Confused About My Nationality (Irish or English?)

dd972 · 01-07-2012 06:55PM

Born in North West London to Irish parents, only have an Irish passport and both parents were Irish. live here and am as familiar with the politics, infrastructure and history of the state as anybody born here.

If you were born to the same parents in China, OP, you'd still be Irish and not Chinese, same as if you were born in Nigeria, you'd still be Irish and not a Nigerian.

Thousands of people of all nationalities are born outside the borders of their home countries, I don't see what's so special about being Irish that our brethren born overseas have to be excluded or that an English accent or birthplace somehow negates all vestiges of Irishness.

When it comes to the third or fourth generation of people reared overseas claiming Irishness only then do I begin to see why they might be ridiculed.

01-07-2012 07:00PM

You're whatever you want yourself to be. I was born in Dublin but lived in Kerry from age 11 to 22. I still wouldn't consider myself a Kerry man though.

Neeson · 01-07-2012 07:01PM

You're English. Whether you like England or not and do on.

Seaneh · 01-07-2012 07:02PM

OP, if you feel Irish, are an Irish citizen (hold an Irish passport) and were raised in an Irish Family, you are Irish, **** whatever anyone else says.

slapbangwallop · 01-07-2012 07:02PM

You are what you consider yourself to be. You could rightfully lay claim to Irish or British/English nationality.

Citizenship and nationality are two different, but often overlapping, concepts.

Where you are born does not determine ones nationality. Is Ronan O'Gara an American? Is Cliff Richard an Indian?

I lived in many Irish communities in the UK and the US and understand the very strong and very real attachments to second generation Irish people to Ireland. I also find it a little annoying and embarrassing when Irish-born people attempt to denigrate or are disparaging about the "Irishness" of people who have Irish backgrounds and consider themselves Irish but weren't born in Ireland. Its generally a sure sign of someone that grew up during the Celtic Tiger and never lived anywhere except Ireland.

I know a girl from London and she considers herself Irish but her older brother doesnt. Anyone that kind of brings me back to the original point, in cases like this it boils down to personal preference and which country you feel more attached to.

Reading the OPs post, he seems more attached to the Irish nation. There I would consider your nationality Irish.

slapbangwallop · 01-07-2012 07:06PM

Kiera wrote: »

Well you're not!

Stop asking the same question over and over in the hope someone will give you the reply you want. You're English. End of.

thats a rather silly and childish argument dont you think.

Some things just arent so simplistic.

Spread · 01-07-2012 07:07PM

You are a self-obsessed citizen of the world. Now stop asking silly questions. If you feel rejected by all sides ........... other people might have a greater understanding of you, than you do yourself.

Precious flower · 01-07-2012 07:08PM

I was born in Wembley to Irish parents and moved to Ireland when I was around five. I suppose I feel more myself Irish, more than likely because I was only five when I came here. I've have cousins over in England who consider themselves Irish because their parents are Irish. Take whatever nationality you feel comfortable with. To me it wasn't any big deal, my passport says I'm Irish and I had no idea that I could have even put down English when applying for it. It might be a big deal for some but I didn't really care.

DoneDL · 01-07-2012 07:10PM

Bad news OP, you`re Irish.

Neeson · 01-07-2012 07:10PM

slapbangwallop wrote: »

Kiera wrote: »

Well you're not!

Stop asking the same question over and over in the hope someone will give you the reply you want. You're English. End of.

thats a rather silly and childish argument dont you think.

Some things just arent so simplistic.

Sometimes they are though. It would be different if the person moved maybe at a year old or something but having gone through the education a bit and soaking up the old english culture makes Them English. At the end you'd think it doesn't matter where I move to I'll always be from the place I spent my early days.

But if the op wants to be someone else then that alright too.

pragmatic1 · 01-07-2012 07:11PM

You're Irish boss.

Merkin · 01-07-2012 07:12PM

You're Swiss

Patrick Cleburne · 01-07-2012 07:15PM

You are British.

slapbangwallop · 01-07-2012 07:16PM

Neeson wrote: »

Sometimes they are though. It would be different if the person moved maybe at a year old or something but having gone through the education a bit and soaking up the old english culture makes Them English. At the end you'd think it doesn't matter where I move to I'll always be from the place I spent my early days.

But if the op wants to be someone else then that alright too.

Sometime things are yes, but not when you are dealing with issues of races and nationality. Often there are large shades or grey!

If you (assuming you are a married straight guy) and your wife got some contract to work in say China, and you had a child whilst there and when the child was say 10 you moved back to Ireland and that child lived out its remaining days in Ireland.

Would you think that that child would consider itself Irish with an affinity to China or would consider itself Chinese?

