Am I Irish?

Derrydoc

When i was reading this thread
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057015656
I was surprised to see the attitudes of many posters towards Northern Ireland. I don't mean people not supporting a united Ireland as there are many arguments to be made against that,
What surprised me was the posters who wanted nothing to do with the place or the people within it.
Now being a Northern Irish nationalist I have always viewed myself as Irish, however I am curious as to how people in the Republic view people like myself.

Do you think of us as Irish or quasi Irish? Do you have the same attitude to Nationalists and Unionists in the north?
Do you wish we would just piss-off and leave you all alone?

Tombi!

I think it's up to you TBH. Whatever you identify more with is what you are.

1ZRed

I wouldn't care what you called yourself because I believe you're whatever you think yourself, whether that's identifying more with Ireland or the UK.

I refer to everyone in the north as Northern Irish, and Irish in the republic, though.

everdead.ie

Derrydoc wrote: »

When i was reading this thread
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057015656
I was surprised to see the attitudes of many posters towards Northern Ireland. I don't mean people not supporting a united Ireland as there are many arguments to be made against that,
What surprised me was the posters who wanted nothing to do with the place or the people within it.
Now being a Northern Irish nationalist I have always viewed myself as Irish, however I am curious as to how people in the Republic view people like myself.

Do you think of us as Irish or quasi Irish? Do you have the same attitude to Nationalists and Unionists in the north?
Do you wish we would just piss-off and leave you all alone?

Of course you are 100% no one can take that away from you.

Sir Humphrey Appleby

Derrydoc wrote: »

When i was reading this thread
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057015656
I was surprised to see the attitudes of many posters towards Northern Ireland. I don't mean people not supporting a united Ireland as there are many arguments to be made against that,
What surprised me was the posters who wanted nothing to do with the place or the people within it.
Now being a Northern Irish nationalist I have always viewed myself as Irish, however I am curious as to how people in the Republic view people like myself.

Do you think of us as Irish or quasi Irish? Do you have the same attitude to Nationalists and Unionists in the north?
Do you wish we would just piss-off and leave you all alone?

You are entitled to Irish citizenship and/or UK citizenship , so its up to you.
Obviously being born on the island of Ireland you are Irish, but being from Northern Ireland you might consider yourself Northern Irish.

kneemos

Be anything you want just fuc k up about it.

Seachmall

For me "Irish" means a citizen of the Republic of Ireland.

Unless you're a celebrity, in which case c'mon me Irish brother!

Doom

Dad, am I Irish?.....Shut up and finish your Whiskey!

Dostoevsky

Derrydoc wrote: »

When i was reading this thread
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057015656
I was surprised to see the attitudes of many posters towards Northern Ireland. I don't mean people not supporting a united Ireland as there are many arguments to be made against that,
What surprised me was the posters who wanted nothing to do with the place or the people within it.
Now being a Northern Irish nationalist I have always viewed myself as Irish, however I am curious as to how people in the Republic view people like myself.

Do you think of us as Irish or quasi Irish? Do you have the same attitude to Nationalists and Unionists in the north?
Do you wish we would just piss-off and leave you all alone?

Well, 300,000 Irish people are in Derry this weekend for the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann. I don't think any of those people would see Derry or its people as less Irish than, say, the towns or people in Sligo, Cavan or Clonmel. I certainly don't. Although I wouldn't equate Catholic with nationalist in the North and find in unionist-dominated areas there are far more "Roman Catholics" who are culturally British than Irish nationalists who are culturally more Irish.

PS: Surely, you're an Irish nationalist living in the North, rather than a "Northern Irish nationalist" (which could make you a loyalist!).

galwayrush

I remember Ian Paisley saying Norn Iron cattle were Irish during the BSE scare.:D

Dostoevsky

Seachmall wrote: »

For me "Irish" means a citizen of the Republic of Ireland.

So, Seán O'Neill of Tyrone is not Irish, but Seán O'Neill of Monaghan is Irish? Did any Irish people exist in Ireland before Independence for most of the country in December 1922?

Fr_Dougal

Derrydoc wrote: »

When i was reading this thread
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057015656
I was surprised to see the attitudes of many posters towards Northern Ireland. I don't mean people not supporting a united Ireland as there are many arguments to be made against that,
What surprised me was the posters who wanted nothing to do with the place or the people within it.
Now being a Northern Irish nationalist I have always viewed myself as Irish, however I am curious as to how people in the Republic view people like myself.

Do you think of us as Irish or quasi Irish? Do you have the same attitude to Nationalists and Unionists in the north?
Do you wish we would just piss-off and leave you all alone?

No.
Neither.
Yes.
Yes.

Seachmall

Dostoevsky wrote: »

Did any Irish people exist in Ireland before Independence for most of the country in December 1922?

No. Prior to December 1922 the only life in Ireland was purely hypothetical.

WoollyRedHat

Fr_Dougal wrote: »

No.
Neither.
Yes.
Yes.

Your eloquence and mastery of getting to the nub of a question is most excellent Father.

Dostoevsky

Seachmall wrote: »

No. Prior to December 1922 the only life in Ireland was purely hypothetical.

