Do you see the union jack as being an english flag?

mathepac said:
Rugby (Union, League, Sevens, Womens )- Ireland (32 county), Boxing - Ireland (32 county), Hockey - Ireland (32 county), Athletics - Ireland (32 county), Tennis - Ireland (32 county), Motor-sport (A1 GP) - Team Ireland, etc. etc.
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Atheltics - GB and Northern Ireland team? IOC events are separate, Ireland competes as Ireland.
Golf - Harrington Ireland, Clarke Northern Ireland...

It was a FIFA problem because it doesn't exist for any other sport, whether competing across 32 counties or not. It was a FIFA solution because their response was to make a country play under a different name. Northern Ireland is Norther Ireland, Ireland is not the Republic of Ireland. The correct response would have been to respect a country's constitution. Though I suspect it was because there aren't enough references to hot pants in the constitution.
 
aonfocaleile said:
... can anyone explain why there is a single British team at events such as the Olympics? ...
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Its simple really. FIFA, who inherited the administration of association football from the Brits, already had the exceptions regarding Wales, Scotland, England and NI written into their rules. Truly international organisations such as the IOC rcognise countries using UN guidelines, not those of a previous administration.
 
Do you see the union jack as being an english flag?

Yes - i see it as a predominantly English flag although used also by Ulster Loyalists/Unionists ditto Scottish Loyalists/Unionists in order to proclaim their 'allegiance' to lizzy and westminster (when it suits).
 
Is it not therefore correct to describe the country as "Republic of Ireland"?
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No - aonfocaleile is correct. The legislation being referred to is the one which established Ireland as a republic (at independence, the Queen was still head of state). It did not add the term "republic" to our official name. Our Constitution clearly states what the name of the country is - anythng else is incorrect. Even if legislation was brought it to call the country "republic of.." it would be invalid as a Constitutional Referendum is needed to change the name.

If FIFA are to use the excuse that Ireland is a republic as the logic for referring to us as the "Republic of Ireland", then some of their teams should be renamed as follows:

The Evil Dictatorship of Korea
The Communist Dictatorship of China
The Undemocratic Theocracy of Iran
The Corrupt Murdering Regime of Sudan
The Basketcase of Somalia
 
Samantha, think of it this way - if an ultra nationalistic English guy wanted to get his first tattoo (and it had to be a flag) what do you think he would get?
 
mathepac said:
A swastika?
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There's alway one...

And a swastika is not a 'flag' anyway.

The answer to the semi-rhetorical question is of course, a union jack. Even if this ultra nationalist hates Scottish people for example.
 

http://www.olympics.org.uk/BEIJING2008/aboutteamgb.aspx

Not according to the IOC website, which clearly makes reference to Team GB representing GB and NI. I recall this being discussed on BBC at the time and they had no explanation other than team UK wouldn't have the same ring to it.
 
csirl said:
some of their teams should be renamed as follows:

The Evil Dictatorship of Korea
The Communist Dictatorship of China
The Undemocratic Theocracy of Iran
The Corrupt Murdering Regime of Sudan
The Basketcase of Somalia
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That would be cool
 
In the end of the day, the Scots and Welsh are all part of the UK and are ruled by the Queen of England. There's nothing more pathetic than a Scots or Welsh person going on about how they hate the English yadda yadda yadda - all talk, but no action. If they dont like their fellow subjects, they should leave the union.
 
I laughed out loud at the end of Braveheart, the part when the script comes up to say that the Scots eventually got their freedom from English rule !!!!!!!!!!!!! Yeh right .

Its a joke the Scots and Welsh thinking that they are a country, with their flag and National anthem, ( a song of Loyalty).
Thank God we Irish were not as weak as them !

The only reason that GB never entered a football team in the Olympics was that they feared that FIFA would say that they could only have one national team thereafter.

Secman
 

Scotland and Wales don't have National Anthems. But I certainly wouldn't call what they use instead as songs of loyalty. They are as Nationalistic as our own.

People can make fun of the Scots and Welsh all they like but they are proud Nations. We may have independence but I am sure the people who fought and died for it would be delighted to see how we have rejected the Irish language, imported the British High Street, support English soccer teams, watch English tv etc etc. So are you sure we aren't as weak as them?
 
As a further aside, there was some debate last night on G Hook regarding a formal visit from Queen Elizabeth over here. I was just amused that one "text" listed the usual reasons why she shouldn't come over, famine, oppression, etc, however it was when he also listed Cromwell I thought he should double check his history.

Out of all the ills visited by the different regimes, I'm not sure the British Monarchy can be blamed on the guy who led a (follow-up) revolution, established a complete dictatorship, banned all forms of enjoyment, persecuted anyone not Puritan (Anglican, Prodestant or Catholic), killed more of his own citizens than the black death, ran the Monarchy out the country and then beheaded the King after a trial so blatantly unfair that it would make a Judge from Alabama in the 60s blush.
 

It's almost as bad as the Irish with their rugby/Football/GAA/celtic tops on when on holiday
 
Union Jack - Totally 100% English and for some reason it reminds me too of the pie-n-chips brigade, Blackpool, Magalluf, etc.
 
MandaC said:
Union Jack - Totally English and for some reason it reminds me too of the pie-n-chips brigade, Blackpool, Magalluf, etc.
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I think such raw patriotism is very unpalatable abroad. Be it a British Bulldog tattoo, Tricolour hung off a hotel block balcony in Benidorm or a family all in stars and stripe t-shirts.

If your own country is so great, why did you leave it to come to wherever you have come on holiday?

I suppose the people to be found expressing their national identity abroad, like the GAA tops mentioned above, are usually the lowest common denominator, going to the Costa del Muck for a week because it costs €199 including tax and they get to drink from 11 in the morning until 6 the following morning.
 
I wouldnt have thought of GAA jerseys or English club jerseys are being too low brow or provocative. I suppose the Celtic & Rangers ones have their sectarian baggage but other than that they wouldnt bother me.

National flags abroad are generally a bit of cringe - like at Glastonbury etc, big deal you have a Welsh/Scottish/Irish flag on a 20ft poll, whoooppee for you.
 
Terrontress, while I'd agree that the overt and explicit use of national symbols (such as flags) while on holidays in another country is a little unpalatable especially in the absence of any reason to do so; I would have to point out though that plenty of children (and adults) would have club and national jerseys as part of their day-to-day wear and there is nothing specifically jingoistic in their wearing them on holidays. They may also have jerseys related to other sports or schools.
I'd take exception to the tone of your comment. It is, dare I say, a little snobbish. You seem to equate being only able or willing to afford a cheap holiday with "lowest common denominator" and binge drinking. Plenty of people go on cheap holidays because they provide good value for money, an opportunity to enjoy some sunshine, an opportunity for children to have a good holiday abroad. There are also those who go on cheap holidays because they are students or otherwise on a limited budget. If they wish to let their hair down and do so without running afoul of the local authorities then where is the harm in it being cheap? Tarring all budget holidaymakers with the same brush is quite unfair of you.
 
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