NationStates Jolt Archive

What do you know/think about Ireland?
and Northern Ireland?

They have the same fuckwit attitude to drinking as the Scots(I get to say it cos I am Scottish) and a pretty dickheaded approach to religon.(much like Scotland)
Other than that Ireland seems Ok.

It's green, green, green...and wet, wet, wet...and filled to the brim with Irishmen, but not snakes. Home of delicious cream liqeurs. Site of a bad famine. And the north, well...a pretty damn unhappy history of religious intolerance, strife and conflict.

That doesn't come close to summing it up, but hey - you asked.

Most of the replies have been fairly accurate.

Just to let all you foreigners know... we don't all live on fucking farms.

End of message.

You mean the quiet man isn't real? :eek:

I've heard that Ireland is about as rich as the UK nowadays, but isn't that a very recent thing? How were things economically in, say, the '70s?

Another question: Do Irishmen feel like they're close relatives of the Brits?

A land plagued by killer leprechauns that run rampant across the country side..........[/sarcasm]

They have the same fuckwit attitude to drinking as the Scots(I get to say it cos I am Scottish) and a pretty dickheaded approach to religon.(much like Scotland)
Other than that Ireland seems Ok.

Oi !!, I resemble that remark!!

I think that (much like Scotland) the Irish have an unfair reputation as hard drinking religious bigots, they don't find it hard at all, 'tis easy to be sure! ;)

Seriously though, Ireland (both the north and the south) is a beautiful country with great people who just happen to talk funny.
I spent a great night in Belfast with plenty of "tottie pickers" (native Irishmen) and not a mention of religion, but lots of Guinness was consumed though.

Dublin was the same except the Guinness was even better.

I've heard that Ireland is about as rich as the UK nowadays, but isn't that a very recent thing? How were things economically in, say, the '70s?

Another question: Do Irishmen feel like they're close relatives of the Brits?
Yes we had econmic boom in the 90s slowed a bit now, I think the 70s where bad (wasnt alive then).
and no we dont, well not the english anyway.

It's a beautiful place filled with poor bastards who might be related to me, to any who find me on a family tree, I offer my deepest and most heart felt appologies. Also home of people with really cool accents that get bastardized and characterized all to hell by know nothing American actors.

filled with poor bastards
wrong! we have a higher GDP (per capita) then alot of countries.

'tis easy to be sure! ;)

that 'tis not the way we speak to be sure to be sure. there is a few funny accents though, but nobody anywhere speaks like that!

The Republic is trying to go high tech and lure in more business; they're emphasizing education too.

The north depends too much on British cops.

Puritans burned Irish defenders alive inside a church in the Sack of Drogheda centuries ago.


Parades of orange or green are deliberate ways to keep old hatreds stirred up.

wrong! we have a higher GDP (per capita) then alot of countries.

cool.......... you are still poor according to everyone in the movies. How many times has Ireland/Scotland appeared in a movie as anything other than a farming, drinking, poor country to live in?.... never.

Myself, I would love to visit either. I always found both countries to be very very cool, and I like the coast. Probably my favorite part of any picture/movie I've seen. If I could visit I would in an instant.

Apparently a pleasant enough a place working to maintain a decent ballance between the paternalistic socialist state and laisez-faire capitalism, and not doing too bad a job. Religion seems to far more of a factor in political debates in the republic than a factor in actual policies, but that may change. Ireland and Northern Ireland, hmm - at times it seems like China and Taiwan (or the PROC and Nationalist China if you insist), but the politics of the division are so noisy and variable that it is hard to actually pin down a real concensus, I just hear whatever group is shouting louldest at the moment. Northern Ireland is a sort of aberation dating at least back to the Black Pool days of the Danes, and I really have difficulty getting a good reading of what the place is really like, a teacher of mine who spent a considerable ammount of time there gave me the impression that it's a somewhat uptight place, but that was some years ago and may have been wrong.

I seem to recall that Ireland has the highest number of poets per capita in the world. And some damn good poets they are, IMO.

Everything I know about Ireland comes from watching Father Ted - it's all true you know. :)

Everything I know about Ireland comes from watching Father Ted - it's all true you know. :)
lol!

They are some of the best people i have met. Try going to a pub in ireland and not meeting someone freindly!

A land plagued by killer leprechauns that run rampant across the country side..........[/sarcasm]
Everyone knows Leprechauns are extinct because they're all male, duh!!

Jesus, Joseph, and Mary. How many countries are we going to be asked to weigh in about?

How about Burkina Faso? What do you think of them?

Wait...what are your feelings about the Federated States of Micronesia?

Hey, are you still holding onto tired old sterotypes about Djibouti?

In the words of Marlene Dietrich in Touch of Evil, "What does it matter what you say about people?"

Jesus, Joseph, and Mary. How many countries are we going to be asked to weigh in about?

How about Burkina Faso? What do you think of them?

Wait...what are your feelings about the Federated States of Micronesia?

Hey, are you still holding onto tired old sterotypes about Djibouti?

In the words of Marlene Dietrich in Touch of Evil, "What does it matter what you say about people?"
If you dont like it go to Russia!(then start a "What do you think/know about
Russia" thread)

If you dont like it go to Russia!(then start a "What do you think/know about
Russia" thread)

I've been to Russia...I prefer Ireland. I just don't like these threads.

I've heard that Ireland is about as rich as the UK nowadays, but isn't that a very recent thing? How were things economically in, say, the '70s?

Another question: Do Irishmen feel like they're close relatives of the Brits?
Actually, we're richer than the UK. :)

This is due to our own economic boom, and also the destruction of the UK by their Tories. In the 1970s things were pretty bad for us.

No, we don't feel close to them. We don't hate them, but we feel about as close to them as the French or Germans. (Well, maybe a little closer.)

wrong! we have a higher GDP (per capita) then alot of countries.
We are a very unequal country, with many poor bastards.

