Is that only since the GFA though?

 

I can ina Hazard Saw it would be difficult to get in the Ireland team and the NI team came calling very early on for u16s. If you aren't approached for u16-u21s you probably aren't getting called up in later years

 

He’s a hun?

 

Michael McGovern although he didn’t actually get a cap when he was a Celtic player.

 

Bertie Peacock

 

Dunno if Lenny could have at the time. Darron Gibson first one to do it. Was a rule under the Good Friday Agreement

 

No this has been the case since the 50s. The GFA just re-affirmed the right for people born in the North to hold either Irish or British citizenship - or both.

 

He's a Protestant Tim.

If I remember correctly the rumour was he had a King Billy tattoo. No idea if that's true though.

 

My own on take on why Lennon, Hazard and McGinn played for NI instead of the ROI, as well as the fact that NI probably approached them first and that they thought they'd have a better chance of breaking into that team as some have said, is that regardless of their backgrounds they may not have had any interest in politics/borders and were just happy to be picked to play international football. That brings me to my next question then, what nationallity would both Lennon and Hazard consider themselves to have? Are they Irish? British? Northern Irish? Would them playing for NI make them any less Irish? I just can't imagine a true Irishman standing and singing * Save The Queen/King in a stadium bereft of ROI flags

 

Irish 100% I'm certain as that's how my relatives from NI view it.

I guess it's just a song at the end of the day.

You also need to be selected. Could be as simple as never having been asked by ROI but asked by NI.

 

It might be an extremist nationalist view by some but there are certainly folk in both NI and the ROI that would question a person's Irishness for merely recognising and acknowledging NI as a country in general, nevermind playing football for it, some would even label them as traitors! I guess in the same way some might label NI players that played for Celtic as such (i.e. Lennon).