A strange one for ye..."the ancient kingdom of Ireland"

SeaFields

I would like some opinions on this if ye would. I was on a flight over the weekend with a UK airline. Flicking through the inflight magazine I came across an ad for a website www.nobility.co.uk. They claim to be selling Lordships and other titles from several different countries. Ireland was listed as one of them and when i went on the website they are indeed selling an ancient Irish title - the Baron Marshal of Fermoy in the ancient Kingdom of Ireland - for the pricey sum of £20k.

Maybe it was after being hanging around the airport too long but this really annoyed me when I saw the ad in the magazine and it was compounded when I saw the website and saw the Irish title. How many more were there and sold off?

I know these titles are probably all of English origin and no Irish person would want them but surely they have no right to be selling anything like this as they would belong to the Irish state if they exist?

It reeks of a patronizing upper class practice across the water.

Not the usual type thread in politics but I believe a political discussion nonetheless but if there is a more appropriate place for this thread mods feel free to move.

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

Fratton Fred

a lot of the titles were created for existing Irish rulers to get them onboard with Anglo/Norman rule. where do you think the Earl of Tyrone and the Earl of Tyrconnel got their titles from. I believe these places are auctioneer type places, so it may well be an Irish family selling the title.

They are passed down from generation to generation and the people who buy them have more money than sense.

nuac

Some of these may be minor titles held by (former) members of the Irish aristocracy.

Some are con-jobs.

None of them confer any title to or rights over land.

tolosenc

SeaFields wrote: »

I know [...] no Irish person would want them

I wouldn't mind one.

turgon

Interesting:

Bunreacht na hEireann wrote: »

2.

1° Titles of nobility shall not be conferred by the State.

2° No title of nobility or of honour may be accepted by any citizen except with the prior approval of the Government.

harsea8

If you visit the website you'll see the titles mean jack-sh*t as they simply refer to how being called "lord" or "baron" will help you in your social standing and will help you get further in business (see the "advantages" link underneath each title)....Ultimately, they come across as about as meaningful as those "degrees" that I keep getting offered for a "small" payment via spam email......oh, and the site also claims to sell titles from Spain, Italy, France and Switzerland, so I don't think this is a Anglo-Irish colonial issue

SeaFields

Thanks for replies lads. Thread was started out of curiosity as I hadn't seen anything like that before and wanted to see what others thought or if anyone knew of its legality.

With reference to Bunreacht na hEireann; Article 40 as quoted by turgon o I wonder if Bono asked the Irish government before he got his knighthood?

And as fred said - you would want more money than sense to buy one!

Fratton Fred

Both Bono and Bob Geldoff cleared it with government first I believe, but despite what the tabloids say, neither of them are entitled to use the title of "Sir" anyway.

MarchDub

Wasn't Princess Diana's mother related to/descended from a Baron Fermoy? I seem to remember that name cropping up back then during the hoopla of the Royal wedding.