Parades of orange or green are deliberate ways to keep old hatreds stirred up.
Up north that's true. In the Republic our wonderful flag includes both of these symbolic colours.
cool.......... you are still poor according to everyone in the movies. How many times has Ireland/Scotland appeared in a movie as anything other than a farming, drinking, poor country to live in?.... never.
Maybe not in lame Americrap Hollywood movies...

Actually, we're richer than the UK. :)

This is due to our own economic boom, and also the destruction of the UK by their Tories. In the 1970s things were pretty bad for us.


Be fair to the Tories though, if it hadn't been for Thatcher, James "Sunny Jim " Callaghan and his cronies would have turned the UK into a third world nation with their economic plans. People forget the shape the labor party had driven the UK economy into in the 1970s. (Also they were against people owning their own house).

So in many ways the tories helped the UK, not bankrupted it, despite what people claim.

Be fair to the Tories though, if it hadn't been for Thatcher, James "Sunny Jim " Callaghan and his cronies would have turned the UK into a third world nation with their economic plans. People forget the shape the labor party had driven the UK economy into in the 1970s. (Also they were against people owning their own house).

So in many ways the tories helped the UK, not bankrupted it, despite what people claim.
You should check out the economic time series for the UK for the seventies through nineties. You might find them surprising.
Economists tell me they have to factor in a special Thatcher dummy variable to cope with the nose dive she put in most of them. (Except for taxes of course, which she raised.)

You should check out the economic time series for the UK for the seventies through nineties. You might find them surprising.
Economists tell me they have to factor in a special Thatcher dummy variable to cope with the nose dive she put in most of them. (Except for taxes of course, which she raised.)

Do they also factor the Wilson/Callaghan government having to borrow from the IMF?

Seriously dude, she stemmed the bleeding. The nation was literally bankrupt. The downside to her policy was that it caused massive unemployment. (Around 10%). But that was becauses of the assine practices of previous labour governments under clause four. If it hadn't been for monetarism the country would be finished today.

I admit not all of her changes were immediately beneficail in terms of employment and real wages, but, so what? If the country had not had a major overhall by Thatcher it wouldn't have a pot to piss into today.

So "economists" can try and rewrite history, but it's just not convincing.

Do they also factor the Wilson/Callaghan government having to borrow from the IMF?

Seriously dude, she stemmed the bleeding. The nation was literally bankrupt. The downside to her policy was that it caused massive unemployment. (Around 10%). But that was becauses of the assine practices of previous labour governments under clause four. If it hadn't been for monetarism the country would be finished today.

I admit not all of her changes were immediately beneficail in terms of employment and real wages, but, so what? If the country had not had a major overhall by Thatcher it wouldn't have a pot to piss into today.

So "economists" can try and rewrite history, but it's just not convincing.
I don't want to get into the whole Thatcher - good thing/bad thing? here, because I've not the time or inclination to do it justice. Besides I would agree the premise that A shake-up was needed, even if not her particular variety.

But I remember seeing a Treasury briefing produced for Clarke's last Budget, showing about a dozen economic indicator time series from early seventies to mid-nineties, and it really was quite surprising. Not just employment and wages, but all the standard indicators took a real beating in the early eighties, with the sole exception of inflation. It was only by the mid-nineties that they'd started to recover to pre-79 levels, and even then our balance of trade was shot to hell and taxes and unemployment were still higher.

BTW, not sure why the inverted commas around economists, but you may appreciate (or already have heard) this joke: why are economists like PCs? Because you have to punch data into them.

The north depends too much on British cops.
Er...where do you get this from?! At one time, we depended too much on the British army, but British cops only came into it on the rare occasions that the government(s) bothered to hold certain public enquiries.
Ireland and Northern Ireland, hmm - at times it seems like China and Taiwan (or the PROC and Nationalist China if you insist), but the politics of the division are so noisy and variable that it is hard to actually pin down a real concensus, I just hear whatever group is shouting louldest at the moment.
Yep, it's the same for those of us living here :rolleyes: There never is any concensus, but to be fair even the two most 'diehard' political parties here are making some effort at the moment to attempt to break the deadlock.

The politics of Northern Ireland is a pain in the arse (to be sure!), but as a general rule people in all of Ireland are a very friendly and welcoming bunch. Plus, there is some amazing scenery. Speaking from a Northern perspective, I love the Glens of Antrim and the Mournes.

The Irish are great! You drink (and don't say you don't!), and your accents are great! And Guinness doesn't taste like total shit, it's drinkable (and thats all I ask!)

It can be total shit outside Ireland...in fact, sometimes it's total shit up here! But go to Dublin and I challenge you to dislike it ;)

Seriously, a lot of us do drink a lot, yeah, but I think we do have an unfair image internationally as being totally obsessed by alcohol, and always drunk. This just isn't true. Well, not for most anyway!

And Guinness doesn't taste like total shit, it's drinkable (and thats all I ask!)

That is the best thing you can say about the Buttermilk of the Gods? Fie! You don't deserve a pint.

That is the best thing you can say about the Buttermilk of the Gods? Fie! You don't deserve a pint.
Meh, I'll drink Spitfire instead

I'm English and love Ireland. Great country.

Being Irish and having lived here all my life is something unique the same as being an American or French. We aren't all drunken blaggarts who live on farms. In fact I think the UK has a higher drinking rate per person than we do. There is still, unfortunately some dislike towards the British,not every where, certainly not felt by everyone. It is a harsh thing to say but it has a tendency to come from sligtly less educated people-it also depends on their parents views aswell.

Politics in Ireland is still corrupt, same as every where else. Our government gets about 3 months off at summer, mid term in October, xmas and easter off.
It is made up of whats called the rainbow collalition of fianna fail and the Progressive Democrats.

