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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Concerns raised over famine song | Concerns raised over famine song |
| (about 18 hours later) | |
| Irish diplomats have raised concerns with the Scottish Government over chanting by a section of the Rangers support at last month's Old Firm match. | Irish diplomats have raised concerns with the Scottish Government over chanting by a section of the Rangers support at last month's Old Firm match. |
| Representations were made by Ireland's Consul General after a Celtic supporter complained about a song which refers to the Irish potato famine. | Representations were made by Ireland's Consul General after a Celtic supporter complained about a song which refers to the Irish potato famine. |
| Rangers FC said it has asked its fans to refrain from singing the song. | Rangers FC said it has asked its fans to refrain from singing the song. |
| The Scottish Government confirmed it had been advised by Ireland's Consul General of the Celtic fan's complaint. | The Scottish Government confirmed it had been advised by Ireland's Consul General of the Celtic fan's complaint. |
| The controversy surrounds a song which referred to the famine which killed an estimated one million people in the 1840s and set in motion the mass migration of Irish people. | The controversy surrounds a song which referred to the famine which killed an estimated one million people in the 1840s and set in motion the mass migration of Irish people. |
| The song includes the line: "The famine's over, why don't you go home?" | |
| Rangers Football Club approached Strathclyde Police for guidance on this matter Rangers FC spokesman | Rangers Football Club approached Strathclyde Police for guidance on this matter Rangers FC spokesman |
| After the song was sung by some Rangers supporters at August's Old Firm game, a Celtic fan wrote to the Irish Embassy in London to complain. | |
| The Irish consul general in Edinburgh raised the issue at her regular meeting with the Scottish Government. | The Irish consul general in Edinburgh raised the issue at her regular meeting with the Scottish Government. |
| The Scottish Government made no comment on the discussions, but insisted that several campaigns against bigotry were beginning to work. | The Scottish Government made no comment on the discussions, but insisted that several campaigns against bigotry were beginning to work. |
| A 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. | A 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 solution to the problem." | "We are working with the clubs themselves, as they are part of the solution to the problem." |
| Sporting behaviour | Sporting behaviour |
| A spokesperson for Rangers said: "In the days following the recent Old Firm match, the club were made aware that a substantial number of complaints had been made regarding the singing of the chorus of a song known as 'The Famine Song' by our supporters at this match. | |
| "Rangers Football Club approached Strathclyde Police for guidance on this matter, with a view to issuing a joint statement indicating that persons singing this song in future may face the possibility of arrest. | "Rangers Football Club approached Strathclyde Police for guidance on this matter, with a view to issuing a joint statement indicating that persons singing this song in future may face the possibility of arrest. |
| "Strathclyde Police were not able to commit to this until they had carried out further investigation." | "Strathclyde Police were not able to commit to this until they had carried out further investigation." |
| The spokesman said the club had a long-established policy of encouraging sporting behaviour and discouraged the singing of songs which others found offensive. | The spokesman said the club had a long-established policy of encouraging sporting behaviour and discouraged the singing of songs which others found offensive. |
| "Clearly 'The Famine Song' has provoked such a response in certain quarters," he added. | "Clearly 'The Famine Song' has provoked such a response in certain quarters," he added. |
| "It is the club's view that the interest of our supporters and the club will be best served by supporters refraining from singing 'The Famine Song'." | "It is the club's view that the interest of our supporters and the club will be best served by supporters refraining from singing 'The Famine Song'." |