“To name things wrongly is to add to the misfortune of the world,” said Albert Camus.
As with most things that p[erpeclx the human condition he was spot on.
Sadly, there is plenty of evidence that Fair Caledonia is a centre of excellence for this linguistic malady.
Only yesterday this was brought to my attention.
It is correct that this racist graffiti made it into the media.
However, it was an example of racism and should have been called out as such.
“Kill All Taigs” is a well know phrase in the North East of this country and “KAT” is a regularly seen initialism on Loyalist bonfires in July.
As I recently wrote here the word, “Taig” is the N-Word for the Ibrox klanbase.
Thanks to the immediacy of Twitter, the lazy reportage of the Glasgow media was called out.
BEMIS are the good folks on this issue, and they have an excellent track record in recognising and acknowledging the existence of the multi-generational Irish community in Scotland.
The use of the term “sectarianism” only serves to muddy the waters of what is actually happening.
It excises the ethnic from the analysis and conceals the real issue, which is anti-Irish racism.
Seven years on from writing a book on this subject that very term still appears to be largely verboten in the Scottish Fourth Estate.
I do not know Mr Jack Haugh, and I’m sure that he is a well-meaning person.
However, had the graffiti been aimed at the Polish community in Glasgow then I’m sure that he would not have been reported as an incident of “sectarianism”.
Of course, anti-Irish racism is mainly manifest in Scotland through the medium of the beautiful game.
Now, there will come a time when the crowds are back in football stadiums in Scotland.
The chaps on the 6th floor at Hampden could do worse than speak to the folks at BEMIS about their moral obligation to combat anti-Irish racism on Planet Fitba.
Even in the time of Covid, the old hatred towards the Fenian Xarnegos in the Catalonia of the north hasn’t gone away you know.
If anything the crisis of a pandemic often boosts such xenophobia.
I’m sure that Camus would have got this in his unique way.
The solidarity that can defeat a pandemic is also the same collective spirit that can tackle the racist pathogen that exists at places like Ibrox.
Let’s leave the last word to my favourite philosophical goalie.
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While I agree that this abuse is indeed racist I think you credit these halfwits with more intelligence than they possess in assuming they realise it. To them the terms ‘pape’, ‘taig’, ‘bead rattler’, ‘Fenian’, etc are synonymous. I remember asking my Da after playing in an under 13s match what somebody else’s da meant when he was screaming at his son to ‘break that wee Donegal bastard’s [me, and my second name’s Douglas by the way] legs’. Good friends of mine, the Diplacitos, were also regularly decried as Fenian bastards. Work that out. These people just exist to hate and they’re no that choosy.
I’ve heard that FIFA have announced that if clubs withdraw players from international squads then they won’t be banned for the next domestic game.
We should now be pulling our players out. In fact NO International football should be played for as long as it takes to get this bloody awful disease under some kind of control. Edouard, Christie, Bitton and possibly El Hamed will miss our next game through no fault of ours or theirs.
It’s high time FIFA and UEFA got a grip of reality. There’s countries everywhere in partial or complete lock down and these money obsessed bastards have been making players fly all over the world in a 23 man player squad, plus coaching, medical staff and hangers on, to then play TWO other teams doing the same, maybe each throwing a fourth n fifth team into the mix. Plus whoever else THEY’RE playing. It’s been a fuckin recipe for disaster!!
Players WILL eventually die. And the blame should be laid at the door of these organisations.
.
It’s actually WORSE than I outlined above. We’re playing THREE other teams. By the the time we play the THIRD team they will have played two other teams.
This is complete madness.
In Irish any name ending in ERTy is Taig for example Haggerty in Irish is O’hEigceartaigh All names ending in ERTY in Irish end in Taigh.
Why can’t people understand Scotland is a protestant country,and if you don’t support Celtic the rest of the country support rangers.Its ok if you support your local team, but if it comes to an old firm game rangers are the country’s team.The Celtic board are to blame,as they fail to highlight what the Celtic suppott do for charities.English supporters assocciate us with the IRA,and rangers are the team for queen and country.
This is Scotland 2020,and sad to say has been since 1946,Iknow.
Disagree.
The majority of non-Celtic fans, don’t give a damn for Rangers either. Sure there’s also ones that are Orangemen, Loyalists and Unionists that will side with the dark side outside of their own team but, I think, that’s a small minority.
