Do you consider yourself european?

Censorsh!t

Okay, obviously, I know, technically Irish are European. But I always find it very odd when people refer to me as European.

When I was in S. Africa someone was saying how important manners are because they know "Europeans can be very rude". My first thought was "but I'm not European...not in that sense anyway!"

When someone speaks of Europe, I always think Spain, France, Germany, mainland Europe basically. Yet Ireland would never enter my head.

Would you consider yourself European? Do you think Ireland is a 'European' country? In the cultural sense of the word.

Phew...how many times can I say Europe in one post!

Lapin

I'm a Galwayman first and foremost.

Then Irish.

European somewhere further down the line.

Rightwing

Censorsh!t wrote: »

Okay, obviously, I know, technically Irish are European. But I always find it very odd when people refer to me as European.

When I was in S. Africa someone was saying how important manners are because they know "Europeans can be very rude". My first thought was "but I'm not European...not in that sense anyway!"

When someone speaks of Europe, I always think Spain, France, Germany, mainland Europe basically. Yet Ireland would never enter my head.

Would you consider yourself European? Do you think Ireland is a 'European' country? In the cultural sense of the word.

Phew...how many times can I say Europe in one post!

Absolutely, that's why I drive on motorways. That's where the cash came from.

cloud493

No. But then I suppose physical detachment and being a small island, both in the UK and Ireland, changes your perspective.

wazky

Well look at it this way, when you look at the Euro section on Pornhub do you see freckly, redhead'ed Sineads and Deirdres going at it?

bnt

I'm "European" in my drinking habits: occasional drinks with food, no drinking to get drunk. The way you do it here in Ireland - explicitly planning to get "locked" - is not "European".

Fat Christy

Nope, I'm Irish. I would never refer to myself as being European...

suicide_circus

I am the product of a western and a central european so, yes I consider myself European.

fits

Yes, very much so. But I work all over Europe which probably contributes to that. I have a very different perspective now, compared to before I left.

sheesh

yes

jimgoose

Ireland, the UK and the USA, being Common Law jurisdictions have a rather different look-and-feel from the Continong, with their Civil Law jurisdictions based partly on Roman law and the Leges Barbarorum. So no, I don't feel particularly European.

fits

bnt wrote: »

I'm "European" in my drinking habits: occasional drinks with food, no drinking to get drunk. The way you do it here in Ireland - explicitly planning to get "locked" - is not "European".

try visiting Nordic countries. They are even worse I would say. Getting drunk rather than socialising is the aim. I think the focus is more on socialising in Ireland.

suicide_circus

bnt wrote: »

I'm "European" in my drinking habits: occasional drinks with food, no drinking to get drunk. The way you do it here in Ireland - explicitly planning to get "locked" - is not "European".

*yawn* hair shirts at the ready!

The notion that all continental euopeans confine their boozing to a small glass wine while eating a long languid sumptuous dinner is laughable. Now the irish and british relationship with drink is somewhat questionable but the those on the continent aren't exactly saintly, they just dont stress or beat themselves up about it.

Philo Beddoe

Yes, most definitely.

c_man

No, not really. Only feel any bit that way when on the continent and think that if anything were to happen it'd be grand since we're all in the EU.

_Kaiser_

Nope not at all.

Consider myself a Dub, then Irish but as far as I'm concerned the EU has been far more trouble for this country (and the other smaller nations) than it's worth.

They should have stopped at the EEC - once they got political aspirations it all went south.

bnt

fits wrote: »

try visiting Nordic countries. They are even worse I would say. Getting drunk rather than socialising is the aim. I think the focus is more on socialising in Ireland.

Oh, I know - I saw a few things on trips to Denmark that would curl your hair, and once shared a house with some Swedes here in Dublin. I couldn't even try to compete with that. But that's not what I meant by "European" drinking, which I did see in France, Spain and Portugal. I expect I'd see different drinking if I visited Slovakia ...

whiskeyman

Only ever consider myself european either at airports (when you see a 'EU' flag at a passport booth and watch the poor suckers queuing for the longer international booth), or if there's some discount / benefit to be had:
EU medical card, etc...

Lenin Skynard

Yes, very much so.

Fuzzytrooper

I've had many conversations with my Polish wife on the subject. Definitely wouldn't consider myself European - more loosely affiliated.

jimgoose

bnt wrote: »

...But that's not what I meant by "European" drinking, which I did see in France, Spain and Portugal. I expect I'd see different drinking if I visited Slovakia ...

Yes, I've witnessed the phenomenon of "European Drinking" as well - I conclude it's because most of 'em wouldn't spend furkan Christmas! :pac:

Iranoutofideas

Not in the slightest. I was over in Germany recently with a friend from the States. He was looking to me for guidance on certain things as I am "European".

I told him I might as well be from the States too as Germany was just as alien to me as to him.

jimgoose

Iranoutofideas wrote: »

Not in the slightest. I was over in Germany recently with a friend from the States. He was looking to me for guidance on certain things as I am "European".

I told him I might as well be from the States too as Germany was just as alien to me as to him.

A few years back I spent a couple of days in Dortmund on a bit of a job. It was like something out of Blade Runner. I was extraordinarily happy to be tucking into Shepherd's Pie with Chips'n'Gravy in Heathrow on the way back, served by a stroppy little Indian cutie with a Sarf Landan accent annat innit?!? Congratulations, you're home! :D

SEPT 23 1989

No I want nothing to do with this European "project"

oceanman

No, even though our dumbass leaders sold us out to Europe, I still consider myself Irish.

preston johnny

Only when I'm eating my Aldi pizza with french fries, drinking wife beater and a swiss roll for afters and going Dutch on the cost.............oh! And when the Ryder cup is on

Dacelonid

fits wrote: »

try visiting Nordic countries. They are even worse I would say. Getting drunk rather than socialising is the aim. I think the focus is more on socialising in Ireland.

Yep, payday in Sweden and Denmark are nuts, from my experience in those countries

jester77

Absolutely.

I have Euros in my wallet, I can travel within Europe without having to show a passport or needing a visa and no need to change currency (mostly), I am free to work anywhere within Europe without any bureaucracy, my driving license is valid within Europe, have european health insurance and so on.

TheBeardedLady

Definitely.

Satriale

Luke Kelly wrote:

Will German, French or Dutch inscribe the epitaph of Emmet?
When we have sold enough of Ireland to be but strangers in it.
For What Died the Sons of Róisín, was it greed

Never

Censorsh!t

jester77 wrote: »

Absolutely.

I have Euros in my wallet, I can travel within Europe without having to show a passport or needing a visa and no need to change currency (mostly), I am free to work anywhere within Europe without any bureaucracy, my driving license is valid within Europe, have european health insurance and so on.

Yes, as I said we are technically European.

But I mean in a cultural way.