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.

Cork is the real capital

Cork is the real capital

Cork is the real capital

I'm from Cork btw (can you tell?) and live in NI. I don't actually care what its called - here I have heard "the South", The Free State the Republic etc. What I hate is being called a paddy or a Mexican by arseholes (that's you DH' family - crowd of sectarian gobshites).

I understood the OP to say that Republic of Ireland is only a descriptive term and not a proper name for the country. She speaks disparagingly of FIFA forcing the Irish football team to use it.

OP, please clarify.

What are you supposed to say in place of southern Ireland? *baffled

Have to say, I am loving the Cork-related-scrapping going on on this thread.

I think we should compromise.

Ireland for the whole island
Northern Ireland - as now.
CAIS for the South.

In fairness, when the drafters of the constitution called the country Ireland, they meant the whole island, north and south. When articles 2 and 3 were amended so as to remove the claim to the six counties comprising ni, it might have made sense to change the name to roi to distinguish it from ni, as both parts form part of what was historically Ireland. A lot of people make a big deal of it having to be called Ireland because that's what it says in the constitution without acknowledging that the constitution when drafted was referring to a different geographical entity to now. Obviously Ireland needs to be used on official documents but is it really such a big deal if people use a term that makes it easy to determine which part of Ireland (the island) you're talking about?

In fairness, when the drafters of the constitution called the country Ireland, they meant the whole island, north and south. When articles 2 and 3 were amended so as to remove the claim to the six counties comprising ni, it might have made sense to change the name to roi to distinguish it from ni, as both parts form part of what was historically Ireland. A lot of people make a big deal of it having to be called Ireland because that's what it says in the constitution without acknowledging that the constitution when drafted was referring to a different geographical entity to now. Obviously Ireland needs to be used on official documents but is it really such a big deal if people use a term that makes it easy to determine which part of Ireland (the island) you're talking about?

I didn't know about the 'Southern Ireland' thing. I've always referred to the 2 as Northern Ireland being 1 country and Ireland as another country

I've never heard anyone say southern Ireland. Truly.

Its obviously Ireland and Northern Ireland. You wouldn't say England and Northern England meaning Scotland.

Maryz - I'm going to whisper this in creepy wee bracket so I know only you can hear and I don;t offend anyone else... I have to remind myself sometimes when reading threads on here that Britain does not mean England, and England does not mean London and London does not mean middle-class-predominantly-white-and-fairly-well-off.

Lets call Northern Ireland Fred then there won't be any confusion.

Or should we call it Ronan?

I proposed CAIS for (southern) Ireland.

Cork And Its Surrounds

Anyway, ye may not be interested enough to care what Ireland is called, which is fine. The thing that really gets on my nerves is that every time there's a referendum about the EU here, people who aren't even informed enough to know the name if this country line up to pontificate about how it really is (or, more accurately, how it really isn't).

Less of that, please.

Though to be fair I'm the kind of person who can never quite remember which is Papua New Guinea and New Guinea which is quite important if you're not keen on getting eaten.

whitesugar I am saying that Ireland is a separate country and you are arguing with me. I'm not sure you mean to so I think you have the wrong end of the stick here.

Because Ireland is a separate country people in the UK have no special reason or duty to keep up with social changes or current affairs except in the general sense that we keep up with all countries.

You bring Thatcher into it but what jurisdiction did she have over Ireland and what particular injustice did she do to Ireland (not Northern Ireland)?

It's obviously Ireland and Northern Ireland. You wouldn't say England and Northern England meaning Scotland.

err no but that's because it's not called Northern England, it's called Scotland. I think you may have that backwards.

Angola's got a better climate. Not many strawberry blondes in Angola.

Ireland's so rich because its capital is always Dublin.