Plastic Paddies, What's Your View??

westendgirlie wrote: »

kfallon,

It's ok, i'm used to people telling me to stop

Not sure whether I like the sound of that or not :pac:

KeithAFC wrote: »

Seems to be a lot of them in America. A lot of people in America come from the Ulster Scots back ground (Protestant) and some of them think they are from the Irish Catholic background which isn't really the case.

That is so true - they automatically align themselves with the republic when that is not their heritage at all - did try explaining the difference a couple of times but don't think they were too interested - often caught up in the romantic story line they had built up for themselves. But sure what harm so long as they weren't putting money in the hats going around in the irish bars.

Gnobe wrote: »

Uh no not really.

I was born in England to two irish parents and never ever supported England, infact, yes, I would have openly cheered against them on many occasions when I was a child. Euro 96 I was for anyone but them, world cup 98 (actually I felt sorry for them after Argentina), euro 2000 delighted when Phil Neville brought down that romanian . Yes even with my English accent.

Now granted, when I came over to Omagh I was called everyname under the sun about being an English c*nt, prod, orange bastard, and yes it annoyed me a bit. But rather than not feel irish as much, I still didn't feel English. In a true sporting sense I've never supported them I'm not going to now. I mean I'd rather jump off a cliff than play for them personally, but that's just me.

If people don't want to call irish then that's fine, I but I'll never feel English.

I don't get this.
Being Irish or English or whatever is not about what football (soccer) team you support. If that was the case, then the vast majority of this country would be English.

Now I know that a lot of you reject it and are abhorred (is that a word) by it, but our culture is based around getting drunk and having a laugh.
We sing and dance, even though most of us would fail to get past the first round of one of Simon Cowell's so called talent show. However, we don't care about that. We're just having fun.

Then we regret it all on a Monday morning when we have to go to work, but we persevere anyway.

We begrudge those who are successful. This is because of our ancestors. They suffered greatly, and the only Irish people who did well in the past were those who collaborated with the enemy, but we don't talk about that because we're afraid of being linked to the IRA and being called a terrorist.
We are slowly growing out of this, but it's still there.

There's more, but you get the point.

Brummy Tom, you're not Irish.
I like you. You seem like a sound bloke, but you're English. That's not necessarily a bad thing though. Just not as good as being Irish.
In saying that, I wouldn't class you as a plastic Paddy.

That's a term I reserve for Americans.
We've all met one of them.
They're all from Connemara, and their great Grandfather left here during the famine.
They carry American passports, have American flags hanging from every orifice, tell you how great America is and then ask where the Leprechauns are.

Gnobe wrote: »

No I was talking about international football, not club. With regards to sports, when I was younger I would have cheered on Ireland over England in everything, because my parents told me I was Irish and thus considered myself it. Sometimes it really depends how you are brought up. Now I'm more apathetic to the idea, but I still don't consider myself English, considering I haven't lived there since I was 14, I'm not going to start feeling English now.

It's not about how you feel.

I could eat gazpacho and paella, listen to flamenco music and watch Pedro Almodovar films every day, then claim to be Spanish because the earliest settlers on this island came form the North of Spain, but that doesn't make me Spanish.

Why not? He's probably brought up in irish type community and supports Ireland? He can consider himself dual can't he?

I want to see Argentina win over Pakistan. That doesn't make me Argentinian.
Actually I couldn't care less about who wins, but you get the point.

There's plenty of people born and bred in England who pay turns of money to fly all over the world to follow Ireland in Rugby, Football etc.

Please pay attention to the following:
Supporting a particular nation's sporting endeavours does not grant you citizenship to that country.
If it did, then most of the soccer fans around the world would be entitled to Brazilian citizenship having cheered on Pele at his peak.

Very insular imo to consider those only living here irish, but you're entitled to your opinion.

Nationality is not a matter of opinion. It's a matter of law.
Supporting the Irish soccer or rugby teams because your grandfather lived in Maynooth for a few months does not make you Irish.

Nationality/identity can be very complex and is not straight foward. I lived in 4 different towns and 6 different houses by the time I was 14.

Insert traveller joke here.

Yahew wrote: »

Wait, now. What if he has the same ethnic ancestors as you at 2 generations and beyond, and grew up in the same culture ( albeit in England)? That post makes no sense.

[Example1]
My Grandparents were Russian. They moved to Canada 100 years ago.
I grew up in Canada, but drink vodka all the time and am partial to cabbage and Communism.
Does that make me Russian?

[Example2]
9,000 years ago some people moved from the North of Spain and settled here.
I share the same genes as those who live in the North of Spain today.
Does that make me Spanish?

No to both.

I think that Irish people who slag others who wish to identify with Ireland are more of an embarrassment.

If an American, English or German has a family or other tie and wants to identify with us, I'm all for it, I think its great.

Because what do we get out of saying 'your not one of us?' nothing, in my opinion,

So as I said I find it harder to understand Irish people who act like some sort of 'Identity Police', and start slagging 'PPs' I even hate the term. What's the reason for it???????

pragmatic1 wrote: »

I dont see the problem. If people have Irish roots its their heritage and they're entitled to it. Some Irish people can be very arrogant by puting down people who have a real interest in the country.

Agree with you 100%,if they like they way we roll let them jump on,the more,the merrier,who am i to question why.