Is Ireland "British"?

Cavehill Red · 09-09-2010 09:46AM

lugha wrote: »

Do you also get confused with the labels "Irish sea" or "French channel" though these are not exclusively Irish / French?

I'm not confused at all. The archipelago is Britain and Ireland (or, if you like, Ireland and Britain.)
The British Isles are places like Wight, Shetland, etc. Those mistaking Ireland for one of the British Isles are the ones suffering confusion.

jebuz · 09-09-2010 09:48AM

just stop replying to the thread it's what he wanted, oh fiddlesticks I just replied

Fratton Fred · 09-09-2010 10:39AM

MUSSOLINI wrote: »

Only one part of Ireland run by the Brits today.

That's right. NI is relatively autonomous these days and they are making a good job of things.

Down south on the other hand..........:D

In answeer to the OP, the IMF will be running Ireland soon anyway, so it makes no difference.

gurramok · 09-09-2010 10:54AM

Fratton Fred wrote: »

In answeer to the OP, the IMF will be running Ireland soon anyway, so it makes no difference.

Which is a good thing considering!

And so is the UK in the same boat. Both countries at risk of sovereign default but as we know the UK are starting to cut back severely now.

ejmaztec · 09-09-2010 11:09AM

Minstrel27 wrote: »

Poor trolling attempt by the OP.

Oh, I dunno, people are still being drawn into the bullsh1t while the OP has sent out for extra pop-corn.

LordSutch · 09-09-2010 11:10AM

RockinRolla wrote: »

Is Ireland "British"? We aren't kidding anyone by dressing up monkeys and sending them to the Dail every morning - so are we really run, secretly, by Britain? I mean, even the 'auld Geography/Atlas books say we're in the British Isles. If we're in the British Isles, sure aren't we British then?

Your'e probably deliberately stirring it with this thread, but I'll give you the benefit of doubt for now :cool:

At first glance it seems almost like a silly statement "Is Ireland British" and of course its certainly not 'British' (in the modern post-independent mindset), but then if you dig a little deeper & you look at our 'High Street' culture you may begin to get a different view. We our part of this archipellago which includes the largest island 'Britain', the UK accounts for some sixty one million people out of sixty four million people, with part of this island also in the UK, we all speak the same language (as well as rthe regional languages), we all shop in the same High Street shops, most of us have family connections between the two main islands, and dare I say "We are even part of the Anglosphere", our justice system was inherited from the British system, our geography is to all intents & purposes British, (as in isles), we are but a slightly different shade of British

The Republic of Ireland is a totally seperate entity to Britain , on paper . . . .

buzzdroid · 09-09-2010 11:17AM

LordSutch wrote: »

Your'e probably deliberately stirring it with this thread, but I'll give you the benefit of doubt for now :cool:

At first glance it seems almost like a silly statement "Is Ireland British" and of course its certainly not 'British' (in the modern post-independent mindset), but then if you dig a little deeper & you look at our 'High Street' culture you may begin to get a different view. We our part of this archipellago which includes the largest island 'Britain', the UK accounts for some sixty one million people out of sixty four million people, with part of this island also in the UK, we all speak the same language (as well as rthe regional languages), we all shop in the same High Street shops, most of us have family connections between the two main islands, and dare I say "We are even part of the Anglosphere", our justice system was inherited from the British system, our geography is to all intents & purposes British, (as in isles), we are but a slightly different shade of British

The Republic of Ireland is a totally seperate entity to Britain , on paper . . . .

Thats actually a fair point. Most Russians and Germans (for example) that i've met, can't tell the difference between "England" and "Ireland" - we're all "British" to them.

I guess its the same as us mixing up Ukrainians with Russians.

KungPao · 09-09-2010 11:20AM

"British Isles: A geographical term taken to mean Great Britain, Ireland and some or all of the adjacent islands such as Orkney, Shetland and the Isle of Man. The phrase is best avoided, given its (understandable) unpopularity in the Irish Republic. The plate in the National Geographic Atlas of the World once titled British Isles now reads Britain and Ireland."

