Off Topic Thread 3.0

mfceiling

Yeah but I might as well be American as European. I like burgers and pizza like my Atlantic cousins.

It's all a bit forced I think - you're European...am I? Why? I don't really associate being British or Irish (joys of growing up in the troubles!!). I certainly have never thought "wow I'm so pleased to be European.

I go to Italy on my holidays and nothing really feels like there is much in common with Ireland, yet we're all European, all lumped in together by what is essentially a giant land mass.

Ah I'm waffling away to myself here!! It feels like telling the average irish person "ah sure you may as well be a Brit...you follow the same soccer team, drink the same beer, watch the same tv programmes and read the same papers"..."bollocks I am....I'm European".
"You never struck me as having the slightest bit in common with that handsome italian lad there sipping his cappuccino"

irishbucsfan

As our saying, that we invented, goes. Irish by birth, Leinster by the grace of god.

Stheno

irishbucsfan wrote: »

As our saying, that we invented, goes. Irish by birth, Leinster by the grace of god.

Thats the problem mfc is Ulster

Bazzo

awec wrote: »

I am opposed to the concept of borders and political carveups of our beautiful planet, so I identy as earthling and earthling alone.

"Earthling" is such a restrictive term. I identify as a Milky Wayan.

irishbucsfan

Bazzo wrote: »

"Earthling" is such a restrictive term. I identify as a Milky Wayan.

Awec is notoriously intolerant of extra-terrestrials.

Stheno

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Awec is notoriously intolerant of extra-terrestrials.

If they made an irish men in black awec would be the pug masquerading alien

pickarooney

Bazzo wrote: »

"Earthling" is such a restrictive term. I identify as a Milky Wayan.

Like Damon and Ramon's pasty cousin?

awec

Bazzo wrote: »

"Earthling" is such a restrictive term. I identify as a Milky Wayan.

Oh you're one of those people :rolleyes:

Felix Jones is God

Anybody seen my golliwog doll...Can't sleep without it

Neil3030

mfceiling wrote: »

I go to Italy on my holidays and nothing really feels like there is much in common with Ireland, yet we're all European, all lumped in together by what is essentially a giant land mass.

As an Irish person who has lived in Italy or amongst Italians for the best part of the last 6 years, I was actually surprised to learn how much Italians don't consider Irish people to be like the rest of Northern Europeans, and instead consider us to be more like them - on the grounds that we are very family oriented, good humoured, foul mouthed, blasphemous, open and social.

CMOTDibbler

mfceiling wrote: »

Yeah but I might as well be American as European. I like burgers and pizza like my Atlantic cousins.

It's all a bit forced I think - you're European...am I? Why? I don't really associate being British or Irish (joys of growing up in the troubles!!). I certainly have never thought "wow I'm so pleased to be European.

I go to Italy on my holidays and nothing really feels like there is much in common with Ireland, yet we're all European, all lumped in together by what is essentially a giant land mass.

Ah I'm waffling away to myself here!! It feels like telling the average irish person "ah sure you may as well be a Brit...you follow the same soccer team, drink the same beer, watch the same tv programmes and read the same papers"..."bollocks I am....I'm European".
"You never struck me as having the slightest bit in common with that handsome italian lad there sipping his cappuccino"

The way I see it is that we have a shared history.

Even think of rugby and the four/five/six nations. Shared for decades. But as far back as you go, there's been migration, invasion and trade between all the countries of Europe. Even some of our surnames and given names have roots in other European nations. Our languages share common roots and words.

Podge_irl

Europe is quite the melting pot of different cultures alright, but I still feel like I have a lot more in common with Europeans in general then, for example, Americans despite the language barrier.

I'm not exactly the most well integrated person in mainland Europe of course but there are about 16 nationalities in the office here and I feel most similar to the other Europeans. Except the Russians, they're weird.

molloyjh

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Bazzo wrote: »

"Earthling" is such a restrictive term. I identify as a Milky Wayan.

Awec is notoriously intolerant of extra-terrestrials.

I believe he's actually fine with extra-terrestrials. It's only the project earthlings that are an issue.

Zzippy

irishbucsfan wrote: »

https://twitter.com/auld__stock/status/821083748456398851

Jaysus

Been following Gavan Hennigan's updates, less than 1000 miles to go and still ahead of loads of boats with 2, 3 and 4 rowers! Serious challenge to undertake...

mfceiling

A farmer from Tyrone proposed to his girlfriend by spray-painting 'MARRY ME?' on a cow
http://www.dailyedge.ie/farmer-proposes-with-cow-3191918-Jan2017/

Yep, that's how we roll in tyrone.

Synode

mfceiling wrote: »

A farmer from Tyrone proposed to his girlfriend by spray-painting 'MARRY ME?' on a cow
http://www.dailyedge.ie/farmer-proposes-with-cow-3191918-Jan2017/

Yep, that's how we roll in tyrone.

Smoooooooooooooooooth

Zzippy

A lad from home, who happens to be a vet, was going out with a girl from the poshest part of south county Dublin (he's a north county man). He decided to propose but did the traditional thing of asking her father first. The oul' lad, a very wealthy man, thinks he's hilarious and plays the old "well if I'm going to let my daughter marry a farmer I'd better demand a dowry" joke.

