Ireland

Paul at The Northern Irish Magyar is hosting a very interesting debate on the subject of Irishness.

Despite my RC upbringing, I wasn’t indoctrinated with attendant Republican or even Nationalist values. I always viewed Northern Ireland as a seperate entity, quite apart from either Ireland or Britain. Paul sums it up well in the comments:

political Republicanism has succeeded in greatly narrowing the definition of Irishness for their own political ends

I would argue that similarly Unionism/Loyalism have narrowed the definition of Britishness (in Northern Ireland at least) to representing a group of pompous, bigotted, intransigent stick-in-the-muds! I’ve never been comfortable with either label.

Another well-made point is that pre-partition, everyone on the island would have defined themselves as ‘Irish’, simply because it wasn’t an issue. A history book I’ve been reading recently has reminded me of the fact.

Interesting to see a number of mostly Unionist bloggers considering national identity and playing with the concept of being Irish while remaining British. I’ll leave you with an inspirational quote:

We appeal to you not to fall into the 1916 trap and risk a fragile new relationship for the whole island, by pressing for the fulfilment of an old political romance. We in our turn will come to acknowledge an over-arching Irishness we all can share. This is an age for forging new relationships, not for breaking up old ones. Irish unity of the traditional kind is no more for our time than it was in 1916.

Works for me!

Monday, April 24th, 2006 // Northern Ireland: Politics

I’ll make this short.

I’m tired of hearing about Republican ’struggle’ and British oppression and occupation. I can honestly say that not once in my life have I felt oppressed or discriminated against on the grounds of my religious background. I have not been held back from getting gainful employment, nor buying a house, nor living to a relatively decent standard.

While I have little knowledge of the background to the Easter Rising, and subsequent events in Ireland, I am coming to the conclusion that certain parts of our history on this island were inevitable. This is courtesy of Mr Joe Cahill, whose biography I am reading at the moment. It really is food for thought as to how we might have reacted in the same circumstances.

However, we are not in the same circumstances. Northern Ireland has changed. Nobody here is an ‘oppressed people’, except for the daft prejudices that rattle around inside their heads.

This post is in response to Mr Gaskin’s Official Easter Address To The People. I have nothing against the celebrating of the Easter Rising, but don’t bang on about the injustice that is British rule. Especially not when trying to espouse Liberty and Justice for all where all of the children of the Nation, when Sinn Fein (Mr Gaskin is a proud member) have shown absolutely no interest in the welfare or rights of the Protestant/Unionist/Loyalist population here. That just stinks of hypocrisy.

All this talk of comrades and struggles reminds me of that Give My Head Peace episode where an old Republican who’s been hiding in an attic for years comes down thinking the Republicans are still fighting.

Ah, who cares? The only Easter Rising I was interested in last Sunday was the one I woke up with…

Wednesday, April 19th, 2006 // Northern Ireland: Politics

Via Notnem, I came across the Creative Ireland website and this forum thread, featuring Photoshopped ‘alternate endings’ for Saturday’s rioting in Dublin.

There’s some really inventive versions including a War Of The Worlds invasion, Gardai holding back rioters and Oliphaunts from Lord Of The Rings and this wartime shot with Zeppelin hovering overhead….

I’m glad some folk can see the funny side of this. I was in stitches!

Update: This thread has hit the big time. It’s been covered by The Star and there’s three more pages of photo’s since I last visited. Some great Star Wars piss-takes, Independence Day and near the end a pic of the Orange marchers in big green hats and carrying bags from Roches Stores! Congratulations to all the talented buggers who contributed to that thread!

Tuesday, February 28th, 2006 // News & Media, Northern Ireland: Politics