Love this bit. Trying to be sensitive to the Irish, then foot-in-mouth time as they refer to a country that doesn't exist

Sykes · 09-09-2010 11:24AM

When they give the football scores of the home nations on the news here in Britain, they give England first then Scotland, then Wales, then N.I and then Ireland.

Personally I'd rather Britain had nothing to do with Ireland.

Ireland is moving away from civilisation and heading into some dark, religious, racist hole dependent on EU subsidy for survival.

Aren't you guys alligning yourself with the Islamic world anyway? I don't think you're with us.

lugha · 09-09-2010 11:27AM

Cavehill Red wrote: »

I'm not confused at all. The archipelago is Britain and Ireland (or, if you like, Ireland and Britain.)
The British Isles are places like Wight, Shetland, etc. Those mistaking Ireland for one of the British Isles are the ones suffering confusion.

Now that would be confusing! Whatever you think about the appropriateness of using the term "British isles", it is clear what it refers to, and it most certainly does not refer to the islands of Britain.

And I'm still most amused at your fine quest to persuade folk to call places by the correct name, and then you refer to "the six counties" :pac:

ScumLord · 09-09-2010 11:30AM

Yes! No! Maybe? And I'll fight any man who says otherwise.

losthorizon · 09-09-2010 11:35AM

Actually even NI isn't British. Its in the UK but its not British.

Thats what the thread asks.

Is Ireland British ? And the answer is no. It never was either. It used to be in the uk though. Britain is an island.

marco_polo · 09-09-2010 11:40AM

Coming up after the break, is it six or half a dozen.

Stay tuned folks.

PeterIanStaker · 09-09-2010 12:40PM

not this Myersian drivel again, yaawwnn.

starlit · 09-09-2010 01:30PM

No Ireland is not British but just so happens to be included amongst the British Isles 'cause Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales and the Isle of Man including the other Islands around Ireland and Britain are all included as the British Isles.

Son Of A Vidic · 09-09-2010 01:34PM

How can you possibly question if we're British ffs? Animosity between the UK and Ireland is a thing of the past. If you're questioning the incompetence of our politicians/government? You need to look towards Europe, because the EU runs this country.

GizAGoOfYerGee · 09-09-2010 01:36PM

Ah, the old British Isles controversy.

This does cause confusion abroad. In Spain anyway, people use "British" to refer to both Britain and Ireland. I have often heard people using "English" and "England" to refer to both islands. In fairness, we all speak English so they just see us as one country, one people.

http://imgur.com/4FbnZ.jpg

losthorizon wrote: »

Actually even NI isn't British. Its in the UK but its not British.

Northern Ireland is in the UK so it is British.

losthorizon · 09-09-2010 01:46PM

GizAGoOfYerGee wrote: »

Northern Ireland is in the UK so it is British.

no, it is a Union of two separate countrys.

For instance during Soviet times people used to refer to anyone to the Soviet Union as Russian. Remember it was the Soviet Union. Its just a simple mistake - nothing more or less. Armenians were Armenias before Soviet times, during Soviet times and and again now.

xflyer · 09-09-2010 01:46PM

Culturally we're british with a small b. We eat, drink, talk and watch the same TV and quite often foreigners can't tell us apart from the British. Because we still haven't figured out what it really means to be Irish. Most of us only care about our own town, county or parish. We need to be more Irish and questions like this won't be asked anymore.

Wolfe Tone · 09-09-2010 01:50PM

Fratton Fred wrote: »

That's right. NI is relatively autonomous these days and they are making a good job of things.

LOL!

In answeer to the OP, the IMF will be running Ireland soon anyway, so it makes no difference.

I for one welcome our new german overlords.

starlit · 09-09-2010 01:51PM

Maybe foreigners need a map! Ireland is a big island a country of its own, Britain is a seperate bigger island a country of its own. They will see the difference then surely.

xflyer · 09-09-2010 02:14PM

snuggles285 wrote: »

Maybe foreigners need a map! Ireland is a big island a country of its own, Britain is a seperate bigger island a country of its own. They will see the difference then surely.