Yer man proposes, gets the nod, they have a party, everyone heads to bed. Sunday morning, 8am, leafy Blackrock, the pompous father-in-law is awoken by the sound of a cattle trailer unloading 6 Charolais calves onto his manicured lawn...

mfceiling

Zzippy wrote: »

A lad from home, who happens to be a vet, was going out with a girl from the poshest part of south county Dublin (he's a north county man). He decided to propose but did the traditional thing of asking her father first. The oul' lad, a very wealthy man, thinks he's hilarious and plays the old "well if I'm going to let my daughter marry a farmer I'd better demand a dowry" joke.

Yer man proposes, gets the nod, they have a party, everyone heads to bed. Sunday morning, 8am, leafy Blackrock, the pompous father-in-law is awoken by the sound of a cattle trailer unloading 6 Charolais calves onto his manicured lawn...

That's class!! Big Isuzu trooper with an ifor williams twin axle reversing up a drive in Blackrock....priceless!!

swiwi_

Reckon it's time the Irish govt took gang crime more seriously. It's basically tit for tat vigilantism in Dublin at the moment and the Garda seem out of their depth.

Zzippy

swiwi_ wrote: »

Reckon it's time the Irish govt took gang crime more seriously. It's basically tit for tat vigilantism in Dublin at the moment and the Garda seem out of their depth.

It's not a voter issue though - most people don't care as long as they're killing each other.

Buer

Zzippy wrote: »

It's not a voter issue though - most people don't care as long as they're killing each other.

Precisely. This isn't an issue for 95% of the population. It has zero impact on their lives.

You'll see far more coverage in the media in relation to Apollo House or water charges these days. It will take something really shocking to get the public focus on the gangland killings. It will need for the killings to spill over into the middle class areas for it to really generate the sort of outrage we haven't seen since the death of Shane Geoghegan.

I may sound completely callous and dismissive but, in terms of public perception, gang crime is old hat.

swiwi_

Zzippy wrote: »

It's not a voter issue though - most people don't care as long as they're killing each other.

I agree. But aside from setting a bad precedent by letting the gangs dish out their own justice, you risk cases of mistaken identity etc, like the innocent man gunned down in Spain.

Zzippy

swiwi_ wrote: »

I agree. But aside from setting a bad precedent by letting the gangs dish out their own justice, you risk cases of mistaken identity etc, like the innocent man gunned down in Spain.

Yep, and the young lad doing a plumbing job in a house where the occupant was murdered, who was shot just for being there and being a possible witness.
In fairness to the gardai they have put huge resources into it this year - witness the saturation policing in Dublin's inner city, Sheriff St area in particular, but they can't be everywhere all the time and these scum are determined to get each other. It's not like the gardai aren't trying to stop gangland justice, my point was the ordinary voters don't really care about them, so the government certainly won't - there are no votes in it for them. Sad reality...

thomond2006

Buer wrote: »

Precisely. This isn't an issue for 95% of the population. It has zero impact on their lives.

You'll see far more coverage in the media in relation to Apollo House or water charges these days. It will take something really shocking to get the public focus on the gangland killings. It will need for the killings to spill over into the middle class areas for it to really generate the sort of outrage we haven't seen since the death of Shane Geoghegan.

I may sound completely callous and dismissive but, in terms of public perception, gang crime is old hat.

Would it be fair to say it took the Veronica Guerin murder to focus minds on the gangland problems of the time?

CatFromHue

Are the Gardai out of their depth?

I thought they'd foiled a hit or two and caught a few guys involved.

I haven't been following that closely but that's not too bad I would have thought.

Buer

thomond2006 wrote: »

Would it be fair to say it took the Veronica Guerin murder to focus minds on the gangland problems of the time?

Definitely moved it onto another level but gangland crime was extremely publicised at the time already due to the likes of Guerin and her work.

Her murder was one that was very easily used as a focal point for the campaign against the gangland crimes by the authorities to gain additional powers and public support though. She was young, female and popular which made it a complete departure from other murders prior to that such as Martin Cahill.

That made it much more easy for the authorities to establish entities like the CAB on the back of her death.

thomond2006

Anti-Trump protests...in Dublin?

sydthebeat

RBB and his AAA?

Buer

Buer wrote: »

Definitely moved it onto another level but gangland crime was extremely publicised at the time already due to the likes of Guerin and her work.

Her murder was one that was very easily used as a focal point for the campaign against the gangland crimes by the authorities to gain additional powers and public support though. She was young, female and popular which made it a complete departure from other murders prior to that such as Martin Cahill.

That made it much more easy for the authorities to establish entities like the CAB on the back of her death.

I'm amazed that father who was killed a while back while on holiday with his kids has fallen out of the memory. That was an appalling case of mistaken identity and I think it happened right in front of his family.

Podge_irl

thomond2006 wrote: »

Anti-Trump protests...in Dublin?

They're all over the place. I find it somewhat asinine to be honest.