Never mention religon, politics or the weather to an Irish person as you'll be there for the day. The one thing about Irish people is that we love a good ol bit o drama. If something is up in your neighbour hood every one has to have their say. It is very annoying and one thing that really pisses me off. People still give a damn what the farmer Jonny Murphy down the road thinks.
Opinions are however changing, There isn't really a big scandel around teenage pregnancies, being gay.

Nor is Ireland as Catholic as it once was. No pun intended but THANK GOD!
The hypocracy of the Catholic chruch has declined, preists are dropping like flies.

Racism is a big thing. In my primary school which was in an urban area there was only one black girl, ever to have attended. It was run by nuns but only 3 taught in the school. My secondary school was catholic as are most schools in Ireland. There were some Chinese, American, French, German. British girls-most of the schools are segregated. Again there were no black girls in my school, this was just a fluke it's not like they weren't allowed in! My university has a huge increase of black students this year mainly from Africa which i think is great as I hate the fact that Ireland is so white. There is a lot of animosity toward refugees and assylum seekers. Neither are allowed work and so they are seen as sponging off the state. Also in certain areas like tourism, med- nursing and docters there are huge shortages, so people come from Eastern Europe, this increases hostility as foreigners are seen to be 'taking our jobs'.

There is divorce in Ireland. You must be separated for 5 years before you can be divorced. I think this is absolutly disgraceful.
There is no abortion in Ireland. This will prob change in the next referendum.
Currently a lesbian couple are taking a case to the supreme court as they put down on their tax forms that they are a married couple and should be entitled to tax breaks. Hopefully it will pass.

Our President is Mary McAleese. There is a clause in our constitution if a President is unchallenged then he/she can continue for another term (7 years) with out holding an election. There were some people who tried to run against here but she is pretty popular and neither opposing candidates got enough signatures from councils or members of the seanid to run. It would have been nice to have an electon, but if there was a chance that Dana Scallon could have won- a religous right wing nut, I'm glad she didn't get a chance to spread her bullshit.

There is no smoking in workplaces, pubs, clubs etc.

Yes parts of Ireland are green, very green. Kerry is the only 'quaint' part of Ireland. Generally Irish people hate when Americans tell us that their great great great great grandfathers, dogs flee was from Ireland and that makes them Irish too.
Irish people are similar in outlook to scotland, new zealand, austrailia and parts of Wales and England. Irish people are usually friendly, have a sort of good sence of humour and are sarcastic in a nice way, which the French and Americans don't get!

The North is a very complex thing. Personally I believe that they should stay under Britian. There is a strand in the good friday agreement which states that if either the catholics or protestants have a majority and vote to either remain in the UK or become part of the republic then both governments will have to implement this. I also think that the people of the North can choose whatever nationality they want-Irish or British. I think that Ian Paisely is the devil, not because he's a Unionist but becouse he spreads so much hatred. Sinn Fein need to denounce the IRA completely. I do hope that Stormont will be re implemented soon. I think that John Hume is great.

Ireland is a very rainly place, but I do like the rain so it doesn't bother me. We are not prepared for any form of bad weather such as snow. The whole country comes to a slowdown.

Ireland is a nice place, we do have a high standard of living. Are one of the richest and most expensive counrties in the EU. I would say I am proud to be Irish.......and also leprechauns really do exist!!!

.......and also leprechauns really do exist!!!
You fool, now they know! they'll come and take them and we wont be the best place to live anymore (to be sure) :)

You fool, now they know! they'll come and take them and we wont be the best place to live anymore (to be sure) :)


Come ere to my boyo, sure won't they go and hide emselves in with the cows and with their wee ol buckles they can just click their ol heels and vanish.

I did hear a report that them CIA folk has grabbed some up by Micheals Cross and were using them in experiments and the like, something about sending them in to Iraq as secret agents....

Will you be watching the Late,Late Toy Show tonight? Sure that Pat Kenny, he's your only man! And your wan will be on it, ya know that queer wan from Dublin?!

Up the Irish!!!!! Go on ya good thing!

lol
I'll burst ya, if don shud up. I'm a maad lad from Dublin ya know.

yeah I'll watch it. Will any of yee here watch it?

It[Guiness] can be total shit outside Ireland...in fact, sometimes it's total shit up here! But go to Dublin and I challenge you to dislike it ;)

I dislike it because it's made using fish guts, and being a veggie I can't drink it (same goes for most beer/ale/stout ). I do like Jaimesons Irish whisky though, cheep and nice, unlike Bells which is cheep and nasty.

Bump

lol
I'll burst ya, if don shud up. I'm a maad lad from Dublin ya know.

yeah I'll watch it. Will any of yee here watch it?

Come ere to me feind, who you talkin ta, I'm a beour from the real capital. None o dat hard talk. Sure isn't Pat da real deal? I'm tellin something, he's your only man. Got fed up like of watching all tem young ones like,

Up the Rebel County!!

I've liked every single Irish person I've met (this far). And I've noticed people tend to have better experiments with Irish than with Brits. Don't know why. Maybe because Brits are famous for constant whining about small things (abroad).

I think we Finns (too) feel some kind of connection with them. We do have more Irish bars than English pubs.

Being poor (well, not anymore), living next to a superpower (well, not anymore) etc.

And I shouldn't drink and write.

And I shouldn't drink and write.
Oh right, I was wondering about this
And I've noticed people tend to have better experiments with Irish than with Brits. :eek:
lol

I've liked every single Irish person I've met (this far). And I've noticed people tend to have better experiments with Irish than with Brits. Don't know why. Maybe because Brits are famous for constant whining about small things (abroad).

I think we Finns (too) feel some kind of connection with them. We do have more Irish bars than English pubs.

Being poor (well, not anymore), living next to a superpower (well, not anymore) etc.

Yeah, I ment to include Finland and the Danes too (only cos of their yummy pasteries!)
Well no offence I'm not insulting anyone but who'd want to go to an Englsih pub?
As for no longer being a super power....oh dear Tony has let his side down!

