Northern Ireland

Geiger

Since most of the people that use the boards are from the south, I just wanna ask how you view the North? I'm not looking for anything specific, maybe you think of it the same as the rest of Ireland. Just interested...

Tar.Aldarion

lol ya i do thing of it as the same as the rest of ireland tbh...

LadyJ

It's part of the island but it's a seperate nation.

Tar.Aldarion

although thats true,i never have thought about it like that.when i go to belfast etc i dont think anything is different from the rest of ireland because it's the same island.

Pet

I'd see it as a part of the UK to be honest, a separate entity on the same island.

Big Ears

Pet wrote:

I'd see it as a part of Britain to be honest, a separate entity on the same island.

technically its a part of the UK but not part of Britain , but that is very technical .

county

it is but try telling ian he is not a brit

solas

I don't really think about it very often. It's northern Ireland, a seperate entity. I suppose I don't see it as being the same as the rest of Ireland.

simu

They're all mad up there, or so people say.

Gazza22

Well for a few years i had a fear of Northern Ireland because i heard people from the Republic get a really hard time when they go there but i went to N.Ireland last year...all went fine so in my book it's alright.

But i admit, when i think of N.Ireland, the first thing that enters my mind is a hate for England...

Tar.Aldarion

ya but i love all the people i've met from england.they are nicer now it seems :P

Gazza22

Yeah Tar, i would agree with you on that...but i will continue to hate the British government until there is a united Ireland

Tar.Aldarion

ok i've started my own plan.;) my bro and sister now live in britain...ie we are slowly going to colonise britain and then there will be a united british isles under the power of the irish :P

Kwekubo

When I think of Northern Ireland, I feel a little depressed. I'm no crazy Shinner now, but it looks like partition really has succeeded in dividing Ireland into two communities. I get the feeling that a united Ireland, some way down the line, will be the result of all this, but I may be wrong.

solas

?

joe.

solas wrote:

?

Exactly

Ladypawpaw

gazza22 wrote:

Yeah Tar, i would agree with you on that...but i will continue to hate the British government until there is a united Ireland

Why? Seems a tad petty to me. The British government and the vast majority of the British public would happily hand over the north tommorow if it was possible, it is costing them loads of money. Also, the current British government have done wonders for the north.

By the way, there never was a "united Ireland" before the brits invaded.

Ladypawpaw

gazza22 wrote:

But i admit, when i think of N.Ireland, the first thing that enters my mind is a hate for England...

That is just as open minded and mature as the paddy-bashings in the UK during the IRA's bombing frenzy in the 70's.

Tar.Aldarion

''Why? Seems a tad petty to me.'' lol at first i thought you were calling me petty for liking english people.
there are reasons to hate the english gov but his is not one.

solas

as far as I can see North and south are already united in their cause for peace and an end to hatred and stuff.... I don't really care if Norn Iron decide to draw themselves a new flag and declare monarchy to the union, as long as we can all get some peace.... and quiet.

joe.

1. This is the wrong forum. There's already a topic in politics on this

2. This topic is a load of c0ck

Mr.Nice Guy

LadyJ wrote:

It's part of the island but it's a seperate nation.

It's a separate state but it's part of the Irish nation.

stevenmu

When I hear fellow southerners views on NI I'm always amazed, and a little ashamed, at how quickly our collective memories have forgotten what life was like under British occupation. As far as I'm concerned (and I'll admit that I'm not very good at history), the original fight for independance was less about flags, monarchies and religious beliefs than it was about freedom, human rights and democracy. I also see that as being the basis for the IRAs modern fight for a united Ireland. That's not to say I agree with the violence, I think the same goals could have been achieved much easier through peacefull means. Anyhow, I wouldn't currently see NI as just another part of Ireland, or just another part of England, as long as it remains occupied territory then that's exactly how I'll see it.

Sarky

Northern Ireland is a funny old place.

Nice to visit, but I wouldn't live there. Mostly because of the pathetic childish attitudes of those on both sides of the "It's OUR land not yours!" argument. As if it actually matters. Honestly, I've seen more mature settlements in primary school playgrounds over who's "it" or whether that goal was really a goal because James is a big girl and anyway he loves his mammy.

Nuttzz

they are all oddballs up there, the drinking water supply should be laced with prozac from June to September...

