The Tánaiste has expressed his disappointment over the negative reaction towards the English national anthem during Saturday’s match against the Republic of Ireland in Dublin. Micheál Martin maintained that the larger part of the Irish crowd at the stadium showed respect during the rendition of God Save The King. He emphasised that, overall, the game projected a “joyful atmosphere”.
The match, which ended in a 2-0 victory for England, was graced by both the UK’s prime minister, Keir Starmer, and the Taoiseach, Simon Harris, following a meeting held earlier that day. The game garnered further attention as England’s Declan Rice and Jack Grealish, both of whom had previously represented Ireland internationally, faced booing from the crowd. Regardless, both players played a vital role for England with each scoring a goal.
Lee Carsley, former Irish player and current interim England manager, also came under scrutiny for opting not to sing God Save The King. When asked about this and the negative response to the English national anthem on a trip to Newry in Co Down, Mr Martin expressed his dissatisfaction. He expressed that it is crucial to display respect for the anthem of any visiting country, just as he would expect them to respect our anthem.
Despite the controversy, Mr Martin asserts that most spectators did show the appropriate respect, although acknowledged that such instances can occur with football matches. He praised the atmosphere in the Aviva and the quality of football played, despite Ireland’s defeat.
Mr Martin also communicated his delight at Chiedozie Ogbene being named man of the match, since he derives from Cork and played for Martin’s GAA club as a young man. The Tánaiste acknowledged his contributions while representing Ireland and expressed his positive outlook for the Irish team’s future.
Mr Martin also appreciated the presence of the British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, and the Northern Ireland Secretary, Hilary Benn, at the match. He concluded that, despite everything, it was “a pleasurable evening”.