GAA kit maker O’Neills faces backlash over ‘Battle of Britain’ jerseys

A number of Irish republican groups have called for a boycott of O’Neills after images were circulated on social media showing an RAF Spitfire – commemorating the Battle of Britain 80th anniversary – emblazoned on Hartlepool United kits.

Saoradh and the Anti-Imperialist Action Ireland group have also posted pictures on social media of an O’Neill’s kit produced for the RAF’s rugby league team.

In a letter to the company posted on the Facebook page of Saoradh’s Dublin branch, the organisation said it had been brought to its attention that O’Neills has been manufacturing clothing with “symbols of war and imperialism” on them.

It said: “We highlighted this on some of our social media platforms and we were overwhelmed with the responses of disappointment, hurt and anger at your decision to carry this range of clothing.

“One common theme in the criticisms was that Irish people all over the world have traditionally bought O’Neills clothing as they felt they were supporting a home-grown industry and also wore the clothing as a badge of identity, celebrating their locality, their country and more generally their Irishness.”

The letter goes on to say: “How could a company that has made their fortunes on the goodwill of people who often favoured your clothing out of a sense of genuine patriotism make such a decision.

“We urge you to think ethically as company and not turn your backs on communities in Ireland and further afield that have suffered at the hands of the British Army.”

On Twitter, Anti-Imperialist Action Ireland said: “It has now been exposed that Irish company O’Neills Sportswear is collaborating with the forces of the British occupation in our country, producing sports jerseys for the Brit Army, Navy and Airforce, the very military that enforce the occupation and partition of our country.

“Added to this, O’Neills is producing poppy jerseys for British sports teams, glorifying imperialism and its wars of conquest, while at the same time refusing to produce commemorative jerseys for Irish republican martyrs or the sporting organisations named in their honour.”

A spokeswoman for O’Neills Irish International Sports Company said: “As a leading sportswear manufacturer, we supply customers all over the world with a varied range of playing and leisure wear.

“Our state-of-the-art production process allows our contracted buyers on occasion to design and customise kits in a style which they feel will help meet their customer demand.”

She added: “O’Neills endeavour to meet the requirements of all our customers wherever possible.”

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