StupidLikeAFox

Sarky wrote:

Northern Ireland is a funny old place.

Nice to visit, but I wouldn't live there. Mostly because of the pathetic childish attitudes of those on both sides of the "It's OUR land not yours!" argument. As if it actually matters. Honestly, I've seen more mature settlements in primary school playgrounds over who's "it" or whether that goal was really a goal because James is a big girl and anyway he loves his mammy.

Yeah but it went OVER the jumper!

solas

stevenmu wrote:

When I hear fellow southerners views on NI I'm always amazed, and a little ashamed, at how quickly our collective memories have forgotten what life was like under British occupation. As far as I'm concerned (and I'll admit that I'm not very good at history), the original fight for independance was less about flags, monarchies and religious beliefs than it was about freedom, human rights and democracy. I also see that as being the basis for the IRAs modern fight for a united Ireland. That's not to say I agree with the violence, I think the same goals could have been achieved much easier through peacefull means. Anyhow, I wouldn't currently see NI as just another part of Ireland, or just another part of England, as long as it remains occupied territory then that's exactly how I'll see it.

I haven't forgotten the past, I'm just living in the present. I think the resurgance of nationalism/patriotism stems from the current US climate...and I don't really want to buy into it.

lacuna

stevenmu wrote:

When I hear fellow southerners views on NI I'm always amazed, and a little ashamed, at how quickly our collective memories have forgotten what life was like under British occupation.

I think it's just that most of us weren't alive during the Britsh occupation...

BossArky

Perhaps a bit off topic, but let me tell you the three sounds that drive me crazy:

1) Bag Pipes
2) A Northern Ireland accent
3) A Cork accent.

I shall cower and await the volley of abuse.

Mr.Nice Guy

BossArky wrote:

Perhaps a bit off topic, but let me tell you the three sounds that drive me crazy:

1) Bag Pipes
2) A Northern Ireland accent
3) A Cork accent.

I shall cower and await the volley of abuse.

You don't like bagpipes? You're beneath contempt.

Hydroquinone

Mr.Nice Guy wrote:

It's a separate state but it's part of the Irish nation.

Fraid not. If it was part of the Irish nation - whatever that might mean - then citizens of it would be able to vote in Irish constitutional referenda. Or in Irish elections.
Which they're not.
How ironic, eh? When the last referendum we had concerned itself with the rights of who should or should not have Irish citizenship and yet any Irish citizen resident anywhere else in the world, apart from here didn't get a vote. Even those living on the same island. And why? Because it's a different country.

StupidLikeAFox

But theyre allowed irish passports and considered citizens of ireland, thats a bit silly...

Flukey

Geiger wrote:

Since most of the people that use the boards are from the south.

To be proper about it, you will find that that is not the case. Myself and probably a lot of the others here in and around Dublin, would be from the east! We've probably got a lot of people from the west too and the midlands, so it would definitely be the case that most of us are not from the south. Of course, using the definition of the south that you are using, we have the scenario that the most northerly point in Ireland is in the "south" and there are places where you can travel in a northerly direction from to get to the "south."

As to the politics of this, now that is a whole different discussion, one with many facets. You can go back 836 years on this one. The politics board is the place for it, and where you will find plenty about it. It is probably best to adjourn to there!

Citizen_Erased

When I'm travelling through belfast airport I dont consider myself home until I've passed the border into Donegal. Really , there is an incredible contrast which becomes evident when you regularly travel between the two states.

stevenmu

solas wrote:

I haven't forgotten the past, I'm just living in the present. I think the resurgance of nationalism/patriotism stems from the current US climate...and I don't really want to buy into it.

The thing is that living under occupation is in the past for us in the south but not for those in the north, and there have been some appaling violations of the human rights of catholics/republicans living there by the british government and it's agencies. I believe it's gotten a lot better in recent years but you only have to look at the results of the recent elections to see that it's still not right. A huge majority of those elected were unionists, when the majority of the population are republican. I do agree with you that the past needs to be forgotten/forgiven to help with peace in the present/future (I think that's what you're getting at anyway) but there are still big changes that need to be made.

the jew

Flukey wrote:

To be proper about it, you will find that that is not the case. Myself and probably a lot of the others here in and around Dublin, would be from the east! We've probably got a lot of people from the west too and the midlands, so it would definitely be the case that most of us are not from the south. Of course, using the definition of the south that you are using, we have the scenario that the most northerly point in Ireland is in the "south" and there are places where you can travel in a northerly direction from to get to the "south."

