"Celtic/Gaelic stuff is just one side to being Irish."
You don't understand, is right. Yes, you claim Nessie and all that is a stereotype...and that it is. But it is one related to you. Your ancestors dd wear kilts. The Irish culture has nothing to do with me. And "Culture cringe." Well, amusing alliteration it may be (Yes, I just used alliteration), but there still is a cultural representation of the Irish. Leprechauns were merely an example. Another example would be the Celtic Tiger. Hell, let's throw the entire Irish Language which is written in signs all over the Republic, but none here. There is a difference between North and South. To call both Irish is fine. To associate said word with one culture is not. Perhaps you forget the Ulster Scots, those people that you are probably descended from? They have no cultural tie to that. I can play the bagpipes. I (Used to) wear a kilt in parades. Call it whatever you want, but I prefer when I am spoken of to be called Northern Irish or British, as that is my culture. In fact, let's add in the cultural difference of religion too. And the Huguenots, who I personally am descended from. This makes a cultural blend unique to Northern Ireland and in no way connected to the Republic of Ireland. And let's face it, honestly, when someone says Irish you do not think of bagpipes and the Ulster Scots, do you?
"A very good friend of mine is from Brazil and he told me once that he was annoyed that the USA had "hijacked" the term "American" and that he was proud to be an American too."
All well and good. I'm proud to be British too. Wouldn't go as far as to say Britain "Hijacked" the term, but it's still associated with Great Britain, and few consider Northern Ireland a true art of it. Seems your Brazilian and I share a somewhat similar view.
"But according to the majority of Unionists, Northern Ireland is not a separate country or a nation, it is a province. Most Loyalists define it expressly as that and get offended if you say that it is a nation because they maintain it is a province of "Britain"."
Yes. I'm sure you have some point here, but I was talking about Canadians and Americans. Canadians are a separate country/nation, just like Northern Ireland is separate from Ireland. You know, the border?
"But it is quite possible to describe yourself as both Irish and Northern Irish in the same way that people from Northern England describe themselves as Northerners. I don't see what the problem is. In Scotland we have people who are very vocal about being from the "North-East"."
Of course it is quite possible. But you forget that Northerners are still a part of England. There is no border. Those vocal about being from the "North East" can be if they want. But they are still part of Scotland, and recognise that. There is no border.
I could call myself Irish...but there is a border. There are separate cultures that are very different, with different religions, faiths and views, as well as legal systems and education systems. "The problem is" that we are different much more drastically than any one region of Scotland is from the rest. Irish has connotations that strongly aren't Northern Irish, and therefore another term is more prudent. For example Northern Irish, or British.
So very many ninjas.
I know. It just annoys me when the other nations of the American continent get all up in arms about it. It's so typical.
The fact that enough of them get up in arms about it to annoy you disproves some parts of Th4DwArfY1's argument.
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Topic: Sheb's European Megathread: Remove Feta! (Read 1781806 times)