to wish people would use the correct name for my country?

[Buttercup2926]

I love living in the UK but I do wish people were better educated about the country right next door. Particularly its name.

The Constitution of Ireland sets out that there are two official names for the country, Ireland and Éire. Éire should only be used when speaking in the Irish language. Therefore it is correct for people in the UK to say Ireland when talking about that fab country next door!

Northern Ireland is a seperate place and is part of the UK.

Republic of Ireland is a description as opposed to a name. For political reasons FIFA forces the football team to use this name.

The term 'Southern Ireland' is very offensive and should not be used ever. It has strong historical connotations and was used by the English government as a way to avoid recognising the independence of Ireland. I understand that people genuinely do not know this and don't always mean to be offensive as so many people in England use it so casually.

I often see on here people referring to Irish accents and sayings as 'regional'. This is incorrect, Ireland is not a region of the UK no more than France or Spain are.

Can you imagine how Northern Ireland felt when the Olympic team was called TeamGB? Now that is offensive.

NigellasDealer You want to say Ireland is part of the UK then?

No idea why I'm posting but I'm reading this thread with Ronan Keating singing on the radio. Just thought that was

"and English people in the south-east are equally mystified by anything north of Luton. I think its a hangover from being the most powerful country in the world, and just naturally assuming that London was the hub of the universe."

IME some Londoners can tend to forget that the South of England is actually a ilttle bit bigger than London, and might not run exactly the same way as London does. Have had interesting conversations about public transport which is only just outside of London with some of these weirdos people.

I never refer to Northern Ireland as just Ireland as to me they are different places.

Ok, that's just weird. I have literally zero problem with some people wanting Northern Ireland to remain within the United Kingdom. And zero desire for a united Ireland (lets face it, who in their right mind wants to share a jurisdiction with Martin McGuinness or Peter Robinson? ). But the 'Northern Ireland' isn't in 'Ireland' at all stuff is bizarre. Clue's in the title surely? The unionist disavowal of Irishness in any form is a fairly recent thing historically. Prior to partition in 1922 unionists simply saw themselves as Irish people who wanted to remain within the United Kingdom. They often also asserted 'Ulsterness' as a regional identity or described themselves as 'British' in the same sense that a Welsh or Scottish person might, but they did not reject Irishness. That only started after 1922, and even then was quite gradual. Literally all the Irish Protestant denominations are all-Ireland bodies with 'Irish' or 'Ireland' in the title for example.

BackOnlyBriefly you didn't invade Angola. You didn't cause death and misery there. You did in Ireland.

But seriously OP two posts and you leg it? Not cool.

Back, the difference is Angola is not your next door neighbour. It would be courteous to have some basic knowledge of your neighbours just to be friendly.

"NigellasDealer You want to say Ireland is part of the UK then?"
certainly not, why are you attempting to put words in my mouth?
i just disagree with your statement that Ireland is nothing to do with us.

WTFlike we didn't? You mean we missed one?

Seriously you need to think about a couple of points.

1. 'I' didn't invade Ireland.

2. Ireland is not under the control of the UK nor is it a matter for UK voters to intervene in their business. What Ireland chooses to do is none of my business. Is that clearer for you?

I spent my early years at a Convent School c.1956.Northern Ireland was allways referred to as ' The Back North '.Good to know things have changed.

yes WTFlike using the term 'you' for historical acts carried out by the British government is emotive and unnecessary. I am sure backonlybriefly did not invade Ireland.

whitesugar and NigellasDealer see my post to WTFLike.

You can be interested in any country you like, but we don't have an official interest any more than in Angola.

As for 'neighbour' that's a very old fashioned way to look at it that mostly matters if visiting on horseback. In fact I'm probably closer to France right now if that's how you measure importance.

Why hold current people liable for stuff that happened centuries ago?

Plus 'I' am half Irish myself. (And half Durrzet)

Nigellas It's ok I wasn't offended by WTFlike because I'm an adult and I know the 'you' isn't personal, but I did need to make the distinction as part of explaining why I am not currently researching Ireland.

I'm very interested in all the history due to my heritage. Did it for GCSE. That was before the Good Friday Agreement.

If one of your parents is Irish and the other is English should you be angry at yourself up for oppressing yourself?

same here about the history, but I just got confused.
now i make a point (in RL) of never discussing religion or politics with anyone vaguely Irish. It is all for the best.

Do people actually walk around being bothered by things like these

Yes and not just this collection of islands mostly North of France and a fair bit east of the US and Canada.

In Belgium some areas celebrate holidays when others don't. The buses display flags and at a certain part of the route the flags are taken down and then at another part put up again.

Can I just say one thing, to an outsider it might just be semantics, a flag, a cartoon, a bit of meat, something not important, but to some people this is part of their very being and their history, dismissing it is really dismissing a huge part of a person or nation.

But I am guilty, I had no idea that 'The Republic of Ireland' was insulting. Maybe I've been confused by the tourist campaign telling me to take a holiday on 'the island or Ireland'.

Davsmum

Sit your partner down and make him watch 'the long way round', Ewan McGregor soon starts to call himself 'English'.

And entering Ecuador I had to wait while the two immigration officials found out what the system said for 'Inglasi'

Pissing myself laughing at "strong historical connotations."

Maryz did you go to my school?