Stupid answer. You seem to be contending in this thread that Irish people who live under British rule in Ireland today are not Irish, but are British. Do you extend that to all the people of Ireland prior to 6 December 1922 when most of the country got independence from Britain? Did the Irish people exist then, or were they all British?

topcatcbr

Derrydoc wrote: »

When i was reading this thread
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057015656

Do you think of us as Irish or quasi Irish? Do you have the same attitude to Nationalists and Unionists in the north?
Do you wish we would just piss-off and leave you all alone?

I for one don't think of you at all.

I have lots of family from and living up north. They are from Ireland the part that belongs to the UK.

Why would you care what we think. Live your life and get on with it.

Sir Humphrey Appleby

Dostoevsky wrote: »

So, Seán O'Neill of Tyrone is not Irish, but Seán O'Neill of Monaghan is Irish? Did any Irish people exist in Ireland before Independence for most of the country in December 1922?

Of course both are Irish, being born on the Island of Ireland and equally entitled to Irish citizenship (that is technically, as i understand it citizenship of this state).
However the Tyrone man has the option of choosing to define himself as Northern Irish, or even (somewhat inaccuratley, but we know what is meant) British.
The tyrone man comes out on top, he has choices!

Artful_Badger

To me your Irish as are everyone else in NI, if you're born and raised on the Isle of Ireland your Irish.

Sir Humphrey Appleby

Just checked whats left of my Bushmills, it says Irish Whiskey.:D

The Backwards Man

You're a Derry mucker.

Cee-Jay-Cee

If you were born in Northern Ireland and live in NI then you are northern irish. If you were born in the 26 counties and live here then you are Irish. There has to be some distinguishment as they're both different countries.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

"Am I Irish" is a bit like asking "am I six foot tall" - there's an easy way to find out and it takes minutes.

It doesn't define who you are as a person though.

Son Of A Vidic

Yes OP you are Irish. Once you're born on the island of Ireland you are Irish to me.

Seachmall

Dostoevsky wrote: »

Stupid answer. You seem to be contending in this thread that Irish people who live under British rule in Ireland today are not Irish, but are British. Do you extend that to all the people of Ireland prior to 6 December 1922 when most of the country got independence from Britain? Did the Irish people exist then, or were they all British?

Define "Irish" for me.

Derrydoc

Princess Consuela Bananahammock wrote: »

"Am I Irish" is a bit like asking "am I six foot tall" - there's an easy way to find out and it takes minutes.

It doesn't define who you are as a person though.

I agree it doesn't define me or anyone else as a person. A better title would probably have been "Do you view me as Irish."

Magill

I'm Irish. Do i care if someone from the south disagrees with that ? No.. because anyone that does is most likely an asshole and their opinion therefore means very little to me. Saying that, doesn't mean i would want a united Ireland.. the republic can't even manage itself, no need to add more weight to its tiny shoulders.

minidazzler

I think there should be an Northern Irish specific passport as a further step toward stopping people thinking of the place as us and them, I know that one step would do very little, but it's the little steps over all that would help.

That said, considering yourselves Irish is fair enough.

Sir Humphrey Appleby

Derrydoc wrote: »

I agree it doesn't define me or anyone else as a person. A better title would probably have been "Do you view me as Irish."

Yes.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Derrydoc wrote: »

I agree it doesn't define me or anyone else as a person. A better title would probably have been "Do you view me as Irish."

I bit like asking "do you view me as 6 foot tall"? It desn't matter people view you as: they are factually right or wrong.

Irish is a natinoality. Beyond that, you'll need to clarify the definition.

Il Trap

Yes OP. You are an Irish citizen, you identify yourself as Irish and you are as Irish as any other Irish citizen wherever they may be. Can't believe so many people have difficulty comprehending something so fcuking simple.

Davidius

Being Irish is not some privilege extended to you by the "real" Irish people of the republic. We don't become the one true arbiters of Irishness just because we were born on this side of the partition.

galwayrush

What do you want to be OP? You have a choice so pick what you prefer.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Davidius wrote: »

Being Irish is not a privilege extended to you by the "real" Irish people of the republic. We don't become the one true arbiters of Irishness just because we were born on this side of the partition.

Who gives a **** what they thing?!

Derrydoc

Cheers for all the replies.
It's not that I want affirmation of my Irishness from the "proper Irish" down south, I am just interested in how you all view people like myself and our Irishness.

Cee-Jay-Cee

Magill wrote: »

I'm Irish. Do i care if someone from the south disagrees with that ? No.. because anyone that does is most likely an asshole and their opinion therefore means very little to me. Saying that, doesn't mean i would want a united Ireland.. the republic can't even manage itself, no need to add more weight to its tiny shoulders.

But it does mean something to you when you have labelled them as an asshole, if it didn't bother you then you would have no opinion of any sort of that person.

You are northern irish, you have a typical northern irish view of the republic and Irish people in that you think you are better than us and that we are in some way inferior.

We are in agreement though in regard to united ireland, I don't want one either. Call yourself irish if you so wish but in reality you are not and the one race of people that are entitled to cast an opinion on whether you are or not are us assholes down here in the Republic, The Irish.

