Our wee country

Our Wee Country

“Our Wee Country” is the nickname given to the country of Northern Ireland by the people that reside in it. It is also the name of the biggest fan based online forum in Northern Ireland. This forum is made up of fans that follow the Northern Ireland international Football team and has had a presence online since 1999, starting as a humble emailing list they now have over 7000 members and their main website and forum receives over 400,000 topic views a month.

Fiercely independent, Our Wee Country has been at the vanguard for what is now Football for All and the catalyst of many of the changes which have occurred in the NI support over the last 5 years. They are dedicated to the cause of football and supporting Northern Ireland, but they also raise a lot of money for local charities. Our Wee country online forum and website was awarded with the ‘Unsung Hero’ award in the international football section of the FFA awards. Our Wee Country website and forum also sponsored the Northern Ireland cerebral palsy football team. In 2008 on hearing that West Belfast pensioner Jack Cassidy was robbed in his house and had his life savings stolen while watching the NI v Denmark match on his TV. The members of Our Wee Country Forum, organised by a member of the forum Admin Team, held a ballot on the forum to raise money for Jack. The members of the forum gave prizes towards the ballot and the supporters raised over £800.00 for jack to have a good Christmas. On being presented with the money Jack said “It just shows you no matter how much bad there is in the world there is always more good” Members of the forum continue to raise money for local charities and there are a few upcoming events being orgainised to help the local community.

The 2008 acceptance speech given at the awards dinner night:

"Turning, if I may, to the “Green & White Army Unsung Hero Award”, it is a pleasure to announce that the award this year goes to the OurWeeCountry website.

Founded by well known, and well traveled, Northern Ireland fan, Marty, Our Wee Country has had a web presence since 1999 - Marty had been involved in pioneering Northern Ireland fanzines prior to this.

Starting as a humble emailing list, the site now has approximately 7,500 registered members - of which nearly 1,000 individuals are site "Patrons".

The site is fiercely independent and has been at the vanguard for what is now "Football For All".

The site, at inception, took a robust stance that anyone who pulled on the famous emerald green shirt and wore it with pride, regardless of their background, should receive the unequivocal support of the fans - to many people it might seem logical that there was no other stance to take, but, sadly, some who wished to live in the dark ages had other thoughts on the matter. On occasion, this led to threats and intimidation against site members from those who clung to a misguided belief that things didn’t need changing.

Our Wee Country has been the catalyst of many of the positive changes which have occurred at Northern Ireland matches in recent years, with lively debate on a comprehensive range of topical issues pertaining to Northern Irish international football "the norm" on the, increasingly popular, fans discussion forum.

The site is now firmly established as the Number 1 web focal point for Northern Ireland fans throughout the world.

Football For All
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The very concept to rid sectarianism from football within Northern Ireland came from the Our Wee Country Fanzine Magazine.

This 'plea' appeared in issue 5 of the fanzine. John Laverty republished it in full a few days later on the back page of the Belfast Telegraph.

The reaction to it was, lets say interesting. It ranged from other fans contacting us and offering help and support to threats of physical abuse! Gary Hancock of the Amalgammation of NISC called for a boycott of the fanzine because, as I later found out, we weren't towing the line. I took that to mean we should be ignoring, like the IFA and Amalgammation, the embrassing issue of the sectarian songs at internationals. The article and more so the coverage in the Belfast Telegraph was the catalyst for the fundamental change in the atmosphere matches and image Northern Ireland fans now have. Supporters began to shout down those who started the sectarian songs and the IFA and Amalgamation were, you could say, shamed into action and what is now Football for All

Since 1998 the IFA has worked in partnership with the Northern Ireland Community Relations Council, Sports Council Northern Ireland and Amalgamation of Official Northern Ireland Supporters Clubs to tackle the problems of sectarianism in football, with assistance from the EU Programme for Peace and Reconciliation. Our Wee Country Fanzine was the birthplace of the football for all ethos.
"The IFA respects and values diversity. We endeavour to provide an environment which values and enables the full involvement of all people, in all aspects and at every level of Northern Ireland football, regardless of perceived cultural identity, political affiliation or religious beliefs. We believe in the philosophy of Football For All".

The Fanzine
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The first issue in 1996 was aimed at Northern Ireland fans on the mainland as the owner was living in Scotland at the time.
The interest was so high from those who read our free 4 pager given to fans at the Germany away game in 1996 we decided to abandon the mainland tag and start selling at Windsor Park. Issue 2 was launched onto the NI footballing public on a wet February night against Belgium in 1997 and continued to be sold at most home games until issue 17 in 2002. Producing the fanzine became too time consuming and it was decided to concentrate on the Internet forum which of course has gone from strength to strength. Originally called ‘There’s a Wee Spot in Europe’ the name was changed to Our Wee Country inspired by Barry Hunters post match shout to the camera, “What About Our Wee Country” after drawing with European Champions, Germany, in Nuremberg. Some of our favourite and most controversial articles from the 17 issues we published are included here, along with a few other things that didn't fit in anywhere else.

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