ffs, you know what the op means.


anyway the main thing i think when i go up the north is that it looks the exact same as england, all the sign posts are different and the roads have fancy little white stones on the surface, looks nicer than the south. it just feels like a part of england, although i don't view england as being that much different to ireland, not like going to spain or some other european place where you just feel like it's a completely different country, if you know what i'm saying.

cournioni

I only live about 13 miles from the border so I know and work with alot of people from up there. I have to say that NI to me is just the same as any other part of Ireland. To sum it up I think that it is occupied territory of Ireland. That is all really.

toiletduck

to me it's just part of the UK, thats what the majority there want and tbh thats grand with me.

MooShop

the jew wrote:

ffs, you know what the op means.


anyway the main thing i think when i go up the north is that it looks the exact same as england, all the sign posts are different and the roads have fancy little white stones on the surface, looks nicer than the south. it just feels like a part of england, although i don't view england as being that much different to ireland, not like going to spain or some other european place where you just feel like it's a completely different country, if you know what i'm saying.

yes this is true roads are better and signposts different like in england. they still use sterling and not Euro. though it is part of this island its a different state, got its own government and everything.

off topic: the jew, i like your sig, where did you get it??

the jew

PORNAPSTER wrote:

I only live about 13 miles from the border so I know and work with alot of people from up there. I have to say that NI to me is just the same as any other part of Ireland. To sum it up I think that it is occupied territory of Ireland. That is all really.

I live beside the border aswell, dunno how many miles, what ever dundalk is, about 15 min drive or something, so there are a lot of northerner's in the area, i'm not saying i treat the people any different to if they were from the south but when you go up the north you just know it's different to where you're used to, you can't say if someone landed you in northern ireland you wouldn't know that you're not in the republic, where as if some landed you in some random spot in ireland you would probably know that you're still in the south.

the jew

MooShop wrote:

off topic: the jew, i like your sig, where did you get it??

can't remember exactly, just had it saved on my computer from some random website.

DoraDelite

stevenmu wrote:

A huge majority of those elected were unionists, when the majority of the population are republican.

Wrong. The population spread is (roughly) 52/3% Protestant, 42/3% Catholic and 9/10% Other. Religion doesn't necessarily define political persuasion. And in the recent Northern elections there wasn't a HUGH majority of Unionists elected.

WhiteWashMan

i neither care nor am interested in the political situation of of NI.
I am not interested other peoples opinions on the topic.
im really not interested in people who live in the past and convinently forget that if you go back far enough, the english were invited in anyway.
Im not interested in the bigotted and sectarian crap that stems from either side, and im certainly not interested in the rubbish the irish 'nationals' spout about it all being one ireland blah blah blah blah blah.

the fact of the matter is, is that it is a seperate nation.
half the people have a seperate view point from the other half, and neither side have any interest in doing anything about it.

i only have interests in individuals i know from NI, and i have no interest in debating the matter with them either.

its a waste of time.


oh, as for remembering the british occupation, get over yourself. same old tired cliched rubbish weve been hearing for years. its time the ira spin doctors got themselves abother story. their current armed struggle crap is getting tedious.

Linoge

WhiteWashMan wrote:

i neither care nor am interested in the political situation of of NI.
I am not interested other peoples opinions on the topic.
im really not interested in people who live in the past and convinently forget that if you go back far enough, the english were invited in anyway.

Spoken like the true Englishman that you are. Don't blame yourself though, the English as a whole have a superiority complex.

And have to laugh at the whole "the English were invited". They were invited to start plantations, cause a famine and repress us? And of course they never would have gone near Ireland only for they were "invited". Yes, Ireland brought everything on itself by inviting the gollum that is the English. Is that what you are saying?

Don't get me wrong, I don't hate the English, but I think that you sound more arrogant than neutral.

WhiteWashMan

im not english.
im irish.

and you just cant get over yourself. this 'oim oirish and repressed' crap is boring.

solas

I think there's too much americanism going on here..all this fighting for freedom crap really was left in the past and Ireland did enjoy some sense of resolution in the late ninties early o's. I'd much rather remember how those times were and not where we were 30 years ago. Ireland (north and south) was setting the pace for the rest of the civilized world and we genuinely made some huge advances towards peace in a democratic way.
Now it's trendy to bash people for the religion again and talk about how we are oppressed. It's a load of BS if you ask me..and stinks of America.
Thats the trouble with this "Global community"..it's full of yanks.

