Do FG supporters not object to the expression "Blue Shirts"?

[Toland]

Philip Boucher-Hayes has just referred to the number of Blue Shirts on their way down to Kerry at the moment (or something like that).

This set me thinking (not for very long):

Do Fine Gaelers not mind this expression being applied to them?

They don't seem to.

1. Does anyone think their tolerance of an expression that connects them with one particular nasty aspect of their past costs them votes?

2. Or would kicking up a fuss about it cost them even more votes?

3. Or does it not matter?

For what it's worth, I'm a non-FGer and I can't decide between 1. and 2.

I certainly think they'd be well advised to stop referring to themselves with the expression.

What do other posters think?

[hiding behind a poster]

To be honest, it doesn't bother me greatly. Its usually used as a bit of gentle ribbing, nothing too serious. There's times it'd annoy you, say if you're out postering, canvassing or whatever, and a passerby in a car shouts "f*cking blueshirts" or something like that - but even there, it wouldn't matter what words that person uses, it'd still annoy you a bit.

[darkknight]

A lot of them actually enjoy wearing blue shirts.

Nothing wrong in that.

[thebig C]

It doesn't really bother me. Blueshirt is just a nickname with some historical correctness. It can be used as a term of endearment just as much as an insult. I suppose its similar to how Conservatives in the UK are refered to as Tories, for want of a better example.

[birthday]

Even before his comments about Blue shirts I thought Boucher-Hayes was in a funny humour today. He introduced one of his guests by saying it was none of our business as to how she made it to the studio today.
A mixture of trying to be witty and to sail as close to the wind as he could without being controversial, me thinks. He may have gone a little too far with this. Is it the equivalent to calling FF 'soldiers of destiny'? Not really. Maybe if he called FF the party of 'economic ruin' we might have an equivalent.

[bmw1]

well as a fine gaeler -i dont think it matters wha people call us once it doesnt resemble fianna flaw wasters and swindlers-an its amazing we never hear ol dev described as the man that started the civil war -the dirtiest trick ever perpetrated by a so called irish man

i think it wood be very easy on the ears in 5 yrs to have it said that 'the blue-shirts once agin repaired our little country'

[codology]

Blue shirtlifters would probably be worse.

[Sailor]

So, none of you get upset when I call you blueshirts?

[Edo]

Its roots are ancient history -

Its usually FFers who use it - cant get enough of it at times it would appear - seems to get FFers wound up like nothing else - personally I'd prefer to see them getting wound up about more mundane matters like the state of the economy etc etc

The others who use it are the fringe left along with "fascist" "totalitarian" and other wonderful terms of endearment - tho most of them wouldn't know a real fascist if one bit them on the nose.

electorally - its a non-issue - all of those who use it as a term of dispargement wouldn't be voting for us or any centre right political party as a matter of course anyway.



sticks and stones etc etc...........what can ya do.

[kerdasi amaq]

Blue, by the way, is the national colour of Ireland: not Green!