What constitutes to someone being Irish?

[Cybercubed]

Born there? Parents from there? Grandparents from there?

I'm born and raised in England, my parents are both Irish (mum from Belfast Dad from the ROI). In England whilst growing up people routinely called me Irish and so that's how I saw myself. Then I moved to Northern Ireland as teenager and had a reality check, because then everyone started calling me English. I still have an English accent so everyone still refers me to as an English person here. I've always understandably have a bit of an identity crisis therefore, compounded by the fact that the "British vs Irish" issue is right of the forefront of Northern Ireland politics as well I don't feel I fit in with either community here.

We've all heard of the term 'plastic paddy' which usually gets thrown at anyone with a non Irish accent calling themselves Irish. I personally don't really identify as anything more and feel kinda stateless but do you think calling yourself Irish should be reserved for those who are born and/or raised there only?

Ireland is the fella who keeps the fuck out of things that don't concern him

How did it not concern Ireland? The Nazis planned to invade Ireland, which you seem to conveniently ignore.

Prince William wore the Irish uniform on his wedding day.

The Nazis planned to invade Ireland, which you seem to conveniently ignore.

Well why didn't they?

So? I dont believe in the Monarchy and couldn't care less what they do. How bizarre.

Well why didn't they?

Because they were defeated before it reached that stage. You know, by the Allies...

Why is the wedding of PW in any way relevant? Or is this a distraction technique?

Because they were defeated before it reached that stage Well I doubt we were going to make any difference to the outcome. We were not invaded, so it's moot.

Why is the wedding of PW in any way relevant? Or is this a distraction technique?

Because he chose to wear the Irish guards uniform, suggesting that we didn't just sit on our holes tittering the whole time and that he respects our input, neutral and all as we were.

'I doubt we wouldve made any difference to the outcome'

🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️

It was probably a political decision given he is going to be King one day. What you just said is massive projection.

We were not invaded, so it's moot.

Yes because of the Allies.. back to square 1.

And you say the English cant face up to their past and make excuses! 😂

If the Nazis had invaded Ireland, they'd have been sitting ducks for being bombed out of it by the British. Likewise, they probably thought that we were in a good tactical position to invade Britain. Either way, Ireland would have been a mere pawn and were correct to remain the hell out of it.

Everyone was a pawn, and somebody else's means to an end. Good thing everyone else didnt stay out of it.

You just sound like you're trying to convince yourself.

Ireland has the top engineers in the world, yet we have no nuclear weapons. Our neutrality has kept us safe. We're too small to play war games with the big guns. Don't think that we couldn't develop nuclear arsenal if we felt like it - we just are not that interested.

Wolfgirl you just sound like you hate the Irish lol. It's ok, we get it.

We're too busy inveigling Apple, Amazon, Facebook et al over to Ireland to set up shop to get billions out of them. Trump has us on his radar now though, though I think he thinks we're in Scotland somewhere. He hates the Irish and how many American tech and pharma companies we have. He's coming for us. Luckily, he'll probably aim a nuke at Scotland.

No, you sound like a bully saying, your Dad didn't fight in the war so he's a coward. I'm just saying, we had no reason to fight another country's war.

Every excuse you come out with just sounds more and more insincere!

We were just 20 years out of an 800 year war with the British. Why on earth do you think we'd have signed up all our young men to help the Brits?

Another country's war when Ireland was going to be invaded, deary me 🙄 is there an echo in here?! Anyway signing off now so you cant embarrass yourself further.

Only one embarassing themselves is you Wolf!

We were not invaded. Stop making a show of yourself.

@Wolfgirrl - Yes it was Ireland's choice to stay 'neutral' but it was, in my view, very telling of its character.

And what would you say of the character of a country that invaded, exploited, and suppressed multiple countries for centuries? That starved and murdered the citizens of those countries? That did its utmost to destroy the culture of those countries? Hardly a laudable character.

And you really think one of the victims of this country would rush to help such a paragon of a nation?

[quote Wolfgirrl]@JaneJeffer do enlighten me then.[/quote]
I know it's not me you asked but...

I'm pretty sure that Ireland passed intelligence to the UK. It came to light a few years ago when official papers were released 50 or 60 years after the event.

And de Valera allowed the RAF to fly over Donegal to save a huge detour, and allowed RAF pilots who crashed on Irish territory to make their way back to the UK but imprisoned German pilots.

Ireland assisted with rescue work after the Belfast Blitz (which was the heaviest bombing in one night of any UK city outside London).

So whilst they were neutral and didn't send an army to join the allies, it's not quite fair to say that they did absolutely nothing to help them.

It was a pretty new country that had come into being in a fairly traumatic way and was suffering economically as well, so even if they had wanted to join the allies officially, I'd guess the impact in practical terms might have been limited? Although obviously it would have made a big impact politically. I think I need to find a book to read on this subject, to educate myself more.