*Sassy*

Getting back to the original question, I would have to say that I view Northern Ireland as a completely separate entity. Politics aside, it is a completely different culture, different government, currency, education system, the lot.

I would always specify that someone from the North is Northern Irish as opposed to Irish. Although, I have noticed that when presented with someone from the north, I immediately make assumptions as to what "side" they're on. For example if their name is Irish, or if they play hurling or something. I don't usually feel "the same" as someone from the north (in terms of nationality only of course).

I probably come across as completely ignorant, but I have to say, with all the years of hearing about the politics, Northern Ireland has negative connotations for me. I can't really explain it.

weemcd

Reading this thread there are some views that belong in the stone ages, but I was expecting much more negative responses than what was written.

In my opinion the whole thing is extremely complicated and blanket phrases like

toiletduck wrote:

to me it's just part of the UK, that’s what the majority there want and tbh thats grand with me.

don't help anyone.

If anyone from south of the boarder (down Mexico way ) receives bigotry from someone they meet in the north, there is nothing to say that I, being from the north would not also receive abuse from a bigoted person because of where I am from, my religion, political beliefs etc.

If you think about it this way; the exact same goes for if I was to go down to Dublin and be called a "northern bastard" by some skanger, the skanger is equally likely to start on any one of you outside a nightclub because he is scum. Scum up here, scum down there. Where I come from would merley be used as a trigger.

On the other hand if you give people a chance, you see the best in them, being down at football events at croker and more recently the U2 gig the people are some of the warmest you will ever meet. Only recently have I began associating myself with Protestants, socially and through work, while I am ashamed to say this, it is hardly my fault due to the segregation of schools etc. But recently I have made friends who I would treat no differently to those of the same religion as myself.

As long as society realise that people are only people, and that there is scum everywhere, the majority of decent people should get along without prejudice regardless of geography.

toiletduck

My "blanket phrase" as you put it, is what i think i.e. unlike a lot of other posters i dont think it's "occupied" or any other republican crap like that.

weemcd wrote:

As long as society realise that people are only people, and that there is scum everywhere, the majority of decent people should get along without prejudice regardless of geography.

totally agree

Sleepy

I think anyone interested enough to jump down my throat over my political views would know them already from the politics board so I'll just give my impression of the people of Northern Ireland from my few trips over the border.

Like most places, the majority of the people are lovely, there's the few bigots either end of the scale but most people don't bat an eyelid. It can be quite intimidating to drive into 'the wrong side' of town, particularly when you're in a staunchly unionist area in a republic-registered car and it's remarkably easy to find yourself in that 'wrong area' very quickly (though maybe that's because I was working in East Belfast).

Architecturally and culturally, Northern Ireland seemed closer to Edinburgh than Dublin to me at least. One aspect of northern life certainly intrigued me, the women seem far more at ease with their sexuality than Irish girls do. This could have just been the women I met up there but I have to say I'm curious as to other's experiences up there... should all us single blokes be heading for Belfast?

Mr.Nice Guy

Hydroquinone wrote:

Fraid not. If it was part of the Irish nation - whatever that might mean - then citizens of it would be able to vote in Irish constitutional referenda. Or in Irish elections.
Which they're not.

It is part of the Irish nation. Here is what Article 2 of Bunreacht na hEireann states:

It is the entitlement and birthright of every person born in the island of Ireland, which includes its islands and seas, to be part of the Irish Nation. That is also the entitlement of all persons otherwise qualified in accordance with law to be citizens of Ireland. Furthermore, the Irish nation cherishes its special affinity with people of Irish ancestry living abroad who share its cultural identity and heritage.

Hydroquinone wrote:

How ironic, eh? When the last referendum we had concerned itself with the rights of who should or should not have Irish citizenship and yet any Irish citizen resident anywhere else in the world, apart from here didn't get a vote. Even those living on the same island. And why? Because it's a different country

You don't seem to understand the difference between a nation and a state. For example, there is no Palestinian state yet many recognise that there is a Palestinian nation.