Dublin's Loyal Order

Irish athletes could compete only as members of the United Kingdom team, and unhappy with his representation as a British contestant, Peter O’Connor, the triple-jump gold medallist, climbed to the top of the 200ft flagpole and nailed an Irish flag at the spot where a Union Flag was displayed.

Ireland and its flags have a shared, complicated existence, from the vivid political and tribal imagery in the six counties to the sporting emblems, from Peter O’Connor’s pole-scaling to Paul McGinlay’s flag-waving at the Ryder Cup last weekend. It is a display of loyalty and passion of a nation’s citizens in its uniting icon: the flag.

The Irish tricolour, however, has a mixed reputation in Scotland’s sporting society, from its welcome flutter and colour in Murrayfield during the Six Nations championship to the ill-deserved ‘flag of sectarianism’ description employed by foes of the Old Firm and certain elements within.

Never more so than on days like today do emblems come under scrutiny. And it is another Irish flag that could have caused much consternation today; unfortunately, the fans that carry this flag were unable to get tickets, and instead will watch the match on television in a Dublin pub.

They will walk to their pub without flags flying, without sporting team jerseys and without the songs. Not because they are following an Ian McLeod diktat, but because they are not followers of Celtic FC. These fans are the Dublin Loyal, the city’s only (known) Rangers supporters’ club.

Today’s Old Firm game will be viewed by the usual far-flung gatherings of ex-pats, and it is also being broadcast live for the first time by the Irish state television company, RTE. Little did they know that their viewing figures would be boosted by 50.

The Dublin Loyal were founded in 2001 by three fans, two Scots and one Dubliner. ‘Mark’, one of the trio, who asked for anonymity, moved from Arbroath two years ago, and was introduced to the others through the internet. "I came to Dublin for work," he says. "I work in the software industry, and it’s a happening city. I came to Ireland with an open mind, and now believe that we get a false view of Ireland and Dublin from the media. In Scotland, Celtic fans tend to promote a certain view of the south. That did put me off a bit, but I know now it’s a false view.

"You’d imagine in Scotland from the fans’ opinions that it’s a hostile, bigoted, anti-unionist and anti-Protestant state, but most of the people here don’t really give a damn about that stuff, especially northern politics."

This is an educated view that fans on both sides of the Glasgow divide would do well to absorb, for such ill-formed attitudes lead to perpetual ignorance.

Breaking down the 50-strong membership of the Dublin Loyal RSC after 18 months in business produces somewhat surprising results. It approximates to a three-way split, with members almost equally signed from Scotland, the six counties and Dublin. But don’t expect to see them parading proudly up O’Connell Street in their blue Rangers jerseys.

"We meet for games and meetings in an inner-city private club," Mark reveals.

"Can you tell me where it is?"

"Nah."

Mark responds curtly, but perhaps wisely, for their previous e-mail account was hacked, and they frequently receive e-mails requesting their whereabouts from such neutral interested parties as [email protected].

At last year’s first Old Firm derby played at Celtic Park, the Dublin Loyal made clear their existence. In the lower stand of the Rangers’ end, the Dublin colours of navy and light blue appeared at half-time with "Dublin Loyal RSC" emblazoned across its width.

This caused some debate among home fans who were present, according to Danny, a Celtic fan from Donegal. "I know a few people on the bus got very heated about it, though I laughed - I’ve always had a very healthy appreciation of irony. Most of the criticism came from English and Scottish types, who think that Dublin is some sort of bastion of Celtic."

This sense of irony is one that Mark and his members happily acknowledge: that was the intention when the club’s name was chosen. But what can one be loyal to in Dublin? "It’s about being loyal to the team," Mark responds, "although a few of the Dubs had a problem with it, saying that someone may get offended, and that it was too close to the word loyalist. The flag was already made however." So tough shite lads, as they say in, er, Dublin.

"The name is not there to antagonise - we could have chosen a UVF man’s name if we wanted to antagonise - but we wouldn’t do that, and the club wouldn’t take it. The Rangers fans love it. It’s like being a Real Madrid supporters’ club in Barcelona: some of the Gers see it like we’re behind enemy lines."

The club make about three or four trips per year as a group, so how do the rarely-heard Dublin accents fit with the Ibrox hordes?

‘Conor’, 53 and born and bred in Dublin, is a member of the Dublin Loyal. His family were of mixed background with his "mother orange and father green". Raised in the Church of Ireland, he became a Rangers fan through his times with the Boys’ Brigade. "I remember I was more into Drums [an old Irish league side] in those days, but I gradually heard and learned about Rangers from the other boys.

"I heard of George Young and others, but I remember being happy when Celtic won the European Cup. I never knew of the sectarian side of Rangers back then, and it was only later that I read of it, although it didn’t put me off the club. I didn’t like it, though."

What of the flags? Is it odd to see the tricolour being waved by the ‘enemy’? "Not at all, I see tricolours at Man United and Liverpool, and it doesn’t make me feel I should support them any more. And if I remember correctly, it was Rangers who stood alone in defending Celtic’s right to fly the tricolour in the 1950s."

Quite right, but it was also the Ibrox club that refused to fly the tricolour when a League of Ireland select visited Ibrox in 1968/69, having previously displayed the German Swastika at Ibrox in 1936.

The argument about anti-Irish feeling is not one that sticks with Conor. "I never felt the club, as distinct from the fans, were anti-Irish. If there are fans against the tricolour or the country, I can’t be responsible for their attitudes. Much of the fans’ politics would not be the same as mine - I’m pro-Palestinian, for example - but that’s no problem. I’m not into the politics, while a lot of the lads in our club are unionists."

What is a problem for Conor, though, is that he can’t wear his club’s jersey to Lansdowne Road, for he also watches Ireland play. Mild-mannered for most of the interview over a coffee and baguette, everything changes when he reflects on this perceived inequality: "I could go along to watch Ireland in a Chelsea or Leeds or Manchester top, but not in my Rangers top. It pisses me off big time. I should be able to support whoever I want."

Another club Dubliner travelled to follow Ireland in the World Cup, but one decided not to go to watch them again after the booing received by Peter Lovenkrands when he played for Denmark at Lansdowne Road this year.

Whether the Dublin Loyal will ever be fully accepted by the Fair City’s ‘greener’ people is not known, but it cannot be said that they are not trying: their website includes the lyrics to Follow, Follow and The Billy Boys - in Irish.

A more secular Irish society will perhaps shorten the wait, and thanks to the Celtic tiger and a new generation of Scottish ‘planters’, it may not be too long before Rangers hold a pre-season friendly in Dublin. Mark voted green in the last elections, but maybe the Dublin Loyal’s future is brighter coloured. Tangerine even!

The Dublin Loyal can be found at http://members.lycos.co.uk/dublinrangers/