Are you proud of the Irish flag....

K-9 · 16-11-2013 01:41AM

Trying to think of what flag I should be proud of instead? There must be one perfect example out there.

Amazing what Catholic people had to put up with in N.I. because of flags, it's a bit self perpetuating though.

B.A._Baracus · 16-11-2013 01:42AM

Being proud of the Irish flag, or any flag, is a bit of a weird thing for me :P

I'm Irish. I'll always be Irish. If I moved to another part of the world I guess I probably would miss the collection of things that would make home, home. That flag would represent the reminder of home.

But it's just a flag. You do be proud of your mother, father, brothers, sisters, sons or daughters etc. What they've done, kind of person they are or whatever. Not a flag.

Mint Aero · 16-11-2013 01:44AM

This is a sad thread tbf. It's akin to the SF & Gerry Adams lambasting nonsense of other posters on AH.

This is an incredible country with loads to be proud of. To say otherwise suggests a disconnect with your motherland and that is very sad.

Please Op, don't fall into a feigned PC existence of hating your motherland just because we can't translate our road signs into every language in the world in the hope of being seen to be the bestest best boys in the class.

Witcher · 16-11-2013 01:44AM

doolox wrote: »

I would not categorise the Irish or the Scots as Butchers although their national symbols form part of the union flag.

Just because the British bound us to them against our will and included our symbols in a flag of their own making doesn't mean we're all complicit in the actions they took while flying that flag. People are still free to criticise those actions, saying 'well you're symbols are on that flag' doesn't nullify their argument.

Sir Osis of Liver. · 16-11-2013 01:46AM

Perhaps one like Sicily would be better http://www.google.ie/imgres?imgurl=http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/84/Sicilian_Flag.svg/800px-Sicilian_Flag.svg.png&imgrefurl=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Sicily&h=530&w=800&sz=74&tbnid=sAZfSWrUJUOh2M:&tbnh=90&tbnw=136&zoom=1&usg=__7z4w-eqt41NNS8hP1Wgr_tw5OM8=&docid=o0wJhqzq7uHpwM&sa=X&ei=9b6GUsDYAceK7AbwtICwBQ&ved=0CCwQ9QEwAA .
We could replace the head coming out of the three legged arse with Noonan.

ballsymchugh · 16-11-2013 01:48AM

angelfire9 wrote: »

I was abroad when Katie Taylor win her gold
Nothing nicer than being in a pub abroad (not an Irish pub) watching the Tricolour being raised and the national anthem being sung with pride
Yes, Ireland as a country is pretty f****d up right now, but its still our country, and our flag and while the Irish are apparently crap at Economics there are some things we are still good at, our flag represents both the good and the bad

i live in england, and went to that fight. there was a serious amount of pride all around the place with the way the olympics were going for team GeeBee, but at that final it was just our own little microcosm and it was fookin brilliant.
spine tingling, hair raising, tear jerking, over joyous and unbelievable pride.

then back to life with council tax of over 2k per year, water supply bills, water drainage bills, energy bills going up by 10% in what seems like every few months, shyte tea.

so anyway OP, wanna swap?

Mint Aero · 16-11-2013 01:59AM

ballsymchugh wrote: »

then back to life with council tax of over 2k per year,

Wanna swap?

Maybe...what you getting for your 2k?

timthumbni · 16-11-2013 02:01AM

doolox wrote: »

I recall a time when my uncle, a missionary priest, had the misfortune to be in China at the time of Mao's cultural revolution in the 1950's.
All agents and symbols of "foreign influence" were subject to summary execution by the Communists. He recalled being very glad to see the British Union flag flying over Hong Kong when a Chinese man of goodwill smuggled him out of mainland china to Hong Kong and away from certain death.

Several Columban priests were killed by the Chinese Communists at that time.

Uncle Ned would not have been the most ardent Anglophile at any time but the British colony saved his bacon when needed.

The English also provided a life, career and training to my mother and father and two of my uncles and aunts when this island couldn't or wouldn't so I find the term "Butchers Apron" more that a bit offensive.

People should look at the flag that flies over the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland....the flag of saint Patrick, it is a red and white Saltire similar to that of Scotland and forms 1/3 of the Union Flag. I would not categorise the Irish or the Scots as Butchers although their national symbols form part of the union flag.

As a Northern Irish unionist I find it pretty odd that other Irish people refer to my flag still nowadays as the butchers apron. When younger I always saw the tricolour draped across ira mens coffins for example who had just killed numerous innocent men, woman and children in a bomb.

For a while I hated that flag. Then I realised that was the flag of my neighbours. Nothing to do with the ira at all. I think a lot of others on here need to similarly grow up regarding the union flag. Otherwise it just makes them look like weans who shouldn't be allowed internet access.

