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?

@Howallergic many people there have irish citizenship, and wanted help from us.

Many people were dying there. Couldn't we have helped more?

You knew an asshole. Assholes know no borders.

On that we can agree

What do you think the sole purpose of the IRA was?

@Howallergic one of the big arguments on here is that Ireland should hate England, because what happened in northern Ireland , happened in Irish people's living memory.

I pointed out that I lived in Northern Ireland and people there said to me that they felt that the Republic of Ireland did nothing when they needed help. So we need to look at ourselves too

But even I can see the Crown didnt deliberately starve them. That's precisely where you're wrong. They did.

@Howallergic are you saying the crown purposely caused the potato plant to fail?

I do agree with your 23:40 post, Shiny.

What I object to is the fact it only ever seems to be the lows of English history that are brought up, with the Irish painting themselves as martyred victims every time. Worse, they use the accusatory 'you' when doing it, which is obviously not going to be received well by the English public who were just as much victims of their own government as the Irish were.

It saddens me because it should be people vs the oppressors. Not irish vs english.

What more could we have done than bomb the British out of NI when the IRA could? That went on for years and people didn't want that shit either. NI people are the ones that are never happy in my view.

Well wolfgirl it wasn't the Irish government oppressing our people. It was the British government.

I'm a poster on this thread who mentioned Northern Ireland.
I never said anyone should hate England.
My point is the the relationship between Irish and English people can be difficult due to events of the fairly decent past.
I don't think recognising this means Irish people constantly bring up the past or complain about ancient history.

are you saying the crown purposely caused the potato plant to fail?
This has already been discussed earlier in the thread.

I am Irish and I am also sick of some Irish people constantly being the victim. Ireland is a very wealthy country!

Yes bad things were committed in Ireland, the same as in nearly every other country, I have been in Poland and there was forgiveness towards the people in Germany's past. And there was no blame to current people in Germany AT ALL. I think it is a very immature attitude in ireland

Sorry typo. Fairly recent past.

@Sarahpaula - are you saying the crown purposely caused the potato plant to fail?

The famine was caused by British policy in Ireland. The potato blight was merely the catalyst

@Wolfgirrl why do you feel so guilty?

We would have been a lot wealthier and healthier if Britain had kept its fucking beaked nose out of our country too.
I'm not believing half of these supposed Irish posters either.

@Howallergic

Well wolfgirl it wasn't the Irish government oppressing our people. It was the British government.

Pretty sure the Irish government oppressed Irish women and locked them up in institutions 🤔

Anyway, take it up with the government. Not the English public's issue.

one of the big arguments on here is that Ireland should hate England, because what happened in northern Ireland , happened in Irish people's living memory

Which is an argument made even more bizarre by the fact that most of those Protestants in NI were Scots

@Howallergic

We would have been a lot wealthier and healthier if Britain had kept its fucking beaked nose out of our country too.
I'm not believing half of these supposed Irish posters either.

*the British government. Not 'Britain'.

Which is an argument made even more bizarre by the fact that most of those Protestants in NI were Scots

You know full well that it was the British (English) crown who ordered the plantations of Scottish Lords into NI.

@JaneJeffer guilty about what?

No - Britain. Britain. Not the government. They were elected were they not? So yes, Britain.

You keep bringing up people trying to make you feel guilty even though no one has said that to you.

Sarah - I see that you haven't responded to my comment about the concerted efforts made by the IRA to free NI either? You claim no help was given? You also claim you're Irish. I'm willing to bet you're NI.