Blowing the whistle.

Kieron Brady, the Scottish-born ex-Republic of Ireland internationalist, today launched an attack on those tasked with eradicating racism in Scottish soccer.

Brady himself an Anti-racist Educationalist called on Irish players in Scotland to disassociate themselves from anti-racist publicity campaigns.

 

“In light of the inaction of certain bodies to comprehensively challenge the ongoing anti-Irish racism in Scotland I would ask Irish players to disassociate themselves from the Show Racism the Red Card organisation until such time as more efforts are seen to be made in relation to this ongoing racism in Scotland

 

James McCarthy and Aiden McGeady, two Scottish born Irish internationalists are being compelled to endure anti-Irish racism almost on a weekly basis in stadia in Scotland and in three Show Racism the Red Card publications since last June this has not been alluded to, nor has the racist ‘Famine Song’.

The absence of any reference let alone condemnation is staggering and is more and more becoming an illustration of anti-Irish racism not being viewed with any merited consideration. The fact that SRTRC Scotland have been discourteous in refusing to pass comment on this issue in a worthwhile manner despite requests, as well as the impolite refusal to engage in further dialogue with Irish community representatives after their meeting last May has also been contributory to this request.

As the first Scottish born player to decide to play for Ireland when still in his mid teens as far as I know, as well as all three of our Irish ancestral homelands being in and around Cloughaneely, Gweedore and the Rosses I have an interest in both James and Aiden, as well as being someone who has five years experience in the area of anti-racism and Equality.”

 

Brady was an employee of SRTRC in England and has persistently claimed since his resignation last year from the organisation that it was unwilling to tackle the issue of anti-Irish racism in Scottish soccer. He pointed to the fact that recently launched anti-racism DVD by SRTRC included no interviews with Irish players in Scotland.

 

Billy Singh campaign coordinator for SRTRC denied that the omission of Aiden McGeady and James McCarthy from the recently launched DVD was not an indicator of the organisation’s weakness on the issue of anti-Irish racism in Scottish soccer.

 

The DVD has interviews from Thierry Henry, Rio Ferdinand and Scottish players Barry Ferguson and Stephen McManus.

 

Brady pointed to the fact that SRTRC made no mention of the “Famine Song” controversy in the organisation’s newsletter last month.

 

SRTRC did state on its website last year that they considered the “Famine song” to be racist. Since the organisation redesigned their website that statement has been removed.

Ged Grebby the Chief executive of STRC responded to Brady’s claims:

“ I admit we were slow on the Famine Song issue, but that was purely pressure of work in Scotland. We are working behind the scenes with Rangers FC about the Famine song. We have re-vamped our website and we will put right the fact that our statement on the Famine Song was lost from the site. The song is racist, it is anti-Irish and we have said so and will continue to say so”

 

Grebby pointed out that SRTRC had a long association with Irish soccer players including Niall Quinn as patron.

“We employ John Anderson Ex-West Brom and Republic of Ireland international. John uses his experiences as a young Dublin kind in Birmingham in the 1970s as a way of engaging with youth around Islamophobia issues.”