What so English school books say about Ireland?

alastair

Grandeeod wrote: »

Speaking of the BBC, Des Lynam in 1993 referred to the location of the Eurovision song contest in Ireland (Millstreet) as being a cow shed. Why? Because it was in a rural area, despite being a really fabulous showcase and TV production. More ignorance and stereotypical BS.

You'd think they'd get it right. It was a horse shed.

Conmaicne Mara

tac foley wrote: »

I never encountered any comment of any kind, nor did my dad, or any of his brothers and sisters. I DID face a lot of unpleasant remarks when going over to Ireland as a child, because I didn't speak the same ways as my relatives there did. That is because I was brought up for my very early years by my Welsh-speaking grandfather, and my English/French and Hebrew-speaking grandmother, so what do you expect?

tac

Am I correctly reading your thoughts, that you did not encounter any anti Irish sentiment in the UK because you blended in there.............

I went to Bolton training for a week, had one encounter with a particularly bright fellow driving a Bobcat on a site in Garstang. Pulled up talking to one of the other English lads, who introduced myself and the fellow I was there with. On hearing where I was from the Bobcat driver seemed concerned as to the whereabouts of my balaclava. To reassure him I did ask for his home address and that I would be sure to call to him when I found it. But, he must have been late for his duties as he took off in a bit of a hurry looking unsure of himself.

So anyway, that means absolutely nothing, except for when you don't blend in and meet the "right" sort of people.

tac foley

Conmaicne Mara wrote: »

Am I correctly reading your thoughts, that you did not encounter any anti Irish sentiment in the UK because you blended in there.............

So anyway, that means absolutely nothing, except for when you don't blend in and meet the "right" sort of people.

Well, I'm pretty old, and my dad went over to UK in the early 40's, and we lived in a neighbourhood in London with many nationalities, Indian, Jamaican, Armenian and others, so Irish was a meh. Add to that the HUGE Irish population around our local streets anyhow [at least fifteen families with kids - LOTs of kids] and the largest RC church in that part of London at the end of the street, and you'll see why nobody gave a hoot. On a Sunday morning, the front of the local greengrocers was closed off, and made into a newspaper stall, where all the Irish newspapers were sold.

No, nobody noticed me, or him.

I had another string to my bow, however, since I did not then, and do not now, have any kind of Irish accent. I arrived in London aged five, and speaking three languages plus my maternal step-grandfather's Welsh, and not having lived with my parents since I was maybe two, I never 'took on' my dad's thick Cork accent, or that of his brother and sisters. My mom was an English/French and Hebrew speaker.

What I do have, when I'm back at home in Canada, is a distinctly red-nack Ontario backwoods accent, when we are not in Québec, where I'm useful as my familiy's only French speaker.

But I speak standard English, most of time, uness I'm hassled.

End of interrogation - can I go now?

tac

InTheTrees

I went to a british public school.

I remember learning about Home Rule and all the complexities of that which did necessitate some background. Although I dont remember the name O'Connell ever being mentioned.

The Easter Rising is mentioned just as a footnote to WW1. The Brit General Strike got more coverage.

Obviously Cromwell is covered, negatively as well, but not because of what he did in Ireland.