Derrydoc

CJC999 wrote: »

We are in agreement though in regard to united ireland, I don't want one either. Call yourself irish if you so wish but in reality you are not and the one race of people that are entitled to cast an opinion on whether you are or not are us assholes down here in the Republic, The Irish.

Should I bin my Irish passport then?

Magill

CJC999 wrote: »

But it does mean something to you when you have labelled them as an asshole, if it didn't bother you then you would have no opinion of any sort of that person.

You are northern irish, you have a typical northern irish view of the republic and Irish people in that you think you are better than us and that we are in some way inferior.

We are in agreement though in regard to united ireland, I don't want one either. Call yourself irish if you so wish but in reality you are not and the one race of people that are entitled to cast an opinion on whether you are or not are us assholes down here in the Republic, The Irish.

Thanks for proving my point

NuckingFacker

Round here, they think people from the next county are foreigners, never mind you, OP.

Keith300

Derrydoc wrote: »

When i was reading this thread
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057015656
I was surprised to see the attitudes of many posters towards Northern Ireland. I don't mean people not supporting a united Ireland as there are many arguments to be made against that,
What surprised me was the posters who wanted nothing to do with the place or the people within it.
Now being a Northern Irish nationalist I have always viewed myself as Irish, however I am curious as to how people in the Republic view people like myself.

Do you think of us as Irish or quasi Irish? Do you have the same attitude to Nationalists and Unionists in the north?
Do you wish we would just piss-off and leave you all alone?

I'd consider you Northern Irish, not Irish.

To be proper Irish you really need to have been immersed in the culture and had to have endured being taught Irish terribly for 14 years. Things like that.

karma_

CJC999 wrote: »

If you were born in Northern Ireland and live in NI then you are northern irish. If you were born in the 26 counties and live here then you are Irish. There has to be some distinguishment as they're both different countries.

Holy suffering f**k.

Two points.

Firstly, OP I'm from Derry also, I'm Irish, not Northern Irish or British. Never been any debate about that whatsoever.

Secondly - After Hours.

Cee-Jay-Cee

Derrydoc wrote: »

Should I bin my Irish passport then?

A passport is simply a travel document. There are thousands of people who were born all over Europe, United States, Africa Asia and Australia who hold irish passports, it doesn't make them irish, it makes them an Irish citizen which gives them a legal entitlement to live or travel freely here.

Keith300

karma_ wrote: »

Holy suffering f**k.

Two points.

Firstly, OP I'm from Derry also, I'm Irish, not Northern Irish or British. Never been any debate about that whatsoever.

Secondly - After Hours.

Not seeing any evidence you are Irish yet, you'll have to elaborate.

karma_

CJC999 wrote: »

A passport is simply a travel document. There are thousands of people who were born all over Europe, United States, Africa Asia and Australia who hold irish passports, it doesn't make them irish, it makes them an Irish citizen which gives them a legal entitlement to live or travel freely here.

Did you have to get any specific training to make you this ignorant or did it just come naturally?

karma_

Keith300 wrote: »

Not seeing any evidence you are Irish yet, you'll have to elaborate.

Evidence for what? There is no debate, no discussion, no exchange of opinion on the matter of my nationality - it just is, accept it.

pablomakaveli

I view people from NI as Northern Irish. I've no argument with them viewing themselves as Irish,British or Northern Irish. Whatever suits them.

But if they're from Northern Ireland to me their Northern Irish.

Davidius

Princess Consuela Bananahammock wrote: »

Who gives a **** what they thing?!

Ideally nobody. But it is concerning seeing northerners seem disillusioned by some of the "you're not Irish" attitudes they get in the republic.

Derrydoc

CJC999 wrote: »

A passport is simply a travel document. There are thousands of people who were born all over Europe, United States, Africa Asia and Australia who hold irish passports, it doesn't make them irish, it makes them an Irish citizen which gives them a legal entitlement to live or travel freely here.

Ah I see so I am an Irish citizen with all that entails but I am not Irish cheers for clarifying that for me.
Can you see no distinction between me and other people in Northern Ireland who embrace Irish culture and History and those around the world who have a passport for any number of reasons?

pablomakaveli

Davidius wrote: »

Ideally nobody. But it is concerning seeing some northerners seem disillusioned by some of the "you're not Irish" attitudes they get in the republic.

Given a lot of them seem to call us Free Staters i guess that makes things equal then.

karma_

pablomakaveli wrote: »

Given a lot of them seem to call us Free Staters i guess that makes things equal then.

You're talking cack guy. I haven't heard anyone up here use that term in well over 25 years.

rolliepoley

I always thought that if you were born on the island of ireland then you are irish, there was'nt always partition in this country.
The only way you would'nt be irish is if there was a huge trench dug along the border to separate the south from the north and push the north out to sea.

COYW

Derrydoc wrote: »

Should I bin my Irish passport then?

Why would you do that? A passport is just a document for travel. Plenty of people have multiple passports. There are people out there who have Irish passports who have never even been to Ireland.

Do you not have a British passport also. If not, why not?