Why 'Republic' of Ireland?

TarfHead said:
Becuase this country is just that - a country. It has a name, a Constitution, 3 branches of Government, representation in the United Nations, etc. Why should anyone use a name, to refer to this country, that is not the name of the country ?

Northern Ireland is what it is. A part of the United Kingdom, 6 of the 9 counties of Ulster. Abbreviating it to The North is easy to see and understand.

The same cannot be said of this country; there is no equivalence between our status in the world, and that of Northern Ireland.

Referring to this country as The South is, IMHO, dismissive and an insult. Unionists use it which ties in to their historic attitude to this country. Sinn Fein use is because they aspire to a 32 country Republic and are ambivalent about acknowledging the reality.

Referring to this country as The South means the rest of the island that is not The North. That is wrong. That is the tail of the dog referring to the rest of the dog as 'not Tail'.
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So someone in Strabane who is making a two minute journey across the bridge to Lifford to see relatives has to say that they are travelling to 'Ireland?' Can you see why Irish people 'north and south' of the border might have a problem with this?
 
Didn't realise that is was such a touchy subject, I don't expect non Irish people to have a geographical or historical knowledge of my country, so I accept 'the south' as a description.
 
If one part is called Norn Iron, I think its reasonable for ze englander to refer to the rest as Southern Ireland, however technically incorrect. One term that gets on my goat is "British Isles". But my question is why cant they just refer to it as the 6 county occupied area ..... :D

On a somewhat related note, my Englander bias/chip has all but vanished over the last few years, I find myself cheering on England in the Euros for the first time ever - I havent gone quite to pumping my arms over my head roaring En-ger-land, but the usual enmity is more or less gone. Maybe its hols there over the last 2 years, or daft as it sounds, queenie acquitting herself well, but all change. Now, the test will come in 2016 when we're whipped into nationalistic fervour (would count myself as nationalistic anyway), can that be pure Irish pride or will there have to be an anti-England spin on it...... (p.s. if anyone anyone wants to list why we shouldnt ever be proud, dont bother, Kevin Myers has that whole area wrapped up :mad:)
 
I've also noted with horror :D the softening of attitudes towards the English football team here in Poland among the Irish fans.

Thankfully the older fans amongst us who stood on the terraces of Stuttgart , Cagliari & attended the 1995 debacle at Lansdowne keep the faith.

Forza Italia !
 
Deiseblue said:
I've also noted with horror :D the softening of attitudes towards the English football team here in Poland among the Irish fans.

Thankfully the older fans amongst us who stood on the terraces of Stuttgart , Cagliari & attended the 1995 debacle at Lansdowne keep the faith.

Forza Italia !
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Indeed. I was out playing football on the green with my young lad (he's 7) and he says "Who are you, I'm England"!

So I was Ireland and the match we had was like Roy Keane vs Alfie Haaland Part II

He won't do it again.;)
 
Deiseblue said:
I've also noted with horror :D the softening of attitudes towards the English football team here in Poland among the Irish fans.

Thankfully the older fans amongst us who stood on the terraces of Stuttgart , Cagliari & attended the 1995 debacle at Lansdowne keep the faith.

Forza Italia !
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Of course someone like John Waters would write you an essay about how Ireland is maturing as a Nation blah blah blah blah. Could never understand why people got so hung up about other people cheering for teams against England? They are our largest neighbour. Of course we like to see them beaten. Do people think the Kiwi's cheer for Australia? Doesn't mean I don't like England. I just like to see their sporting teams get battered.

Anyway, well done on educating the youth over there.
 
DB74 said:
Indeed. I was out playing football on the green with my young lad (he's 7) and he says "Who are you, I'm England"!

So I was Ireland and the match we had was like Roy Keane vs Alfie Haaland Part II

He won't do it again.;)
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Do what again? Be England or play football! :)
 
Now that we have been knocked out of The Euros hopefully The Mainland will go on and win it. It would be fantastic in The Queens jubilee year.
 
Ah The Banker, I read your post and just knew you were a Corkonian
Do you live near your English Market?

Are you in this photo from last year?

And yet it's the Dubs who get called jackeens ;)
 
micmclo said:
Ah The Banker, I read your post and just knew you were a Corkonian
Do you live near your English Market?

Are you in this photo from last year?

And yet it's the Dubs who get called jackeens ;)
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You can just see part of my ear in the extreme right of the photo. But you will have to squint.
 
The_Banker said:
Now that we have been knocked out of The Euros hopefully The Mainland will go on and win it. It would be fantastic in The Queens jubilee year.
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But if England get through to the semi v Germany who will Elizabeth Saxe -Coburg Windsor be shouting for ?

Perhaps it would be better all round if they succumbed today !
 
Joy unconfined in the local tonight - England outplayed & then beaten on penalties !

Can relax now & look forward to the remaining 3 games.
 
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