140:, Celtic's chairman, tried to highlight the non-Catholic specific aspects of the famine: "Few of those who sing this song will have stopped to think that famine is non-sectarian and the millions of people who died or were forced into mass emigration – some to Scotland – were from all faiths and traditions within Ireland. The
208:"the song calls upon persons of Irish descent, who are living in Scotland, to go back to the land of their ancestors, namely Ireland they are racist in calling upon people native to Scotland to leave the country because of their racial origins. This is a sentiment which, once more, many persons will find offensive."
148:
regarding the song. A Scottish
Government spokesman said: "The Scottish Government is totally committed to combating sectarianism and bigotry, which is why we have expanded on the work of the previous administration and are doing more. We are working with the clubs themselves, as they are part of the
132:
Clubs know they need to be alert and make sure their fans are doing all they can to avoid sectarian or other offensive abuse. The verse of the song that has featured hugely is racist, it's not sectarian as such, it's racist. The rules were structured to help to try to tackle this. You don't start
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during the 1840s led the country's population to fall from approximately 8 to 5 million as a result of starvation and emigration. Although the bulk of emigrants moved to North
America, large numbers moved to Scotland and England, settling in London, Liverpool and Glasgow. Since then,
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made it clear to the club that there was the potential for supporters singing the song to be arrested. In
November 2008, a Rangers fan was found guilty of a breach of the peace (aggravated by religious and racial prejudice) for singing the song during a game in
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Although it was accepted that the song lyrics technically state a fact followed by a question (The famine is over, why dont you go home?), it was deemed that this would reasonably be understood as not only a question but as a suggestion under threat.
161:. At his appeal in June 2009, three Scottish judges ruled that the song is racist because it targets people of Irish origin. Rangers have repeatedly asked their fans not to sing the song. A Rangers fans' organisation, the
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racially aggravated and aggravated by religious prejudice having sung the Famine Song and made a number of other remarks during a football match, had his appeal denied and his conviction upheld.
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165:, denied that the song is racist: It instead described the song as a "wind-up" that is designed to mock not the famine itself, but Celtic fans' perceived affiliations with the
72:. "The Famine Song" has received criticism due to the racist and sectarian nature of its lyrics and, in some cases, those singing it have received criminal convictions.
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in particular has received much media attention, with its two main football teams being focal points of identity: Celtic drawing large support from the descendants of
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637:"WILLIAM WALLS v. PROCURATOR FISCAL, KILMARNOCK, 19 June 2009, Lord Carloway+Sheriff Principal Brian A Lockhart+Sheriff Principal R.A. Dunlop, Q.C"
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128:(SPL) chief executive at the time, said that football clubs could be deducted points if fans continue to sing such songs:
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expressed their concern regarding the song and called on the club to ensure it was not sung at their matches.
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Kenny Scott, Rangers' Head of
Security and Operations, said in October 2008 that conversations with the
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326:"When the Past Meets the Present: The Great Irish Famine and Scottish Football"
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558:"Charities condemn 'racist anti-Irish' march before Rangers v Celtic game"
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In the context of their charitable projects in partnership with
Rangers,
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with points deduction. We have a range of sanctions which can be applied.
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The song was first sung publicly by
Rangers fans at a match at
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475:"Rangers fan guilty over singing Famine Song at Rugby Park"
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of
Ireland. The song is often heard at loyalist marches in
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and is normally directed at
Catholics and, in Scotland,
64:, the lyrics of the song make reference to the 1840s'
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The Famine Ships: The Irish Exodus to
America 1846–51
371:"Gold: I'll dock points if clubs fail in fan duty"
639:. Scotcourts.gov.uk. 19 June 2009. Archived from
266:"Loyalist band's actions 'totally inappropriate'"
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397:"Rangers' Famine Song is racist, says John Reid"
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199:held on appeal, in an opinion delivered by
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585:"POSITION STATEMENT ON 'THE FAMINE SONG'"
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40:or those with perceived affiliations to
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44:. It is also sung by fans of Scottish
669:Association football songs and chants
610:MacDonald, Stuart (10 January 2009).
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377:. Evening Times Online. November 2008
217:The appellant, who was convicted for
56:'s Irish roots. Set to the tune of "
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556:Williams, Martin (30 August 2021).
531:"Judges brand Famine Song 'racist'"
501:"Court Rules Famine Song is Racist"
429:. news.bbc.co.uk. 15 September 2008
403:. dailyrecord.co.uk. September 2008
13:
423:"Concerns raised over famine song"
97:, and Rangers from Protestants in
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453:Rangers Official Club Site – News
144:'s Consul-General approached the
587:. 3 October 2008. Archived from
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306:, Gill & Macmillan (1994),
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694:Racism in association football
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612:"Unicef: Famine Song banned"
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507:. June 2009. Archived from
324:Bradley, Joseph M. (2013).
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10:
715:
455:. rangers.premiumtv.co.uk
163:Rangers Supporters' Trust
149:solution to the problem.
20:" is a song sung by some
197:High Court of Justiciary
674:Immigration to Scotland
449:"Famine Song Statement"
246:Sectarianism in Glasgow
126:Scottish Premier League
91:sectarianism in Glasgow
679:Great Famine (Ireland)
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38:those of Irish descent
342:10.1353/eir.2013.0002
236:Irish Scottish people
186:William Walls v. the
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643:on 25 September 2009
286:, Bloomsbury, 1997,
479:Kilmarnock Standard
401:Daily Record Online
304:This Great Calamity
302:Christine Kinealy,
219:breach of the peace
167:Republic of Ireland
146:Scottish Government
142:Republic of Ireland
699:Rangers F.C. songs
689:Racism in Scotland
563:HeraldScotland.com
481:. 26 November 2008
375:eveningtimes.co.uk
154:Strathclyde Police
591:on 9 January 2009
188:Procurator Fiscal
60:" popularised by
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537:. 19 June 2009
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645:. Retrieved
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82:Great Famine
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66:Great Famine
34:Irish people
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569:25 December
355:25 December
118:Celtic Park
76:Controversy
18:Famine Song
663:Categories
647:2 November
595:23 October
459:6 November
433:6 November
407:6 November
381:6 November
252:References
192:Kilmarnock
159:Kilmarnock
350:162271495
138:John Reid
105:(chiefly
541:7 August
515:4 August
485:15 March
427:BBC News
270:BBC News
241:Old Firm
225:See also
203:, that:
122:Lex Gold
99:Scotland
46:football
30:Scotland
621:6 March
86:Ireland
50:Rangers
42:Ireland
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314:, 357.
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195:, the
174:UNICEF
124:, the
103:Ulster
54:Celtic
26:Ulster
346:S2CID
48:club
16:The "
649:2015
623:2011
597:2015
571:2021
543:2009
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487:2012
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308:ISBN
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