Also having lived in England for 40 years, the only association of Celtic with IRA is by self-same Orange, Loyalists etc who are a minority.
The evidence is there; whenever Celtic play down here, by and large, we’re welcomed warmly.
Compare and contrast with Der Hun, despite being a Quintessentially British club, are not and usually leave a trail of destruction in their wake much to the anger of the local populace.
Does the term Taig not come from the name O’Dochartaig after the O’Dochartaig rebellion and the attack on Derry.
Does the term Taig not come from the name O’Dochartaig after the O’Dochartaig rebellion and the attack on Derry.
Did you just change your name to Docherty from Green in order to get your post published Willam?
Now why would someone do such a thing eh?
Could it possibly be an attempt to remove any idea or concept that the use of the word isn’t in fact Racist and so therefore okay for you and your ilk to continue to use it?
You must think we all sailed down the Clyde on the SS Shieldhall
Yes you did come down the Clyde in the SS Shieldhall. If you were paying attention you would have notice Docherty came first Green last. Why because I was unsure if I should use my real name or a false one like you.
The Scottish football media are lazy, incompetent and bias seeps from every line that they write.
Nothing’s changed much in the last 60 years.
No doubt when the latest annual report from Rangers is released, the certain huge 8 figure loss will be held up against Milan’s recently released €178m loss and reported as an excellent result.
Fortunately for Milan they have someone underwriting that disastrous number as has been the case over the last decade.
Rangers have King, who has jumped ship back to South Africa and Park whose car business has been cruelly hit by the pandemic.
The latest share issue will paper over the cracks but none of the Rangers board are in the billionaire category
Alas now would have been the perfect time for a billionaire with wealth off the radar to pop up and transform the finances of the Ibrox club.
Time for Jacko to release the good news that Rangers fans crave and put a name to the latest saviour set to walk down Edmiston Drive.
It saddens me that the word TAIG is used in Scotland
with no real adverse reaction from the media. let us be clear,
IT IS RACIST, and as such the law should come down on those who use it in that
manner very hard. I find it quite inconceivable that the media try to find an
excuse for racism by using the term “sectarian” it is disgusting.
Thank you for all you do as regards to reporting Phil.
It is very much appreciated by me and many others.
I would say his final sentence is very accurate.
This calling it sectarianism needs to end. It’s simply not anti Catholic sentiment, as Italian, Latvian, Polish, French, Spanish Catholics and those from many different countries have found. It is anti Irish sentiment and misnamed by a society formed by multigenerational anti Irish factory owners, politicians and custodians of justice.
Sectarianism serves to belittle the offence, and allow the “both sides are as bad/it’s a football thing/it’s a Glasgow thing” lies to be retold and reaffirmed.
It is racism. It is endemic (though admittedly less so 30 years ago) throughout fair Caledonia and it will not go away whilst we pretend it is something else.
Translating ‘Taig’ simply in terms of it being a common Irish surname kinda puts it in the same league as…. Joe Bloggs, Fritz, Paddy and Jock and whilst that can be motivated by a patronising attitude or lazy ethnic stereotyping its hardly on the same level as coon, yid chinkie.
The other supposed root of ‘Taig’ is someone who tarries, a person who outstays their welcome. A much more viscious meaning and worthy of the term racist. But it’s use by loyalists in Neye is paradoxical. Just who have outstayed their welcome there?
All very tautological. But you’re right Phil. There is a common cultural denial or laziness in our use of the term sectarian. HH
You are factually incorrect.
“Tarrier” is the pejorative Scots term for someone who lingers or “tarries”.
The folks at BEMIS are correct apropos the origins of the word “Taig”.
That IS racist term aimed at Irish people of those of Irish heritage.
Consequently, you should not be attempting to deny that fact.
HH Very true Phil Q Why is it this word and many more words that are used seem to be accepted and as a Roman Catholic have to accept laugh it off for many yrs as did all the people long before i was born: There always bad words said and worse in the media .at our work place saying things and trying to make it a joke , but if wee say anything close were are in trouble Q Why is this allowed to continue in this day 21 century: It is right what is happening regarding Black lives Matter God Bless them all wee no how they feel as wee are still being Victimised as they are nothing changes hh ktf