# Why doesn't Ireland celebreate an independence day



## pinkyBear (16 Aug 2007)

I was speaking to an Indian colleague about the Indian independence day, he asked me why don't we celebrate our independence day? I explained about the North and partitioning, and he said but India, despite partitioning still celebreates this day...

So tell me why don't we celebrate this day?


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## z108 (16 Aug 2007)

*Re: Why doesn't Ireland celebrate an independence day*

A West Brit Conspiracy ?


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## Thirsty (16 Aug 2007)

What date would you choose?

Also the partition in India created two independent states; that did not occur in Ireland.


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## elefantfresh (16 Aug 2007)

> Also the partition in India created two independent states; that did not occurr in Ireland.


Erm....we kinda have that don't we?


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## terrysgirl33 (16 Aug 2007)

NI is a part of the Kingdom of Great Britian and Northern Ireland, not an independant state.

Besides, isn't St. Pats day, and the Easter celebrations partly an independance celebration?


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## pinkyBear (16 Aug 2007)

> Besides, isn't St. Pats day, and the Easter celebrations partly an independance celebration?


No Paddys day is a religous holiday and the easter celebrations commerate the 1916 rising. Neither relate to our independence.

I for one think yes we should celebrate the day the republic was formed. I know there are people out there who feel that Ireland is not independent until all 32 counties are independent. I am Irish, a free Irish person, my grandfather fought for independence, so why do we not celebrate our independence?????


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## Caveat (16 Aug 2007)

Kind of agree pinkybear

So when would it be? Date of partition or date of declaration of republic or something else?

Oops - just noticed your suggestion of 'day republic was formed'

Sounds reasonable to me?


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## michaelm (16 Aug 2007)

Irish independence was fleeting; due to the meek acceptance of successive European treaties over the past twenty years Ireland is now part of the European, rather than the British, Empire.


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## Firefly (16 Aug 2007)

Give us another bank holiday & we'll celebrate anything!


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## Green (16 Aug 2007)

Hmmm why should we not have an Independneance Day, an interesting question. 

I would prefer if the Government supported the current instituations of the State i.e. those same institutions that Padraig Pearse et al and others died so that we could have. I'm talking about such bodies as the Revenue Commisisoners. Last year the State made a tax settlement for €22m (the largest single tax settlement in the history of the State!) with a building company. The principals of that company attended in the FF tent at the Galway races both this year and last year sitting beside and interacting with the very same members of the Government who job it is to support the institutions of the State.

My view is that we would do the memory of Padraig Pearse (and others) far more justice by the Government support of the State institutions that he gave his life to create.


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## pinkyBear (16 Aug 2007)

> Give us another bank holiday


 You bang on there Firefly and we are below average in Europe for bank holidays... 

Let the petitioning begin....


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## pinkyBear (16 Aug 2007)

On that note I am just after emailing the Taoiseach's office asking the same question...
Why not join me in my petition to celebrate our independence 
[broken link removed]


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## Green (16 Aug 2007)

pinkyBear said:


> You bang on there Firefly and we are below average in Europe for bank holidays...
> 
> Let the petitioning begin....


 
Apologies, I thought this was a serious thread........but as usual in Ireland...its all about what we can get..


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## purpeller (16 Aug 2007)

The Republic of Ireland act came into being on 18 April 1948.
18 April would be a terrible date to have another holiday on. We already have loads around that time of year with Patrick's day and Easter.

What we need is to pick a date in February, July, September or November, when there's no public holiday already.

Didn't Fianna Fail state last week (this week?) that they were not even considering adding another holiday?


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## Jock04 (16 Aug 2007)

YOBR said:


> Apologies, I thought this was a serious thread........but as usual in Ireland...its all about what we can get..


 

So what would you suggest, YOBR?  A days unpaid leave?

Surely the point about Ireland having one of the lowest holiday rates in the EU is that there is room for an Independance Day holiday, should the majority of the population feel that it should be celebrated.


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## casiopea (16 Aug 2007)

> Surely the point about Ireland having one of the lowest holiday rates in the EU is that there is room for an Independance Day holiday, should the majority of the population feel that it should be celebrated.



Is that really true?  Ireland has a lot more bank holidays than Switzerland (yes I know you said the EU) but I used to live in Italy and I didnt have more holidays/bank holidays there nor in Sweden.  Im fairly sure Germany doesnt have more bank holidays.  Is that really true that Ireland has one of the lowest holiday rates in the EU?
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Actually scratch that it appears you are right:

[broken link removed]


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## Green (16 Aug 2007)

"18 April would be a terrible date to have another holiday on. We already have loads around that time of year with Patrick's day and Easter."

"Surely the point about Ireland having one of the lowest holiday rates in the EU is that there is room for an Independance Day holiday, should the majority of the population feel that it should be celebrated."

No, I'm not suggesting unpaid leave. The question of whether and how to celebrating our independance is an extremely important issue which apprears to be missing from some of the posts about this question. The question of whether we have a low number of public holidays compared to the rest of the EU is irrelevant to this issue. The issue of commemorating this event/occurance should be decided on a stand alone basis and not be used an an excuse or give us a leg up the Euro public holiday league  table. 

Likewise, its date (if we are to have a such a holiday) should not be chosen to discommode us on existing public holidays. It appears to me in this thread that people are more concerned with getting the public holiday than the actual event it is proposed to honour.

