Gentlemen,
I stand by my post. If either McDowell, Clarke or McIlroy play for the Republic or Harrington plays for the UK then I'll eat my niblick.
Niall
Niall,
You won't have to eat your niblick; Harrington cannot play for GB as he's not British. He was born in Dublin I believe.
Whether one likes it or not, this is the situation: There is no "Republic of Ireland" team at the Olympics, it's just named "Ireland". McDowell, Clarke and McIlroy can play for the team named "Ireland" as they are eligible to hold Irish passports. They are also eligible to play for team GB, as they are also British, and therefore can also hold a British passport.
Anyone, whether Catholic or Protestant, or Jewish Catholic or Jewish Protestant (it's an old Northern Ireland joke
) that was born in Northern Ireland is eligible to hold both a British and Irish passport.
I can understand some regard the situation as a little unfair, but it's an unusual situation.
The Golfing Union of Ireland (GUI) was formed in 1891. At this time, the whole island of Ireland was under British rule, and golf was governed on an all Ireland basis from GUI HQ in Dublin. When the border was created and Northern Ireland was born as a result of the 1921 Treaty, golf continued to be governed on an all Ireland basis from Dublin. Golfers from Northern Ireland and golfers from the Republic of Ireland (what is regarded as southern Ireland) continued to play for the Irish team in the Home Internationals and more recently the Eisenhower Trophy. This is still the situation today.
The logical thing is for McDowell, Clarke and McIlroy to continue to play for team "Ireland", as they have represented Ireland at boy, youth and senior level. I feel that it would be unfair on any golfer from Wales, Scotland or England, if they missed out on an Olympic place on the GB team, just because McDowell, Clarke and McIlroy chose to play for GB.
JMEvensky:
I don't want to get into a political discussion as I don't want this topic to go way OT.
