Tag: ISN

  • ISN Statement on Collective Punishment

    ISN Statement on Collective Punishment

    Since the unacceptable incidents at the Louth derby last weekend, which the ISN condemns unreservedly, there has been a worrying discourse developing in relation to fan safety and collective punishment. The reckless actions of the individuals responsible have unfortunately been followed by unhelpful and inaccurate statements by the Minister for Sport, among others.

    The statements from both clubs following the incidents should be noted, as should the positive work by the League of Ireland and clubs to improve fan engagement and experience in recent years.

    The FAI availed of UEFA Academy / Football Supporters Europe training for our League of Ireland SLOs, at ISN’s request, and the Disability Access Officers programme has also been a significant positive.

    We do not believe collective punishment, threatening funding, comparing football fans unfavourably to those of other sports or new legislation, all of which were suggested by the Minister for Sport this week, are the answer.

    Stadium closures would mean clubs, fans, and communities would suffer real financial impacts. With so many of the obvious measures to ensure fan safety from improper use of flares, the lighting and throwing of which is already a crime under Irish law, dependent on available budgets, this would be counterproductive. We would note also other sports have had their own issues in addressing the improper use of flares.

    Our immediate ask is positive and meaningful engagement between the Minister and all key stakeholders (FAI, Gardaí / PSNI, fan groups, players, and clubs) on how we can best provide a safe match night experience for all, while retaining the vibrancy and colour that reflect the passion fans feel for their clubs and localities. This is our League, and it’s the responsibility of all stakeholders to support and underpin its progress.

    The Irish Football Supporters Partnership (IFSP) – which includes CRISC, ISN, YBIG Mandate – is fully supportive of this call to action. IFSP represents both League of Ireland and International fans at various FAI governance mechanisms including General Assembly.

    For further comment or information, or to get involved with ISN, email: info@irishsupportersnetwork.ie

  • Cobh Ramblers Cooperative Society Limited joins ISN

    Cobh Ramblers Cooperative Society Limited joins ISN

    Cobh Ramblers Cooperative Society Limited has become the newest member of the Irish Supporters Network (ISN).

    Image credit: Ciara Aherne

    The cooperative was formed last month (June 2019) and aims to re-establish strong community ties and partnerships within Cobh town and Cork more broadly.

    “The new Board of Cobh Ramblers recognises the importance of greater engagement with our local community and re-igniting the great amount of goodwill that exists for the club in Cork and nationally.

    To this end, we have established a new cooperative which is member-owned and run with a range of membership options. Membership options will include Local Membership, National Membership (available from 2020) and International Membership. We also provide a special discounted rate for OAPs.

    Within this new structure, each member critically has equal voting rights into the running of the club in an open, inclusive and transparent manner.

    Cognisant of how well this structure works in other clubs, we are very confident this new member-owned model will help us prosper and grow sustainable as we approach our centenary year in 2022.

    We are delighted that the Irish Supporters Network has accepted our request to link up with them and we look forward to the networking opportunities that our club will now have with ISN, and further afield with SD Europe and Football Supporters Europe (FSE).

    This is a new dawn for Cobh Ramblers and we would actively encourage as many people as possible to get involved and join us on our adventure.”

    Anyone wishing to get involved with the football club as a volunteer or club partner is invited to get in touch directly via email on cobhramsPRO@gmail.com or by calling our club office on 021-4813078

    Memberships can be signed up to online here.