Oh right, I was wondering about this
:eek:
lol
Experiments. Why not :D

Ok?! What ever your into. :p



Come ere to me feind, who you talkin ta, I'm a beour from the real capital. None o dat hard talk. Sure isn't Pat da real deal? I'm tellin something, he's your only man. Got fed up like of watching all tem young ones like,

Up the Rebel County!!
hmm the real capital, oh so your from Dublin too ;)

Ok?! What ever your into. :p



Would you like to be my guineapig?


;)

Be fair to the Tories though, if it hadn't been for Thatcher, James "Sunny Jim " Callaghan and his cronies would have turned the UK into a third world nation with their economic plans. People forget the shape the labor party had driven the UK economy into in the 1970s. (Also they were against people owning their own house).

So in many ways the tories helped the UK, not bankrupted it, despite what people claim.
The problem with the 70s Labour governent is that it was too left-wing, thus causing economic problems. Then they switched to a government that was too right wing, which caused more problems. They should have had a good centrist government. Extremes of the left and right simply don't work.

I've liked every single Irish person I've met (this far). And I've noticed people tend to have better experiments with Irish than with Brits. Don't know why. Maybe because Brits are famous for constant whining about small things (abroad).

I think we Finns (too) feel some kind of connection with them. We do have more Irish bars than English pubs.

Being poor (well, not anymore), living next to a superpower (well, not anymore) etc.
It's because British football fans are usually obnoxious lager louts.

Yes, the Finns, like us have a traditionally alcoholic society!

It's because British football fans are usually obnoxious lager louts.

I think you mean English football fans are usually obnoxious lager louts. The tartan army has a very good reputation for being peacfull and freindly.

hmm the real capital, oh so your from Dublin too ;)

Pssh, you Dubliners are nuts, unlike us sophisticated Longford Irish :D

So longford, hmm longford. Whats in longford?? ;) Nothing comes to mind.

Why, the Farrell's are in Longford, descendents of the 1st three celtic kings of Ireland! Touche Dubliner! ;)

I have always heard that the people of Ireland were largely a friendly folk. I have seen photographs of the countryside, and they look very inviting.

Ireland is one of those places on my "One Day" list. Once I finish fighting wars, and enabling others to do so, I am going to go there. Maybe not soon, and maybe not for the rest of my life, but one day, I will.

Economically, I hear many good things about Ireland. When Dell set up shop there, I thought I might even look into finding work and immigrating. Again, "One Day". I do wonder, though, if you can tell me about how the opportunities are for the mid-career geek?

I don't know much about job opportunities with computers and stuff, I work at a pub. A lot of pubs though, and its fun work, whether you're the bartender or the guy playing music ( I do a mix of both).

It's green, green, green...and wet, wet, wet...and filled to the brim with Irishmen, but not snakes.

Q: What did St Patrick say as he was driving the snakes out of Ireland?




A: Are you alright in the back there?

The North is a very complex thing. Personally I believe that they should stay under Britian. There is a strand in the good friday agreement which states that if either the catholics or protestants have a majority and vote to either remain in the UK or become part of the republic then both governments will have to implement this.


No it doesn't: you are blurring the lines and making the assumption that Catholics are automatically Republican/Nationalist and that Protestsants are automaticallt Unionist/Loyalist. The part you are refering to basically just says that the will of the majority will be followed.

No it doesn't: you are blurring the lines and making the assumption that Catholics are automatically Republican/Nationalist and that Protestsants are automaticallt Unionist/Loyalist. The part you are refering to basically just says that the will of the majority will be followed.

Its not really an assuption. I wish it wern't true. The will of the majority being that the majority of Catholics will go republic and Protestants will go UK. It's the 'assupmtion' taken by both governments.

And Cork ye shower of Langers is the real capital!!!

I just read a funny thing, during world war2:
At one point, Éire persuaded Britain to supply more coal for the Irish market by threatening to cut sales of Guinness to Britain and Northern Ireland, greatly worrying Allied troops stationed there.

Its not really an assuption. I wish it wern't true. The will of the majority being that the majority of Catholics will go republic and Protestants will go UK. It's the 'assupmtion' taken by both governments.

And Cork ye shower of Langers is the real capital!!!

Ha! Corkians are almost as odd as Dubliners, you and your big cities, think your special...:D

I just read a funny thing, during world war2:
At one point, Éire persuaded Britain to supply more coal for the Irish market by threatening to cut sales of Guinness to Britain and Northern Ireland, greatly worrying Allied troops stationed there.

Damn straight! We will soon control the world with alcohol! Muuwahahaha!

Its not really an assuption. I wish it wern't true. The will of the majority being that the majority of Catholics will go republic and Protestants will go UK. It's the 'assupmtion' taken by both governments.

I'm not denying that there is a marked tendency for the culturally Catholic to want a unification with Eire, and for culturally Protestant to want to remain part of the UK, but stating the issue in terms of their religion/cultural heritage is still obscuring the issue, particularly when it is presented in as cut-and-dried a manner as your earlier post.

And Cork ye shower of Langers is the real capital!!!

Eh? I thought it was the independent Peoples' Republic of Cork, no?

Ha! Corkians are almost as odd as Dubliners, you and your big cities, think your special...:D

Sure, one lot of them are a bunch of langers, the rest are a bunch of knackers... anybody going to advocate Stab City as the real capital?

Its quite easy.


Ireland ranked number one as the best place to live in the world as ranked by the Economist.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4020523.st

(Link is screwy...I'll try and fix it)

Bump

bump.

Everything I know about Ireland comes from watching Father Ted - it's all true you know. :)


"ah now dougal you do know that the money was only RESTING in my account"
lol!

Pssh, you Dubliners are nuts, unlike us sophisticated Longford Irish :D

i'm sorry but i just have to point out: sophisticated??? Longford?
but yes, Dubliners are nuts :) sorry lads ye know its true!