Have you been overseas much? Away from Europe, most of the time people have never heard of Ireland and if they do. They know very little about us. I even met someone living here who really didn't realise we weren't in the UK. Yes, she was a bit stupid. But there you are.

Several times I just gave up and agreed I was British.:rolleyes:

krudler · 09-09-2010 02:30PM

xflyer wrote: »

Have you been overseas much? Away from Europe, most of the time people have never heard of Ireland and if they do. They know very little about us. I even met someone living here who really didn't realise we weren't in the UK. Yes, she was a bit stupid. But there you are.

Several times I just gave up and agreed I was British.:rolleyes:

Ok Americans thinking we're part of the UK is one thing, but "never heard of Ireland"? thats a bit of a stretch.

Although I did get called a loyalist one time because a guy was demanding his address be printed on his bill in Irish rather than English, which we can do to a point but the counties are just auto set on the billing system as being in English. According to him we "live in an Irish speaking country and you're showing allegiance to the queen by only using her language" errr, no we dont, most Irish people cant more than a few sentences in Irish. He was a mong though.

dasdog · 09-09-2010 02:34PM

xflyer wrote: »

Culturally we're british with a small b. We eat, drink, talk and watch the same TV and quite often foreigners can't tell us apart from the British.

So you've never mistaken the following?

Austrian/German
Aussie/NZ
US/Canadian
Czech/Polish
Columbian/Argentinian
etc etc etc

Because I have quite a few times. The full Irish breakfeast fry up thing is a fudge as the differences between it and the English and other (British) versions are subtle but I tend to eat mediterranean cuisine mostly. It doesn't make me Spanish/Italian. Half of the world watch US movies/tv shows but that doesn't make them US citizens.

xflyer wrote: »

Several times I just gave up and agreed I was British.:rolleyes:

Perhaps culturally you think you are?

Noffles · 09-09-2010 02:36PM

Ireland should be more British... would make it a far better place to live!!!

Waits for it....5...4...3...2.......

MRPRO03 · 09-09-2010 02:38PM

For me, Ireland is like a mini Britain, you look are the most developed towns/cities around the country and what do you see, Homebase, Currys, PC World, Tesco etc. The list is endless. If a foreigner came in, they would think they were in Britain. Also, football fans here, guess what, support british clubs aswell. We have lost our identity, you want to live in an Ireland that has everything Irish, but realistically we do not.

HammerHeadGym · 09-09-2010 02:42PM

Successful troll is successful. However, trolling after hours, with a 'hurr-durr, we all british' is like p1ssing into an ocean of p1ss.

starlit · 09-09-2010 02:46PM

xflyer wrote: »

Have you been overseas much? Away from Europe, most of the time people have never heard of Ireland and if they do. They know very little about us. I even met someone living here who really didn't realise we weren't in the UK. Yes, she was a bit stupid. But there you are.

Several times I just gave up and agreed I was British.:rolleyes:

Really didn't think that. Thought everyone knew where Ireland was and what Ireland is etc. Ya have been overseas a fair bit. Been to the US and all they talk about is Ireland. Haven't spoken to many foreigners much when abroad but those that I have in France and Spain all knew where Ireland was.

losthorizon · 09-09-2010 02:52PM

snuggles285 wrote: »

Really didn't think that. Thought everyone knew where Ireland was and what Ireland is etc. Ya have been overseas a fair bit. Been to the US and all they talk about is Ireland. Haven't spoken to many foreigners much when abroad but those that I have in France and Spain all knew where Ireland was.

In France now they even have "irish" shops just selling stuff of whats supposed to be Irish goods. Inside you can get Taytos, Barrys Tea, Jokes about Polish People and other silly stuff which we dont have in Ireland but which foreigners might thing we have. These shops are all over Brittany especially.

AnneFrank · 09-09-2010 02:54PM

reminds me of a song i like,

"go on home british soldiers go on home
have you got no fing homes of your own
for 800 years we fought you without fear
and we'll fight you for 800 more"

Ireland is not british we are a republic,
i suggest reading some history books

Is Ireland "British"?

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