This petition calls of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) to show John Mitchel the Red Card. It is time to remove his name from Gaelic games.

Could any Gael stand over the fact that club members, including under age teams, take to the pitch, march in parades, or wear jerseys and training kits around their towns that celebrate John Mitchel, a man who stated that black people were;

"an innately inferior people".

John Mitchel, a man who advocated that:

“We deny that it is a crime, or a wrong, or even a peccadillo to hold slaves, to buy slaves, to keep slaves to their work by flogging or other needful correction. We wish we had a good plantation well-stocked with healthy negroes in Alabama.”.

Or whom in his letter writing stated that he, John Mitchel, wanted to make the people of the USA;

"proud and fond of [slavery] as a national institution, and advocate its extension by re-opening the trade in Negroes.” 

It is time that John Mitchel's in Belfast, Newry, Claudy, Castlebarr, Glenullin, Tralee, Liverpool, Brisbane, and anywhere else that the name is carried, begin to distance themselves from the name of John Mitchel.

This is a huge ask of these clubs. Have no doubt that, as GAA clubs, there is a huge history attached to each and everyone, their successes, failures, youth teams, and volunteerism that makes the GAA great.

For this reason we call on the GAA ruling bodies, it’s Uachtarán, Ard Chomhairle and an Chomhdháil to support in whatever way possible the renaming of these clubs. As all of our clubs across the country and globe are based on volunteers and fundraising to keep them alive the ruling bodies must do all in their power to make this as easy decision for clubs to make - they must assist in rebranding, rekitting and education for these clubs to ensure that no Gael runs on to a GAA pitch wearing the name of a committed supporter of slavery but no teams goes to the wall by making this decision.

Now is the time to confine John Mitchel to history. Pick any proud Irish patriot as name, pick a town land as a name, pick a parish as a name, or a saint - just don’t pick an avowed racist and supporter of slavery as a name.

As the world stands up to systemic and state racism so must we as Gaels.

In 2020 let us not, as proud Gaels who welcome all to enjoy and participate in our proud sporting heritage, be on the wrong side of history.