Most of what I know about Ireland (both the Republic and the North) comes from having looked into the troubles and my 6 Irish and Ireland associated co-workers and neighbors here (a small minority in the Gaijin community) - 4 from the republic, 1 from Belfast, and 1 from England who spent a fair ammount of time (and nearly lost a leg) as an army sergeant in the North.

Pretty much the people are normal people. Lot's of alcohol (half of the above have specifically said one of the reasons they left was the drinking/pub culture).

St. Patrick's Day didn't used to be celebrated like it is in the US. It was much more quiet. But it has been corrupted by the US Irsh who come to see the old country.

Belfast: from what Brian (Belfast - worked as a police officer, including anti-terrorist work) and Adrian (army) say, the north is generally a nice place, but occassionally an "exciting" place.

From a bit of study, and from various stories, the IRA has turned away from it's revolutionary character and into more of an organised crime syndicate that sometimes blows people up. And the Orangemen seem to be like a bit of a cross between the Klan and the Elks back home. (And there was at least one guy here on NS about a year ago who was a bit of a twit about it.)

Oh, and the music is good. And so is the beer and the whiskey.

Also, Irish (and Scottish) traditional music played a seriously major role in forming American popular music. I feel comfortable saying that without Irish and Scottish music, modern pop and rock would be completely different.

They, like other nations on NS, should cede imediatly to The Empire of Presidency without question.

the IRA has turned away from it's revolutionary character and into more of an organised crime syndicate
I think it's true that most paramilitaries - not just the IRA - are now running drugs rackets. I don't especially approve of drugs anyway, but even if I did, I'd be extremely reluctant to buy any because the (generally accepted, but admittedly unconfirmed as far as I know) word on the street is that the money would go into the pockets of the paramilitaries, and I don't want to help finance potential terrorism.

And the Orangemen seem to be like a bit of a cross between the Klan and the Elks back home. (And there was at least one guy here on NS about a year ago who was a bit of a twit about it.)
Despite being a nationalist (with a very small 'n' - I really don't feel especially strongly about whether we should reunify or stay with the UK), I do know a number of Orangemen. There are a number of assholes like you describe, certainly, and they're the ones that you tend to see in the media. However, I would venture that many members are just ordinary, nice people, who happen to believe in a particular culture. Having said that, given the troublesome political climate of the last number of decades, the Orange Order has largely become associated with blatant sectarianism, rather than just celebration of religion, so I think that now it's more likely you'll have more bigoted idiots joining it than was once the case. But still, they're not all bad. I'm an atheist so I don't agree with their root cause anyway, but there are still some 'good' Christians left in the organisation, and they - as well as those in the Roman Catholic community - ought to be allowed to believe as they wish.

While most of us - well, certainly many of us - in NI are decent people who don't really care the religion of others, unfortunately those that do still seem to be the ones that are heard.

I think it's true that most paramilitaries - not just the IRA - are now running drugs rackets. I don't especially approve of drugs anyway, but even if I did, I'd be extremely reluctant to buy any because the (generally accepted, but admittedly unconfirmed as far as I know) word on the street is that the money would go into the pockets of the paramilitaries, and I don't want to help finance potential terrorism.

Yes, indeed.

Despite being a nationalist (with a very small 'n' - I really don't feel especially strongly about whether we should reunify or stay with the UK), I do know a number of Orangemen. There are a number of assholes like you describe, certainly, and they're the ones that you tend to see in the media. However, I would venture that many members are just ordinary, nice people. Having said that, given the troublesome political climate of the last number of decades, it's become associated with blatant sectarianism, rather than just celebration of religion, so I think that now it's more likely you'll have more bigoted idiots joining it than was once the case. But still, they're not all bad. I'm an atheist so I don't agree with their root cause anyway, but there are still some 'good' Christians left in the organisation, and they - as well as those in the Roman Catholic community - ought to be allowed to believe as they wish.

While most of us - well, certainly many of us - in NI are decent people who don't really care the religion of others, unfortunately those that do still seem to be the ones that are heard.

Didn't mean to tar them all with that brush, hence the cross between bit. And I can safely say every one of the people I cited above were good people.
(Including Adrian, who may or may not have been tangentally involved in a Protestant paramilitary group...) :D

I'm not denying that there is a marked tendency for the culturally Catholic to want a unification with Eire, and for culturally Protestant to want to remain part of the UK, but stating the issue in terms of their religion/cultural heritage is still obscuring the issue, particularly when it is presented in as cut-and-dried a manner as your earlier post.



Eh? I thought it was the independent Peoples' Republic of Cork, no?

No stupid 'socialist' gov-yes Bertie IS a Socialist, won't let us set one up...So we're just gonna set up Barb Wire around the county lines!!!

No he's a "social republician".

No he's a "social republician".

Since when?
I heard he actually ment to say I'm socialble. But who can believe either?
What do you remember of Bosco. Was talkin about him the other day over lunch. Apparently there is some episode where there are loads of sexual references and the episode has never been shown again! Was popping out of the box supposed to mean something? My childhood memories have been ruined.....sob sob

Didn't mean to tar them all with that brush
Hey, I know you didn't ;) It's just that some people, admittedly rather understandably sometimes, do think they're all the same lot you see rioting. As I said, I don't agree with them, but I felt I just had to make it known to people that they're not all that bad :)

Since when?
I heard he actually ment to say I'm socialble. But who can believe either?
What do you remember of Bosco. Was talkin about him the other day over lunch. Apparently there is some episode where there are loads of sexual references and the episode has never been shown again! Was popping out of the box supposed to mean something? My childhood memories have been ruined.....sob sob
Heard it on the radio. Just looked on the RTE site for it found this:
IS BERTIE A SOCIALIST? In The Week In Politics, and in a weekend newspaper interview, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern claimed he was one of the last remaining true socialists in Irish politics. Today in the Dáil, he stood by his assertions, declaring that Fianna Fail represented the most left-wing government Ireland had seen in recent years. To discuss these extraordinary claims, Vincent and the panel are joined by John Downing, Political Correspondent for the Irish Daily Star, whose new book is called Most Skilful, Most Devious, Most Cunning: A Political Biography of Bertie Ahern. It's published by Blackwater Press and the ISBN is 1-84131-687-3.
Bosco wierd puppet red hair, dont remeber much didnt hear about that.