K-9 · 16-11-2013 02:13AM

timthumbni wrote: »

As a Northern Irish unionist I find it pretty odd that other Irish people refer to my flag still nowadays as the butchers apron. When younger I always saw the tricolour draped across ira mens coffins for example who had just killed numerous innocent men, woman and children in a bomb.

For a while I hated that flag. Then I realised that was the flag of my neighbours. Nothing to do with the ira at all. I think a lot of others on here need to similarly grow up regarding the union flag. Otherwise it just makes them look like weans who shouldn't be allowed internet access.

Our history is our surroundings, nothing more, nothing less.

That isn't denigrating those that fought and died by a flag, it's just we should all move on to another level soon. Being pro an Irish/ British / American flag makes just as much sense as being anti a Irish/ British/ American flag.

Mr.Prodston · 16-11-2013 02:15AM

robertxxx wrote: »

in the last few years this place is a f'ing kip to live in

Really? You think Ireland is a kip?

Ireland ranks 11th world wide in GDP per capita between 2005-2012 (or the last few years). That's out of 180 countries listed. That's in the top 6% worldwide.

Having social welfare for those unable to work and those who choose not to is a luxury billions of people don't have. I could go on.

Whatever about feeling pride in a flag it's at times like this I realise I should count my blessings more than I do that I was born in this tiny little island off the west of Europe. Oh and I do love my country and I'm proud to be Irish no matter what ridiculous and inexcusable things have gone on we are still extremely lucky to have what we do have.

markesmith · 16-11-2013 02:15AM

timthumbni wrote: »

As a Northern Irish unionist I find it pretty odd that other Irish people refer to my flag still nowadays as the butchers apron. When younger I always saw the tricolour draped across ira mens coffins for example who had just killed numerous innocent men, woman and children in a bomb.

For a while I hated that flag. Then I realised that was the flag of my neighbours. Nothing to do with the ira at all. I think a lot of others on here need to similarly grow up regarding the union flag. Otherwise it just makes them look like weans who shouldn't be allowed internet access.

Of course, similarly, when we see the Union Jack being used in the context of the BNP or National Front, or on the cover of the Daily Express, that's when it becomes an issue...

I'm proud of the Irish flag. What's not to be proud of? We've got our own flag, it's a symbol of our sovereignty and nationhood (for better or worse) - and it's more than Cornwall, Brittany, the Basque Country, Ossetia, Cilician Armenia, Kurdistan, Slavonia, Lappland, and many other would-be nations that did not get the luck of history.

But at the end of it, it's only a flag. Still, I'm proud of it.

ballsymchugh · 16-11-2013 02:15AM

Mint Aero wrote: »

Maybe...what you getting for your 2k?

it's mainly what regular income tax covers in ireland. the biggest chunk is spent on police. then there's upkeep of roads, heritage, housing benefit, planning, parks etc
it also covers rubbish collection which is not privatised (yet).

timthumbni · 16-11-2013 02:21AM

markesmith wrote: »

Of course, similarly, when we see the Union Jack being used in the context of the BNP or National Front, or on the cover of the Daily Express, that's when it becomes an issue...

I'm proud of the Irish flag. What's not to be proud of? We've got our own flag, it's a symbol of our sovereignty and nationhood (for better or worse) - and it's more than Cornwall, Brittany, the Basque Country, Ossetia, Cilician Armenia, Kurdistan, Slavonia, Lappland, and many other would-be nations that did not get the luck of history.

But at the end of it, it's only a flag. Still, I'm proud of it.

Lol. I agree with you mostly but what's the craic with the daily express? That's what the lol was for. Is that paper that bad. I don't think I ever read it tbh. Ha

Annasopra · 16-11-2013 02:21AM

No.

I don't believe in Nationalism or Patriotism.

I abhor this idea that I should be proud of a country or nation just because I was born in it. In my view Nationalism and Patriotism put nations and flags and borders before people. I find that abhorrent.

timthumbni · 16-11-2013 02:26AM

mango salsa wrote: »

No.

I don't believe in Nationalism or Patriotism.

I abhor this idea that I should be proud of a country or nation just because I was born in it. In my view Nationalism and Patriotism put nations and flags and borders before people. I find that abhorrent.

You were unfortunate to be born in Ireland then. Anywhere else but not here. ;-)

Mint Aero · 16-11-2013 02:26AM

mango salsa wrote: »

No.

I don't believe in Nationalism or Patriotism.

I abhor this idea that I should be proud of a country or nation just because I was born in it. In my view Nationalism and Patriotism put nations and flags and borders before people. I find that abhorrent.

So what ya gonna do instead? Be a patriot of planet earth?

Whist every other country embraces Nationalism. No harm in doing a bit of Irish shopping or buying local products just because you're Irish imo.

