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From the Bleachers by Cormac Eklof

The Daily Telegraph thinks Irish Olympic hero Katie Taylor is British

Posted on Wednesday, August 08, 2012 at 04:49 AM

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Irish hero Katie Taylor

Katie Taylor Photo Gallery here

Goodness gracious these Olympics seriously get the blood going, don’t they? Katie Taylor and her legion of Irish fans have a date with destiny in just a few hours in London, as she fights in the semi-final of the Olympic games women’s 56kg boxing. Taylor won her initial bout with Natasha Jonas on Monday and her legend has grown exponentially ever since.

Apparently, some are confused as to Taylor’s nationality.

In an incredibly crass, insulting and ill-informed ‘article’, the English rag The Daily Telegraph, has called Taylor British.

Perhaps a quick history\geography lesson is called for, for our friends across the sea.

Katie Taylor was born and raised in Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland. Bray is a vibrant little seaside town to the south of the capital of Ireland, Dublin. Ireland won its independence from an oppressive, corrupt and often brutal British imperialist state and declared independence from same in 1919. We have been free from British rule ever since. It should be noted that before that time, any Irish man or woman, athlete or regular punter, would rather die than be known as British, despite the latter’s military occupation of Ireland.

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One final note for the idiot\editor who approved this unbelievably stupid piece. Taylor should be easily recognizable to all British journalists and sports fans, she was the Irish athlete that annihilated your actual British boxer on Monday, in a flurry of punches that left your girl reeling (Despite my obvious fury on this subject, it should be strongly noted, the telegraph could learn a thing or two about dignity from Jonas, who carried herself with utter class on Monday)

Any telegraph ‘journalist’ who is still confused about Taylor’s nationality should perhaps put the question directly to her.

It would be fun to watch her retort.

If you would like to contact the telegraph to remind them that Taylor is Irish, and not British, you can do so by phoning them or filling out this quick online form. Either should suffice.

Update Wednesday 3:30 pm: Credit where credit is due, the telegraph has issued an apology, and as always, that's all you can ask for.

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DrTrelawney | Aug 08, 2012, 11:15 AM EDT

Also, it seems that the writer doesn't know what the word "docile" means. It means "quiet and unassuming". Why on earth is that adjective being applied to this article? Is Eklof, perhaps, reaching for "facile"? Lord knows.

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DrTrelawney | Aug 08, 2012, 10:42 AM EDT

Trust Irish Central to overreact hysterically. I'm sure if Taylor was asked directly about the matter -- as Elklof suggests -- she would respond in characteristically reasonable fashion. After all, her father is from Yorkshire. Also could, somebody please explain to this writer the correct use of the forward slash. The punctuation is horrendous.

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ToryTory | Aug 08, 2012, 10:34 AM EDT

LOL. Who gives a monkeys? So obviously a simple mistake - one which they've now corrected. Get a life and calm the hell down. Hard to believe you don't realise how pathetic you sound.

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DaddyMac22 | Aug 08, 2012, 10:30 AM EDT

You should be ashamed that an English paper called an Irish athlete British.

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ToryTory | Aug 08, 2012, 10:19 AM EDT

I've just reread Eklof's piece. Yep, it's official, Eklof is a bigot, and an ignorant one at that. Really ashamed that an Irishman would write these vapid, nationalist drivel.

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ToryTory | Aug 08, 2012, 10:10 AM EDT

DaddyMac - OUTRAGE!? Christ Almighty, time to get a life I think. What utter, utter trivia. LOL - the BBC 'expressed dismay'? What garbage - I was just watching the BBC and they reported humorously on a 'mistake in the press' (abutted with a couple of jokes sent in by an Irishman). Get off your high horse and calm the hell down - talk about pathetic).

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DaddyMac22 | Aug 08, 2012, 09:53 AM EDT

Tory, you are clearly never going to understand the outrage a comment like this causes. Thankfully, classier organisations like the BBC fully understand, and they expressed their dismay at the telegraph's stupidity right after the fight.

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ToryTory | Aug 08, 2012, 09:45 AM EDT

dgromanis, I think it was an honest mistake. The noise being generated is pathetic; and Eklof's piece verges on bigotry against the British to be frank.

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ToryTory | Aug 08, 2012, 09:35 AM EDT

>>>In an incredibly crass, docile and ill-informed ‘article’, the English rag The Daily Telegraph, has called Taylor British.<<< Christ ! Talk about over the top; I think it was just a simple mistake? A bit aplomb, Eklof, you're coming across as a belligerent muppet. Incidentally, isn't her dad English? Pretty sure he is. I doubt she's as vexed as you're implying. Time to calm down and have a cup of tea I think - talk about trivia.

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dgromanis | Aug 08, 2012, 09:35 AM EDT

Great piece - I'm proudly British, but love Ireland and have many great Irish friends. I think it's a shame that a national newspaper from this side of the Sea has forgotten probably the most important part of Irish history. Embarrassing! That fight with Jonas was incredible - Taylor was the clear winner, but what a NOISE from the arena! I'm cheering Taylor all the way to the gold. Go girl!

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