Found it, its a sound file though:
http://www.rte.ie/news/2004/1116/morningireland/morningireland6a.smil
basicly he says hes a socialist in that he wants to help the little guy but a republician in that he gives money to business to gain resourses to help the little guy.
some bullshit like that anyway.

I know they make Guinness, so they can't do anything wrong in my humble opinion

I know they make Guinness, so they can't do anything wrong in my humble opinion
I'm so sick of this we make whiskey as well you know and not avaidable in the shop poitsin(sp?) the drink thas between 5-99% alcohal ;)

I'm so sick of this we make whiskey as well you know and not avaidable in the shop poitsin(sp?) the drink thas between 5-99% alcohal
Sorry dude. I just think it's the best beer ever. I'm not much of a whiskey fan. Especially since I got totally pissed once on two bottles of single malt something-or-other. Puked black for a day... So no more whiskey for me.

PS they are good though

I was only joking.

I was only joking.
err.... so was I? :rolleyes:

poitsin(sp?)

Poteen.

Since when?
I heard he actually ment to say I'm socialble. But who can believe either?
What do you remember of Bosco. Was talkin about him the other day over lunch. Apparently there is some episode where there are loads of sexual references and the episode has never been shown again! Was popping out of the box supposed to mean something? My childhood memories have been ruined.....sob sob


"tidy up, good bye good bye..."
yes i'm afraid that i also heard that nasty rumour too, but i can't believe its true...damn those safety scissors that always needed an adults supervision...

I'm so sick of this we make whiskey as well you know and not avaidable in the shop poitsin(sp?) the drink thas between 5-99% alcohal ;)

and not only whiskey - what about boru vodka?? i'm assuming they named it after brian boru but hey.....
anyhoo murphy's is far nicer a stout to drink...

What do you know/think about Ireland?
and Northern Ireland?
Leprauchauns. Pot's of gold. Rainbows.
IRA. Ulster Freedom Fighters. British army.

I'm from N.I and I have to say that Ireland is a great place. Sure theres been alot of fighting :sniper: and people shooting at each other :mp5: and people doing naughty bad illegal things :cool:, but any country that can produce Father Ted, is above all others. I hate the english cos they doss the Irish rugby team, cos their team sucks, the scottish kicks ass though! :eek:

Oh yeah... Guinness & Father Ted (and Father Jack and Dougal and Bisshop Brennan and....)

I'm so sick of this we make whiskey as well you know and not avaidable in the shop poitsin(sp?) the drink thas between 5-99% alcohal ;)


Plus, there are other great Irish beers. Kilkenny, Harp, Beamish, and Murphy's for example.

Poteen.

Or poitín. :) And it appears to be available (http://www.irish-poteen.com/main.html).

Poitin, the traditional Irish drink, often potable in small quantities but, up to recently, very illegal and costly to be caught with, is now - in one variety - tolerated by the law, and even tastes rather like the "real" thing, though illegality has a very special taste. (http://www.irish-poteen.com/folklore_irishtimes3.html)

I visited there last summer, the land was beutiful, the history was interesting and the people (even though most of them didn't agree when foriegn policy came up in conversation) were wonderfuly nice and sociable

it was refreshing, I hope their new ecconomic success dosn't turn them into just another more ethnicaly homogenous America

That is the best thing you can say about the Buttermilk of the Gods? Fie! You don't deserve a pint.

Actually from what I have heard, the Guinness we have here in the US sucks compared to Guinness in Ireland. Everyone I know who has traveled to Ireland has told me it tastes much better.

So...for those of us who have been stuck in the states our whole lives, we know nothing other than "American" Guinness. (Although, still very drinkable. Especially with a shot of Bailey's dropped in).

Bump

Bump
.

Actually from what I have heard, the Guinness we have here in the US sucks compared to Guinness in Ireland. Everyone I know who has traveled to Ireland has told me it tastes much better.

So...for those of us who have been stuck in the states our whole lives, we know nothing other than "American" Guinness. (Although, still very drinkable. Especially with a shot of Bailey's dropped in).

I my opinion those folks are gasbagging and trying to impress their less well traveled friends. I have had Guinness in the brewery in Dublin and in dozens of pubs around Ireland.

It is no different than the Guinness in the states (although the atmosphere certainly could lead one to believe it is).

I my opinion those folks are gasbagging and trying to impress their less well traveled friends. I have had Guinness in the brewery in Dublin and in dozens of pubs around Ireland.

It is no different than the Guinness in the states (although the atmosphere certainly could lead one to believe it is).
Must say I really disagree with this. I was warned not to drink Guinness in the States, but I ignored this advice. While I managed to finish it, I won't be drinking it out of this island again! (It's not the American pubs' fault; I presume it's in the way it's imported or something). I still think that Guinness tastes better in Dublin than up here in Belfast as well, and even there, my personal opinion is that the Brewery will win every time! However, those were the experiences of myself and others that I know, but of course individual experiences of the stuff will differ, I'm sure.

Must say I really disagree with this. I was warned not to drink Guinness in the States, but I ignored this advice. While I managed to finish it, I won't be drinking it out of this island again! (It's not the American pubs' fault; I presume it's in the way it's imported or something). I still think that Guinness tastes better in Dublin than up here in Belfast as well, and even there, my personal opinion is that the Brewery will win every time! However, those were the experiences of myself and others that I know, but of course individual experiences of the stuff will differ, I'm sure.