I'm not sure, again it would come down to the individual much like it does with the OP. However, I would guess the child would lean towards considering themselves Irish.

purplepanda · 01-07-2012 07:24PM

Sonics2k wrote: »

Both.

Just declare one over the other if you want to.

I was born to Irish parents in London. Entire family is Irish and moved back to Ireland when I was 7 or so.
I've always considered myself Irish and use an Irish passport.

I failed my English stepmoms test (Like Norman Tebbit's cricket test but harder!) because I'm not Anglo-Saxon enough but Keltic LOL

She's got an Anglo Saxon heptocracy surname to boot

I've got Flemish, Anglo Saxon, English & Norse surnmes in my Irish background so I wouldn't pass the 100% Gaelic DNA / pure West of Ireland test either!!! :pac:

SharpshooterTom · 01-07-2012 07:25PM

Its not that I feel really Irish, I don't a lot of the time. The Republic of Ireland were my childhood team, obviously coming over being called English a lot of the time has altered my attitude towards my Irishness abit. I'm apathetic to it.

But I will NEVER support England at anything. I hope Murray goes out asap, I hope Britain do badly at the olympics, I hope Australia win the next Ashes and I'm delighted Italy knocked them out of the shootout as well. Phew.

Spread · 01-07-2012 07:27PM

So this means that we're all from Athy! Well if we were born near Athy, we are. Simple as! Hope this doesn't start a passport rush from places like Monrovia, Vladivostok, Timbuktu etc.

Patrick Cleburne · 01-07-2012 07:28PM

ThomasFlynn wrote: »

Its not that I feel really Irish, I don't a lot of the time. The Republic of Ireland were my childhood team, obviously coming over being called English a lot of the time has altered my attitude towards my Irishness abit. I'm apathetic to it.

But I will NEVER support England at anything. I hope Murray goes out asap, I hope Britain do badly at the olympics, I hope Australia win the next Ashes and I'm delighted Italy knocked them out of the shootout as well. Phew.

So do many Scottish people, they are still British. You are British.

SharpshooterTom · 01-07-2012 07:30PM

Patrick Cleburne wrote: »

So do many Scottish people, they are still British. You are British.

Scots still wave the union jack for the Queen. Support Britain at the olympics.

You'll never find me doing that.

chillywilly · 01-07-2012 07:30PM

ThomasFlynn wrote: »

I hold both British and Irish passports (and a Canadian one too shortly!)

Jaysus you have more passports than Jason Bourne!

Spread · 01-07-2012 07:31PM

Patrick Cleburne wrote: »

You are British.

Hey Kieth! How come he's not English?

190E2.516 · 01-07-2012 07:35PM

commiserations your english whether u like it or not or whether england like u or not. worship the queen forever more

ygolometsipe · 01-07-2012 07:36PM

do you enjoy your full breakfast with or without beans!

The answer is key to your identity

SharpshooterTom · 01-07-2012 07:37PM

And another thing also is that if I ever get into a relationship (which seems a like a million miles off right now) with a protestant girl here, wouldn't that be strictly a mixed marriage?

I've always thought about that, that maybe some protestant father who opposes that sort of thing, despite my English accent might see me as a fenian underneath?

Neeson · 01-07-2012 07:42PM

ThomasFlynn wrote: »

And another thing also is that if I ever get into a relationship (which seems a like a million miles off right now) with a protestant girl here, wouldn't that be strictly a mixed marriage?

I've always thought about that, that maybe some protestant father who opposes that sort of thing, despite my English accent might see me as a fenian underneath?

Are you winding us up mate?

Spread · 01-07-2012 07:43PM

OP, you are Irish, English a Troll!

ihsb · 01-07-2012 07:47PM

Follow confused poster. Born in England to two very Irish families. Brought up Irish in England basically, never held an English passport, always Irish, and spent every year here for the whole of the summer holidays.

Then I moved over here at 16 and I was treated like an English person in Ireland. Culture shock!

SharpshooterTom · 01-07-2012 07:48PM

Neeson wrote: »

Are you winding us up mate?

No I had a protestant workmate from Fermanagh (born again, DUP voter) who told me that.

So I assume protestant parents might secretly see me as a fenian, some of them would I'm sure.

IrishAm · 01-07-2012 07:49PM

ThomasFlynn wrote: »

But I do not, cannot and will never feel it. I have no afinity due to my childhood experiances and upbringing.

You are born to Irish parents, therefore you are Irish. Doesn't matter where you are born, could be outer fucking Mongolia,once you are born to Irish parents, you are Irish.

chughes · 01-07-2012 07:49PM

AS that great "English" man, the Duke of Wellington once said, "just because you are born in a stable doesn't make you a horse".

Op, be whatever you are comfortable with and f&%k the begrudgers.

Confused About My Nationality (Irish or English?)

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