To be surprised at how little British people seem to know about Ireland?

[WriterofDreams]

I'm from Ireland and I've lived in England for a total of two years. In Ireland we watch all the British channels and get all the British newspapers so most Irish people are pretty up to date on everything that's going on in Britain. Also, the Irish news tends to mention Britain a lot, so even if you only watch Irish tv or read Irish newspapers you'll still get a lot of information on current affairs in Britain.

When the whole thing with Ireland going down the pan financially came up on Channel 4 my mum rang me to say "Ireland's on the British news!" and we knew then it must be bad, simply because Ireland is so rarely mentioned over here. Now I know it's a tiny country but it's a close neighbour of Britain and a large population of Irish people live in Britain, so I would have thought it was reasonable that there would be a fair amount of mention of Ireland in schools and in newspapers and on the tv. But that's not the case.

Since living here it has struck me that so many people don't seem to know basic facts about Ireland, such as who the President is, who the Taoiseach is, what the native language is called, what the native sports are and so on. I've noticed in primary schools (not sure about secondary) that Ireland is rarely mentioned as part of history or geography despite the long and complicated historical links between the two countries.

Would it be fair to say that there isn't much mention of Ireland in Britain? Do you feel you know much about Ireland? Not saying we're special or owt, just curious.

English schools do not generally teach Irish or Scottish history which is an omission. We should all know about the countries right next to us. It would help with the prejudice which probably flourishes both ways

All of us probably know more about the USA than each other. Culturally dominant places like the US will naturally filter into people's consciousness, no matter how far away

No, the bit below Northern Ireland is the north midlands.

southern Ireland is the bit below Laois.

I remember after coming back to England, that I found having learned Irish that learning French was really hard, I remember being so confused by words like window and fatha's(sp) and accents!

I think most people, unless they have an active interest in a partcular country will just follow what's on the news.

I bet most people can name the President of Zimbabwe (and of course the US) - because the media here cover it more often.

For example - I don't actually watch the news. But generally head off to BBC news.

First of all I do "England" - and my local area.

Then I go back to England and look at the headlines around the country that jump out at me (if I'm really bored ) I'll click on the different areas on the map to get more headline options).

Then I do "UK" and focus in on Scotland initially, and then go back and read news from Wales and NI that jump out.

Then it's onto "World" - again - key headlines on the main page so from all around the world . And then onto Africa. Then if I have time/am bored I click on each region.

If there's no Irish headlines then I'm not going to see them and learn anything about the place from it.

Surely if anyone is to be "blamed" for a lack of knowledge about Ireland it should be the media - not those following the news?

For instance - right now on the main "Europe" page there is only one really obvious headline about Europe - and that's the "most read" from Saturday!

"Weeeeell, the island is called Ireland soooo, the bit below Northern Ireland is, by default, Southern Ireland. Not the official name of the country but not technically wrong either?"

NO NO NO NO NO!

Technically very wrong! Donegal(rep of ireland) further north than Northern Ireland.

<a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.ie/imgres?imgurl=www.geographicguide.net/europe/maps-europe/maps/ireland-map.gif&imgrefurl=www.geographicguide.net/europe/maps-europe/ireland.htm&h=1235&w=1000&sz=151&tbnid=Zm9SYDKHwvbFfM:&tbnh=150&tbnw=121&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmap%2Bireland&zoom=1&q=map+ireland&usg=__oOEaX1EdlxgGgleav13wgPEy0J4=&sa=X&ei=Ldv2TL-kI9PA4gaJ09i-Bw&ved=0CC4Q9QEwAg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">look at a map!

Why would the English want to know about lesser nations? I'm not trying to offend as every nation thinks every other nation is lesser,even if they won't admit it. The Irish and Scots have plenty of wonderful things to say about England! I'm Scottish and moved down to England and can fully understand why they don't want to broadcast the whinging Scots on TV! There isn't anything that Scotland and Ireland has that England doesn't so what's the point talking about them?