To each his own. Not being a native I may not possess the refined tastebuds of those from Eire, but as a committed 20 year Guinness drinker (no other beer comes close) I have had good pints in Japan, Canada, England, Scotland, and even the Keiv airport in Ukraine, as well as many a fine pint in bars and pubs across the U.S.

I'll admit hoisting a Guinness in the brewery in Dublin (I've yet to visit Belfast) was a special experience and I can't count the number of pints I put away during a week I stayed in Dingle, but honestly I have enjoyed Guinness just about everywhere I have had it (provided it was on draft and not coming out of a bottle or can - even cans with little widgits in them).

I'm going on a trip to Ireland this spring and would like to know what are the must see things over there. Never been, but very interested and don't say the pubs, because it's a school trip (although we have a lot of time to explore on our own, hence why I'm curious) and I'm only 15 and don't really care for strong beer.

whereabouts in ireland you going?


irelands great, if i didnt like it id probably move.

personally, some of it it is the most beautiful place in the world, the only place ive been that was close was standing 4500m up in the andes...

its very hard not to find an unfriendly person, i was in england last week and ireland is definitely a much friendlier place.

and we have the oldest licenced distillery in the world.

I have had Guinness in the brewery in Dublin and in dozens of pubs around Ireland.

It is no different than the Guinness in the states (although the atmosphere certainly could lead one to believe it is).

Really: I will have to disagree with you there - the product sold as a pint of Guinness outside of the island of Ireland is a very different beast to that sold on the isle. It has a much closer similarity to (non-draft) Guiness in cans than an actual properly made Irish pint of Guinness.

whereabouts in ireland you going?


irelands great, if i didnt like it id probably move.

personally, some of it it is the most beautiful place in the world, the only place ive been that was close was standing 4500m up in the andes...

its very hard not to find an unfriendly person, i was in england last week and ireland is definitely a much friendlier place.

and we have the oldest licenced distillery in the world.


We fly into Dublin, stay there a few days, then drive around the south coast (Ring of Kerry) for a few days and then spend a few days on the west coast before we head to Shannon and fly home. Quick trip but hopefully worthwhile.

For what it is worth (from the Guinness web page):

Is it true that you get a much better pint in Ireland?

For GUINNESS® brewed outside Ireland the water will be different of course because we always use pure, fresh water from local natural sources. In blind tests though, (with a bunch of highly cynical journalists!), none of our sample could tell the difference. That said, all GUINNESS® sold in North America is brewed in Ireland at the historic St .James's Gate Brewery in Dublin. So, the only real difference you should be able to spot is the pub that you're drinking in!

http://www.guinness.com/guinness/en_US/knowing/pearls/faqs/0,6415,12687267_126325,00.html

For what it is worth (from the Guinness web page):

Is it true that you get a much better pint in Ireland?

For GUINNESS® brewed outside Ireland the water will be different of course because we always use pure, fresh water from local natural sources. In blind tests though, (with a bunch of highly cynical journalists!), none of our sample could tell the difference. That said, all GUINNESS® sold in North America is brewed in Ireland at the historic St .James's Gate Brewery in Dublin. So, the only real difference you should be able to spot is the pub that you're drinking in!

http://www.guinness.com/guinness/en_US/knowing/pearls/faqs/0,6415,12687267_126325,00.html

If this is true then Guinness have changed their production methods outside Ireland since the early 90s... and sure these days when I'm drinking stout outside Ireland, mine's a bottle of Samuel Smiles Oatmeal Stout, thank you.

We fly into Dublin, stay there a few days, then drive around the south coast (Ring of Kerry) for a few days and then spend a few days on the west coast before we head to Shannon and fly home. Quick trip but hopefully worthwhile.

I would avoid the ring of Kerry at all costs (it is a tourist trap). Drive a little further north to Dingle - still a tourist town, but smaller and quainter. You can still drive a Ring (the Dngle peninsula) and see glacial lakes, sea cliffs, those ancient stone whatever-they-are (cairns?) and generally more interesting scenery than you will in Kerry. The people are as friendly as you will find anywhere.

Also, if you are driving south from Dublin stop in for an hour or two at the Waterford Crystal factory. I know, it sounds cheesy and touristy, but the two women I was traveling with forced me to go on the tour and I was pleasantly surprised at how fascinating it was. Watching the craftsmen create these beautiful crystal objects (the Times Square New Year's Eve crystal ball was made by Waterford) was absolutely riveting.

I was in Ireland last summer for a wedding. We stayed in Dingle and had a great time. I was in Ireland 10yrs ago and you can see the diffrence in the economy. It seems like new houses are going up every where. My friend Sinead is thinking about moving back to Dublin. She lives in Boston Mass. Where it is said we have more Irish then in Ireland lol.

My experience with Ireland, if you can call it that comes from my friend.

His family hasn't had a member born in Ireland for four or five generations, but he's recently 'dicovered' his Irish-ness. What does this mean? He spends time on eBay bidding on crumby Celtic rings, and he bought a Boston Celtics velour tracksuit. He also thinks this means he can hold his booze better than the next guy.

I'm going on a trip to Ireland this spring and would like to know what are the must see things over there. Never been, but very interested and don't say the pubs, because it's a school trip (although we have a lot of time to explore on our own, hence why I'm curious) and I'm only 15 and don't really care for strong beer.

its a good thing ya don't care for strong beer cos unl;ess you have some seriously convincing I.D that say's your over eighteen you haven't a chance. laws have gotten much much stricter in recent years. apparently in a lot of pubs and clubs now they'll only take official garda id or drivers liscences or passports...

Mel Gibson wants to make a film about Hugh O'Neill.

Red Hugh o Neill? don't remember much about him...oh wait didn't he march to kinsale but was too late? damn didn't do history in the Leaving...