Finally, the original post asked the question "why don't we celebrate our independence day" it did not suggest a public holiday. Indeed, there are many ways to celebrate it than other than having a public holiday and I might add that it might be better to have a commemoration that does not include a public holiday. If you look at Paddy's Day, it give certain people the excuse to spend the day in the pub which i dont think would be a fitting way to remember Pearse, Collins and many many other who fought and died to secure Irish independence.


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## pinkyBear (16 Aug 2007)

> It appears to me in this thread that people are more concerned with getting the public holiday than the actual event it is proposed to honour.


 
Hi YOBR, yes it would be great to get a BH, however my original post was in relation to celebrating our independence - and whether or not you agree I think that is worthy of a BH. I for one would celebrate it with pride.


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## Green (16 Aug 2007)

Pinkybear, I'm glad that you would celebrate with pride but I fear that many others would not. However, given the dominating affect of the War of Independence on Irish politics throughout the years, are we mature enough as nation to discuss and commemorate this event without opening up old wounds. Would it be hijacked for political purposes? Also, how would such an event be viewed in Northern Ireland?


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## pinkyBear (16 Aug 2007)

YOBR,



> . However, given the dominating affect of the War of Independence on Irish politics throughout the years, are we mature enough as nation to discuss and commemorate this event without opening up old wounds.


Yes we are, the celtic cubs are not as entrenched in old Irish politics as prior generations. And we are living in a time where there is peace, and hopefully a sustained one...

I understand your centament about people using it as an excuse for the pub.. We as a nation have matured, we are now beginging to comemorate the easter rising, prior to this it was only comemorated by Sin Fein..



> I'm glad that you would celebrate with pride I fear that many others would not.


Not proud to be Irish and Independant - can you personaly name some one who is Irish and who is not proud to be so???


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## Green (16 Aug 2007)

"Yes we are, the celtic cubs are not as entrenched in old Irish politics as prior generations. ..." The celtic cubs may certainly not be so entrenched in their views but many others in Ireland may not be so enlightened. 

"Not proud to be Irish and Independant - can you personaly name some one who is Irish and who is not proud to be so???"  I am not questioning the fact that people are proud to be Irish, I am simply saying that many would see the day as an excuse for a day in the pub.


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## Firefly (16 Aug 2007)

YOBR said:


> "Yes we are, the celtic cubs are not as entrenched in old Irish politics as prior generations. ..." The celtic cubs may certainly not be so entrenched in their views but many others in Ireland may not be so enlightened.
> 
> "Not proud to be Irish and Independant - can you personaly name some one who is Irish and who is not proud to be so???" I am not questioning the fact that people are proud to be Irish, I am simply saying that many would see the day as an excuse for a day in the pub.


 
Many would, but many wouldn't...it's called a choice. It would be nice to recognise it though


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## sinbadsailor (16 Aug 2007)

eh, because it would serve no purpose only to give the govt another reason to ban drinking as we would all no doubt be falling down in the streets as if it was the last chance we had to have a sup!


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## z108 (16 Aug 2007)

pinkyBear said:


> , my grandfather fought for independence, so why do we not celebrate our independence?????



So did mine but they never spoke about it or told me about it until very recently.




pinkyBear said:


> can you personaly name some one who is Irish and who is not proud to be so???



A thinking man might reply with the name of Ian Paisley. Being born on the island of Ireland he qualifies under our constitution for citizenship.


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## pinkyBear (16 Aug 2007)

> A thinking man might reply with the name of Ian Paisley. Being born on the island of Ireland he qualifies under our constitution for citizenship.


 
good one there Sign


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## annR (16 Aug 2007)

There are many Irish people living round the world who are not proud to be Irish and that's why they left Ireland. I met a good few of them while travelling.  Never figured out what their problem is though.


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## z108 (16 Aug 2007)

annR said:


> There are many Irish people living round the world who are not proud to be Irish and that's why they left Ireland. I met a good few of them while travelling.  Never figured out what their problem is though.



Maybe they are not proud of the choices given to many young people to either become burdened with a 100% intergenerational mortgage for 40 years or emigrating and actually being able to afford a lifestyle ?


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## Persius (16 Aug 2007)

Maybe they are gay and aren't proud of the fact that (expressions of) homosexuality was a criminal offence until about 1992. Maybe they were abused as children by men of the cloth in state run institutions and aren't proud of a state that did little to protect them. Maybe they dislike the direction society has taken, and aren't proud of what they see as a very materialistic nation. Loads of possibilities really.

As to the original question, should we celebrate independance day? IMHO no. The goal of most people who agitated in westminster, or fought in armed campaigns, was for an independant state consisting of the whole island of Ireland. This was not acheived.

We in the 26 counties now live in a state that is an independant Republic. Fortunatly we have made our peace with our fellow Irishmen and women in the province of Northern Ireland. And the people of Northern Ireland seem to have made their peace with each other. 

I am proud to be Irish and think that some sort of celebration for either the state (ROI) or the island and what it has acheived could be a good thing. However I would not see the point in celebrating "independance".


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## sinbadsailor (17 Aug 2007)

annR said:


> There are many Irish people living round the world who are not proud to be Irish and that's why they left Ireland. I met a good few of them while travelling.  Never figured out what their problem is though.



There are also some in that situation who haven't left!


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