DEFTLEFTHAND · 16-11-2013 02:27AM

The English proud of their flag OP? Hasn't there been major strife in recent years with English people in working class neighbourhoods being asked to remove the St George Cross from their homes so as not to offend immigrants. (Radstock in Somerset for instance)

Utterly ridiculous, the English need grow their balls back, Churchill wouldn't have stood for that kind of nonsense

K-9 · 16-11-2013 02:28AM

ballsymchugh wrote: »

it's mainly what regular income tax covers in ireland. the biggest chunk is spent on police. then there's upkeep of roads, heritage, housing benefit, planning, parks etc
it also covers rubbish collection which is not privatised (yet).

Huh, you are seriously saying the biggest chunk is spent on the Guards? Good God of almighty. Health and Education dwarf Justice.

Witcher · 16-11-2013 02:29AM

K-9 wrote: »

Huh, you are seriously saying the biggest chunk is spent on the Guards? Good God of almighty. Health and Education dwarf Justice.

He means council tax in the UK.

StompToWork · 16-11-2013 02:30AM

I, for one, am very proud of our flag. Apart from it's original symbolism, which I maintain was such an enlightened sentiment, I see the Irish flag as a symbol of everything BUT the litany of negatives that the OP posted. All those items are simply a consequence of modern life that a lot of other countries in the world are also struggling with.

I will agree with the OP that the list of items he mentioned are a cause for concern and heartbreak (and tbh, I would actually add a few more things there), but underneath it all, there is my country. The place I grew up. The place which had a huge influence in the man I am today. I am proud of our flag. I will always notice the Tri-color flying, and it will always get a piece of my attention when I see it no matter where I am, or what I am doing.

Finally, I do get a little upset when people refer to it as "The Green, White and Gold". It's Orange, people. Deal with it, and understand what it means.

Panthro · 16-11-2013 02:36AM

hell yeah i love the flag.
And our country. And our ways.And our traditions. Sure, we're not perfect, name me a country that is. (other than Sweden)
Men fought and died so that flag could fly proudly on this island.
I'm all about it.

K-9 · 16-11-2013 02:37AM

Blay wrote: »

He means council tax in the UK.

Income tax is about half of the SW budget and less than the health budget.

As much as I'm a philistine as regards flags, I'm a sucker for people who died for a flag!

HellboundIRL · 16-11-2013 02:39AM

We all love to talk about how bad Ireland is to live in but the truth is it's actually a fairly easy place to live, we have our problems but we also look after our people. I am proud of a lot of things in this country but a flag is just a flag or a fleg.

I've hit hard times when living in the US and I've hit hard times while living in Ireland, it's a hell of a lot easier to deal with while living here in Ireland.

Cycling Dumbasses · 16-11-2013 02:40AM

Yes I am

dodderangler · 16-11-2013 02:42AM

robertxxx wrote: »

would proudly welcome back the Queen of England back to rule these shores.

Are you proud?

Then fcuk off over there and kiss her arse and make a better life for yourself then.
Worst part about Ireland is people like you moaning about it.
Do t like it then fcuk off.
I for one am proud of my country and its flag and wouldn't live anywhere else.

The Diabolical Monocle · 16-11-2013 02:45AM

The self flagellation continues .... oh we're not worthy.

I sometimes wonder if the guilt was a Catholic thing or actually genetic or cultural.

One things for sure - you should just feel guilty and ashamed.

Cycling Dumbasses · 16-11-2013 02:48AM

Why would not anyone be proud of the irish flag? what a pointless thread.
Yes im proud till the day i die.

timthumbni · 16-11-2013 02:51AM

K-9 wrote: »

Our history is our surroundings, nothing more, nothing less.

That isn't denigrating those that fought and died by a flag, it's just we should all move on to another level soon. Being pro an Irish/ British / American flag makes just as much sense as being anti a Irish/ British/ American flag.

As a unionist flags or "flegs" were something supposedly very important to me. Don't get me wrong I quite like the look of the union flag and indeed I prefer the NI red hand flag as it looks cooler. However I understand they are simply a piece of cloth. For example if anyone offered me 50 quid to burn it I would be looking for the matches and some white spirit. Lol.

Although I live in a unionist area my closest neighbours are catholic and although a few of my relatives were always asking why I wasn't flying a flag I explained that I didn't want to offend my neighbours. My neighbours are older and indeed gave my kids money to buy stuff on the 12th July.

They are great people. They wished me all the best on the 12th and I won't forget that. (I'm not in the orange Btw but we did watch the local parade this year)

JonEBGud · 16-11-2013 02:51AM

Yes.
Why should you ask?

JonEBGud · 16-11-2013 02:53AM

Vito Corleone wrote: »

Indifferent.

Where you from boy?

Are you proud of the Irish flag....

Comments