Since being forced to ditch their songs about being "up to their knees in Fenian blood, surrender or you'll die", Rangers fans have started singing an equally sinister song calling on Irish people to leave Scotland and that "the famine is over, it's time to go home."
Imagine the outcry if the following lyrics were sung towards black people urging them to go back to Africa?
Why don't you go home,
Why don't you go home,
Slavery is over,
Why don't you go home?
Rangers fans have been signing this song for months now and at last some folk in high places are starting to take note. The SFA have done practically nothing. Rangers FC have done less which is quite disturbing given that they can identify every single season ticket holder in their stadium. The song has been heard at every Rangers game this season, both home and away. Apparently Rangers are quite lucky that they are not in Europe this year as rumours abound that this is the straw that has broken the camel's back with UEFA and a European ban is thought to (at last) be on the cards for them.
The Consulate General of Ireland in Scotland has started a probe into the racist behaviour of Rangers fans at last weeks Glasgow derby match at Celtic Park. Rangers fans have now replaced those songs of religious intolerance with an offensive anti-Irish piece mocking the victims of The Great Hunger. The song is titled "The Famine is over, Why don't you go home" and a spokesman for the Irish Government confirmed that they had raised the matter with the Scottish Government.
Disgusted Celtic fans have waited in vain for some action to be taken against the racists but it seems that other than the Celtic fans themselves and one London-based Scottish journalist, no-one was interested in even acknowledging this shocking behaviour never mind condemning it. But now that the Irish government has become involved on an official level this will have to change... and it has started to.
Only in the last couple of days have Celtic, through John Reid, decided to comment publicly on this racism.
‘Along with many others, I know you have written to the Club about the behaviour of visiting supporters who gave vent to a song which I have no hesitation in condemning as racist and deeply offensive. As both Rangers Football Club and Strathclyde Police have stated, the content of the song - which is directed against the community of Irish descent in Scotland - is in breach of Race Relations legislation and exposes its perpetrators to the risk of prosecution.
The Irish Famine was a human tragedy of immense proportions. It is one of the few such events for which the British Government has expressed specific regret for its share of responsibility. Few of those who sing this song will have stopped to think that Famine is non-sectarian and the millions of people who died or were forced into mass emigration - some of them to Scotland - were from all faiths and traditions within Ireland.
We should condemn racism and sectarianism without fear or favour wherever they arise. That is an essential part of Celtic Football Club’s ethos. The club has always been open to all people. We draw our Board of Directors, shareholders, management, players, footballing heroes and supporters from all races and religions. We draw our very name, Celtic, from the bonds that unite the Scottish and Irish peoples irrespective of political or religious traditions, bonds and a heritage that remain a source of pride to us today.
In condemning the actions of others, Celtic must always be vigilant with regard to our own conduct and reputation. Celtic supporters have received well-earned international plaudits in recent years for the way in which they conduct themselves at home and abroad. But we are not complacent. I would again condemn, without equivocation, the use of any chants or songs which can be interpreted as support for religious or ethnic hatred, or for acts of violence. The assistance of true Celtic supporters in weeding out the minority who persist in that behaviour, usually at away games, is greatly appreciated and results in stringent action.
Thank you again for drawing this matter to my attention. Our supporters can rest assured that Celtic will continue to work with all interested parties to remove the twin cancers of racism and sectarianism from Scottish football and our wider society.