Said are you trying to bait me? Cos I'll sit on you, I will and you won't survive believe me!

And I agree talking about the troubles in relation to Ireland shows severe ignorance. Ireland is a separate country to Northern Ireland, we did not have any troubles. When DH moved to Shannon in the 90s his friends were very concerned because he thought he would be blown up. Bear in mind that Shannon is little more than a village in the back arse of nowhere in the west of Ireland, approximately 300 kms from the border!

I think you are right, although I hadn't noticed before, that there isn't much mention of Ireland in Britain. I don't think children get taught about it in school but then they don't learn about countries as such, it is more social history and physical geography.

Also, whilst a lot of Irish people come over to Britain there is not the same movement of British people over to Ireland. For a long time Ireland were a poorer neighbour and the British weren't wanted or needed over there - the Irish wanted what jobs they had for their own people, naturally. The impression I have is that Irish people came to Britian for better life. Obviously that hasn't been the case in recent years. Forgive me if I am wrong, but I don't think that our trade with Ireland is as significant to the UK as it is to the Irish so that could be another reason.

As for not acknowledging our relationship over the last 800 years, Britian has had a relationship with a lot of countries and had a lot of influence in many of them historically. We also have the Commonwealth which has created ties with those countries so the relationship with the Irish isn't as central to the Uk as it maybe to the Irish. I don't know, just speculating. Do the Irish have strong links with other countries apart from the US?

I know you have had lady presidents too probably because that is unusual. I also know Ireland has a lot of our telly because I used to have an Irish boss who went home regularly and used to tell us where they were with Eastenders!

Bonnie Prince charlie
To some people Ireland is the whole of Ireland. Northern Ireland has been annexed by some land grabbers"

A Nation once again A Nation once again....................

I don't expect you to get that joke but Im sure some one out there will

Look at a map? Now, where is Ireland on my globe?

methsdrinker, enough!

Southern Britain is fair enough

Be afraid...Oh I've got to lie down, but I'll get you I will.

"we did not have any troubles"

uh, the Arms Trial?

the Omagh bomb

mad loo laas in Louth/Monaghan border areas intent on killing someone in the PSNI or British army RIGHT NOW

We negotiated Sunningdale, the Anglo-Irish agreement, the Good Friday agreement

We only gave up our territorial claim to Northern Ireland in 1998.

Of course we had troubles. They just didn't hurt us as much.

Bhreatain ó dheas, maith, ba chóir dúinn úsáid go bhfuil ceann!

Tá siad ach éad go bhfaigheann muid ar an teilifís go léir Meiriceánach chéad!

Oh dear, I think I have to agree. I'm from NI, and a number of my friends moved over to England/Scotland for university. I still remember one of them telling us that she'd been in a conversation with an English flatmate who seemed to think that she was from some backwater in the arsehole of nowhere. She was asked if we had electricity and cars, had she ever made a petrol bomb and other (unfunny) remarks about the troubles. And this was in 2007!

It's not just the Republic that gets forgotten about in the day-to-day media coverage either. When was the last time you saw Northern Ireland mentioned on the BBC news when it didn't have something to do with violence or politics? I just think it's very sad that in the twenty-first century, there's still a stereotype perpetuated by the Media, and sometimes even the people that are meant to represent us, that Northern Ireland is still a dangerous place, where sectarianism and bitterness is still rife :(

Bonnie :)

Not bad!

Well sectarianism and bitterness is still rife.

go raibh maith agat, déan iarracht mé spidookly

maryz, it said....
Southern Britain, good, we should use that one!

They're just jealous that we get all the American TV first!

Tá sé sin soiléir go léir, a Bhonnie.

@ Writer. I've got loads of Irish ancestry as well.

When I was in America, someone asked me if England was near Scotland and whether England was part of the Dominican Republic.

dinosaurkisses - when is any part of the country or indeed the world on the news for anything other than bad stuff though? That is what the news is generally - politics, wars and crime.