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Music

27th Mar 2017

Glasgow music venue clarifies it is definitely NOT hosting the ‘real’ IRA on tour

'Listen, we can explain...'

Nooruddean Choudry

This clarification was probably wise.

You’re probably aware that there’s a smidgen of sectarian discord within the great city of Glasgow. A level of religious and political friction exists between Catholics and Protestants, that is perhaps most evident to outsiders in the guise of football fandom. It is fair to say that the Old Firm rivalry between Celtic fans and Rangers supporters occasionally results in the odd rude word and heated to and fro.

But nothing brings people together like music! So when a Polish rock band turned up in the ‘Second City of Empire’ to entertain the locals and play a few of their greatest hits, surely it was something that could bring everyone together regardless of religious sect or allegiance? Well perhaps not. That’s because the pop-rock outfit that were formed in 1987 have a slightly unfortunate name for a band performing in Glasgow.

They happen to be called IRA, which to them is an innocuous moniker meaning ‘Anger’. But in all caps especially, it looks very much like the Irish Republican Army. Seeing as the five-piece were playing the O2 ABC Glasgow on Saturday, the management at the Sauchiehall Street nightclub and music venue very wisely thought it important to clarify things. That’s why they didn’t merely emblazon ‘IRA’ in huge letters on their premises.

Instead they very clearly advertised the gig as being ‘POLISH BAND IRA’. Probably for the best, all things considered…

https://twitter.com/jagsfan1980/status/845608321122013184