Ireland women's football team apologise after singing pro-IRA chant

2022-10-12

Ireland women’s football team IRA song shame: Players apologise after they’re filmed singing pro-IRA chant following World Cup-qualifying victory against Scotland

Players danced as they chanted ‘Ooh ah, up the Ra’ in the dressing room
The team had secured their first ever qualification to a major tournament
The Irish FA has apologised for ‘any offence caused’ after footage circulated

Ireland’s national women’s team have been forced to apologise after singing a pro-IRA song in their dressing room after beating Scotland in a World Cup qualifier.

Players were filmed dancing as they chanted ‘Ooh ah, up the Ra’ after securing qualification to the their first ever major tournament last night.

The song is associated with support of the Irish Republican Army who carried out a series of bombings and assassinations in their long campaign of terror.

Ireland’s national women’s team have been forced to apologise after singing a pro-IRA song in their dressing room after beating Scotland in a World Cup qualifier

After footage taken in the Hampden Park dressing room in Glasgow circulated on social media, the Football Association of Ireland, and the team’s manager Vera Pauw, apologised.

The FAI said: ‘The Football Association of Ireland and the Republic of Ireland Ireland Women’s National Team Manager Vera Pauw apologise for any offence caused by a song sung by players in the Ireland dressing room after the FIFA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Play-off win over Scotland at Hampden Park on Tuesday night.’

Pauw added: ‘We apologise from the bottom of our hearts to anyone who has been offended by the content of the post-match celebrations after we had just qualified for the World Cup.

‘We will review this with the players and remind them of their responsibilities in this regard.

‘I have spoken with players this morning and we are sorry collectively for any hurt caused, there can be no excuse for that.’

Players were filmed dancing as they chanted ‘Ooh ah, up the Ra’ after securing qualification to the their first ever major tournament last night

The song is associated with support of the Irish Republican Army who carried out a series of bombings and assassinations in their long campaign of terror

Ireland secured their place in the 2023 tournament to be held in Australia and New Zealand after a 72nd-minute winner by substitute Amber Barrett

Ireland secured their place in the 2023 tournament to be held in Australia and New Zealand after a 72nd-minute winner by substitute Amber Barrett.

A number of their players have reiterated the apology offered by the association and their coach.

Aine O’Gorman told RTÉ Sport: ‘We sang 100 songs last night and that was the one that went out. We would just like to apologise to anyone who was offended.’

Right full-back Jamie Finn added: ‘We are extremely sorry for the hurt it has caused, a lapse of judgement in the moment. We are extremely sorry and hopefully we can move past it.’

Footage also showed the players chanting and dancing to Taylor Swift’s Love Story.

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