Rory playing for Irl in Olympics

[bladeplayer]

Trending on Twitter ath the moment that he has announced it today

Must admit i didnt mind which he chose but was surprised it was Ireland ..

Will GMac follow suit ?

 

[EarCat]

I don't know why it is even an option to play for the ROI if you are born and raised in the UK. I would be really annoyed if I was Harrington or Lowry, not getting into the Olympics because someone from another country has taken your spot.

 

[Foxholer]

Was just about to post about this myself.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/golf/27906964

Seems right to me to 'support' the country that you've represented in the past.

 

[Rooter]

can someone explain to me how or why? i thought he was Northern Irish, there for should qualify for GB&I Olympic team?

Is he dual nationality?

 

[bladeplayer]

can someone explain to me how or why? i thought he was Northern Irish, there for should qualify for GB&I Olympic team?

Is he dual nationality?

..Must be Scott, he must have an Irish passport or both , not possible otherwise

 

[Foxholer]

can someone explain to me how or why? i thought he was Northern Irish, there for should qualify for GB&I Olympic team?

Is he dual nationality?

Competitors from Northern Ireland can choose whether to compete for Great Britain or Ireland.

 

[IanG]

Having grown up in the sectarian West of Scotland as I have, and as he was raised Catholic ( as far as the web tells me), it doesn't surprise me in the least.

All folks born on the island of Ireland are eligible for citizenship of Eire.

 

[Retread61]

He has always represented Ireland. In a similar way to Rugby, golf in Ireland comes under a unified body. In some respects he is repaying them for their support whilst he was growing up.

 

[bladeplayer]

He has always represented Ireland. In a similar way to Rugby, golf in Ireland comes under a unified body. In some respects he is repaying them for their support whilst he was growing up.

Olympic council have their own rule tho , do they not?

 

[Rooter]

Competitors from Northern Ireland can choose whether to compete for Great Britain or Ireland.

So is northern ireland not part of GB now? One assumes that it being GB&I (ie Scotland, England, Wales and NI) team, if you are northern Irish, you are part of the GB&I team?! Or is that too simple? I am not taking the mickey or stoking arguments, genuinely have no knowledge on the subject.

 

[IanG]

NI is not part of GB, it is part of the UK

 

[Fyldewhite]

Would think GMac will do same. It's a quirk but "team GB" (GBR) doesn't include Northern Ireland. For historical reasons we do not compete as the UK. I don't think he's being disrespectful, just playing for where he was born (in olympic terms, which is what matters here). It would in many ways be harder to justify should he have chosen GB.

 

[bladeplayer]

NI is not part of GB, it is part of the UK

Forgive my ignorance and not meaning to insult anyone , what defines the difference ?

 

[IanG]

copied from wikipedia.

"Great Britain is part of the sovereign state of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, constituting most of its territory: most of England, Scotland and Wales are on the island of Great Britain, with their respective capital cities, London, Edinburgh and Cardiff.The Kingdom of Great Britain resulted from the union of the kingdoms of England (comprising modern-day England and Wales) and Scotland in 1707. Subsequently, in 1801, the Kingdom of Great Britain united with the neighbouring Kingdom of Ireland forming the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. When five-sixths of Ireland seceded from the United Kingdom in 1922, the state was renamed the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland."

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Forgive my ignorance and not meaning to insult anyone , what defines the difference ?

Great Britain is the Island of England , Scotland and Wales

UK is Great Britain and NI

McIlroy has both an Irish and UK passport so is able to represent either at the Olympics

 

[Rooter]

UK = England, wales, Scotland, NI
GB = England, scotland, wales


But the olympic team is GB&I. (the I is only NI)

Anyway, phil has answered with rory having dual passport, so its a personal choice which is fine. Good luck to him and more excuses to watch golf on the TV!

 

[Val]

Having grown up in the sectarian West of Scotland as I have, and as he was raised Catholic ( as far as the web tells me), it doesn't surprise me in the least.

All folks born on the island of Ireland are eligible for citizenship of Eire.

Part of decision was always going to be led by his support to the Irish GU, nothing about being a catholic.

 

[FairwayDodger]

It's still a while off, might've been better to wait and see if either country actually wanted him?

 

[Slab]

It's still a while off, might've been better to wait and see if either country actually wanted him?

Was just about to say he'd better hope he's selected now!

 

[EarCat]

Basically, the reason people from NI have a choice in whether they have British or Irish passports is because the IRA bombed, shot and starved there way to political power and to appease the terrorists, the BritishGovernment decided to power share with them. Now we have a convicted terrorist as the second most powerful man in the country, what a place I live in!