President of Ireland or President of the Republic of Ireland?

Purple said:

It's in the Island of Ireland but not the Country called Ireland. It's in the Country called the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It's easy to know that when you're there, they have their Queen all over their money.

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Actually, it's anything but easy to know when you're there. Case in point: I was at a National League game in Derry's Celtic Park a few years ago. The Irish tricolour was flying over the ground, the Irish National Anthem was played before the game, public address announcements were in Irish and English, Sterling and Euros were freely accepted at the gate and the shop inside the ground.

If a Martian landed and was asked to guess what country he was in, he would most likely look around and say Ireland.

And, while this is a whimsical example, it does illustrate the point that Northern Ireland is more than just another part of the UK. Constitutionally, it's different; there's an element of shared sovereignty via the GFA, much as unionism might pretend otherwise. The UK has already conceded it will legislate for it leaving if a minority vote to make it so - a concession extended to no other part of the UK despite clamour from Scotland from for similar treatment. And of course it's in a customs union and single market with the EU, while having trade barriers (albeit small ones) with the rest of the UK.

So while it's technically correct to say it's in the UK, you must concede that it lacks many of the hallmarks that would normally indicate this.

Baby boomer said:

Actually, it's anything but easy to know when you're there. Case in point: I was at a National League game in Derry's Celtic Park a few years ago. The Irish tricolour was flying over the ground, the Irish National Anthem was played before the game, public address announcements were in Irish and English, Sterling and Euros were freely accepted at the gate and the shop inside the ground.

If a Martian landed and was asked to guess what country he was in, he would most likely look around and say Ireland.

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If he was a little green man it would depend on what part of the town, sorry, city, he landed in.

Baby boomer said:

And, while this is a whimsical example, it does illustrate the point that Northern Ireland is more than just another part of the UK. Constitutionally, it's different; there's an element of shared sovereignty via the GFA, much as unionism might pretend otherwise. The UK has already conceded it will legislate for it leaving if a minority vote to make it so - a concession extended to no other part of the UK despite clamour from Scotland from for similar treatment. And of course it's in a customs union and single market with the EU, while having trade barriers (albeit small ones) with the rest of the UK.

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No, there's no shared sovereignty. The UK government has agreed an element of input from the Irish government but that's not the same thing as shared sovereignty.

Baby boomer said:

So while it's technically correct to say it's in the UK, you must concede that it lacks many of the hallmarks that would normally indicate this.

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Absolutely, but where's the fun in that and, like, is there's anything funnier than an irate Shinner?

Purple said:

While dresses as the Village People, dressed as Orange Men.
A Sash and a paid of assless-chaps. Now that'd make the marching season interesting (I nearly said great crack). It might even get Micky-D up for a visit.

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They could have the London Derririère as their marching tune.

Purple said:

If he was a little green man it would depend on what part of the town, sorry, city, he landed in.

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Or whether he was a Catholic Martian or a Protestant Martian.

Purple said:

No, there's no shared sovereignty. The UK government has agreed an element of input from the Irish government but that's not the same thing as shared sovereignty.

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Hmmm. At the very least, it's a diminution of absolute UK sovereignty, underpinned by an international agreement. You can call that "shared" or not as you see fit. I'll stick with "an element of shared sovereignty."

Purple said:

Absolutely, but where's the fun in that and, like, is there's anything funnier than an irate Shinner?

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An irate Shinner turning cartwheels to avoid certain linguistic formulations perhaps? Matched only by an irate Unionist doing likewise.

Baby boomer said:

Or whether he was a Catholic Martian or a Protestant Martian.

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Yes, maybe they are visiting to see where the whole Jasus thing happened because, like, if there's one true God and he's it then he hardly sent the young fella traipsing around the Universe to get himself nailed up on every inhabited planet.

Baby boomer said:

Hmmm. At the very least, it's a diminution of absolute UK sovereignty, underpinned by an international agreement. You can call that "shared" or not as you see fit. I'll stick with "an element of shared sovereignty."

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Sure what's in a name?

Baby boomer said:

An irate Shinner turning cartwheels to avoid certain linguistic formulations perhaps? Matched only by an irate Unionist doing likewise.

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Indeed, and the urge to wind them up is almost impossible to resist.

Purple said:

....like, if there's one true God and he's it then he hardly sent the young fella traipsing around the Universe to get himself nailed up on every inhabited planet....

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Changing topics somewhat, Arthur C. Clarke wrote some very good short stories on the intersection of science and religion that dealt with that very topic. Read them in an anthology years ago and thoroughly enjoyed them. Highly recommended if you can get your hands on it.