To be confused by the facts surrounding what is is to be British, Scottish, Welsh, Irish or 'from the UK'.

[owlelf]

Apologies in advance to anyone upset my ignorance but I am genuinely confused by the what is the most correct and least offensive way to explain how Britain and the UK are comprised, what the correct nationalities are and how the various flags should be used to represent us?

Am I correct in thinking Britain = England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales and The United Kingdom = England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?

I would describe myself as British, living in the UK and the flag I most identify with is the Union Jack. However, I'm only just beginning to realise that the term 'British' is not a way that many people in some parts Britain would like to describe themselves, and I now realise that loads of people in Scotland don't identify with the Union Jack.

Ds was asking me recently what 'our' flag was. I told him it was the Union Jack, but his grandpa has confused the issue by insisting that our flag is the St George's Cross.

Sporting events seem to muddy the water further- sometimes we compete separately as England Ireland Scotland and Northern Ireland, at other times we compete all together as the UK.

AIBU to be confused??

Am interested in what Darrowby said about her DC's DC not being eligible for a British passport as this may apply to DS's DC in the future (he's only 4, so the faaaar future!)

I am British, born in England and therefore English, but with a fair smattering of Irish and Scottish ancestry as well.
DH is Australian, with an Irish Dad, and therefore has both passports.
DS is British/English (born there) and Australian (by descent) and has both passports - but he could also apply for an Irish passport should he wish to, I believe.

I identify with the Union jack/flag most strongly. I'm actually not that keen on the St. George's cross flag, primarily because of its associations with certain extremist groups of people and would never willingly choose it over the Union Jack.

Thumb- if DS was born in the UK then he is British otherwise than by descent and can pass on his c/ship. Ds's DC if born abroad will be BC by descent and not able to pass their c/ship on automatically, but may be able to register as BCs at some point.Various sections of the British Nationality Act provide for this (usually with periods of uninterrupted residence by the parent)

Oh ok, Bucharest, thanks - so the one I'm having at the moment will be Aussie by birth and British by descent, and so when this one (all things being well, FX etc.) has DC, they will have more difficulty becoming British citizens (assuming they want to of course and that we all stay in Australia for ever more)

Yup!

Scrolling back to Darrowby's post, I presume her children like mine, were not born in the UK.

The law was changed in 1981 (though it came into force in 1983) to prevent old colonial types who loved the UK so much that they would do anything except live there.....being British for generation after generation when the last member of the family to actually have lived there was great great great great great grandad Hector in 1878.

I don't mind Eire so much but it makes me a bit when non-Irish people use it. I also don't understand Southern Ireland. I'm originally from Monaghan which isn't south. Its fine to call it the Republic. Just don't ever call it the UK or you will be in for a very long history lesson

I think Southern Ireland just comes from being "not Northern Ireland", doesn't it? Obviously wrong in many ways, but that's how I understood it.

Thanks again Buch!

True Thumb but its just incorrect. Its like calling Northern Ireland Ulster.

Yep, lack of geographical understanding, Freebirds.

Am a nationality geek. Used to work in the Nationality Office and went to bed chanting stuff like "If great great grandfather was on crown service in Malaya and still resident there on the day of independence and had 2 children and one of them gave birth to a son in Ireland in or before 1949 and that child went to work in Brussels on EU secondment, what nationality is their second cousin twice removed?"