Red Hugh o Neill? don't remember much about him...oh wait didn't he march to kinsale but was too late? damn didn't do history in the Leaving...

Just taken ages for me to write this bit on him so please read it. Hope it helps you learn a bit more about him.

Hugh O Neill, Earl of Tyrone, and chief of the Irish rebels during the 9 Years War (1594-1603) in which he proved an accomplished leader with victories like the Battle of the Yellow Ford. Hugh O' Neill was brought up in the English castle at Dublin and so was considered by Elizabeth I as her "man in Ulster". Hugh O'Neill in turn played this to his advantage, appearing on the outside at least to be a key supporter of the Crown in Ireland. However, when the early seeds of rebellion were laid, Elizabeth after a total of 5 summons, issued a final ultimatum to O'Neill to come to Dublin castle and swear his allegiance. O'Neill instead fled back to Ulster and the Nine Years War began. Hugh O'Neill alongside his son-in-law Hugh O'Donnell proved that he was a great leader of men and a consumate artist in guerilla warfare and the English were defeated to the extent that they were unable to supply their heavily fortified and garrisoned towns and castles via land. However, Hugh O'Neill knew that he had not sufficient arms and particularly heavy artillery to finally throw the English out of Ireland. So he and Hugh o'Donnell entered into formal negotiations with the Crown and came close to a deal wherein Ireland would be a formal province of the Crown but Ireland would have a completely separate Catholic church and its own free Parliament and governing council. However at this point, a Spanish ambassador landed on the coast of Donegal and made a proposition wherein the Spanish (at that point although waining, still Europe's only superpower) would send a second Armada (the first of course in 1588) to Ireland, which would give O'Neill and O'Donnell the forces they needed to finally defeat the English entirely. O'Neill withdrew from negotiations with the Crown and declared his allegiance to King Philip II of Spain. However, at this point, the Spanish Armada, sent to Ireland was hit by a storm in the Bay of Biscay and retreated back to Spain after losing a large number of its sailors. So it was that Hugh O'Neill was forced to continue fighting the English alone. The English at this stage had finally landed a new army of 30,000 men on the Irish mainland with which to crush Hugh O'Neill led by England's new hero, Robert Devereux, Second Earl of Essex, who had recently raided and torched the major Spanish port of Cadiz, wherein the proposed third Armada was being built up. Essex however, proved an incompetent General because his army soon lost over two thirds of its men to disease and desertion without even coming to grips with O'Neill yet. At this point too, Essex, worried by the actions of his great rival at court Robert Cecil, son of William Cecil (Lord Burley) and Elizabeth I's new Secretary of State (his father having held the role until his death), proved also to be a traitor as he had a secret meeting with O'Neill on a bridge out of earshot of their men. We do not know what they talked about, but it seems likely that Essex was asking O'Neill to allow him to return home so he could deal with Cecil (who it should be noted was never a General but was a superb political animal). Essex proceeded to abandon his army and would lose his head after staging an abortive coup in London. O'Neill however, was now becoming impatient. Not only with the Spanish, now led by King Philip III, who had had yet another armada cancelled after the ships carrying the american gold with which to pay the men of it was pirated by the Dutch (who were seeking independence from the Spanish with help and money of Elizabeth). But, O'Neill was also growing increasingly impatient at the actions of Pope Clement VIII. Not every catholic Irish lord and even priest had rebelled against the Crown remember because many feared that in the event of an O'Neill victory, the land that they had gained from the suppression of the monasteries would be taken from them. To counter this, O'Neill had wrote to the Pope asking him to formally excommunicate every Irish catholic who sided with the Crown. The Pope however, was wary of Spanish power, especially in Italy, and thus would not do this because he did not want a 'Spanish Ireland'. O'Neill then was forced to fight alone, still with pure recruits rather than hardened soldiers and still without any decent artillery and so fatally the English were given a foothold in Ireland. This was until, the arrival of a new spanish armada under the recently released from prison for corruption, Del Aquila. Del Aquila was however, himself, very sceptical of the achievability of his objectives.He had a low opinion of the Irish and actually quite respected the English. The Spanish were sent the request by O'Neill to at all costs, avoid landing in the south where the majority of the nobles (again largely Catholic) still supported the Crown. O'Neill believed that the best place for them to land was in his heartlands of Ulster. The request however arrived to late and Del Aquila landed at the port of Kinsale in the far south where he was soon besieged by a new English army under the dour but smart, new Lord Deputy Monkjoy. O'Neill was now faced with a hard question. He knew his army was no match in actual battle to the English and yet if he abandoned the Spanish at Kinsale, he might never be able to free Ireland. So Hugh O'Donnell was ordered to march his army through the winter over the harsh terrain and to spring to the aid of the Spanish. O'Neill himself, marched a different way to Kinsale as the Spanish arrival had prompted many of the previously loyal to the crown Irish earls to switch sides and join O'Neill. O'Donnell arrived and due to a poor tactical decision of Monkjoy, was actually able to besiege the English who were besieging Kinsale. The only remaining pro-government army in Ireland was now surrounded. O'Neill was now keen on waiting and starving the English out. O'Donnell and Del Aquila (via messenger) however, the former prompted by rashness and impatience to fight, the latter by the fact that his army was starving too, managed to persuade O'Neill, against his better judgement to attack. The Battle of Kinsale was therefore imminent. The Irish, as O'Neill knew however were a guerilla army with a perfect lightly armoured army for such activities. However, in open battle the advantages of the English became apparent. The English may have been outnumbered numerically but the Irish were outnumbered by the English in terms of the amount of muskets and firepower at their disposal. The English too, had huge, powerful warhorses (like shire horses), bred for their power and toughness, which were well armoured. The Irish on the otherhand had little more than ponies and did not wear stirrups because they were considered 'unmanly'.
The battle itself then, was over very quickly. The sight of the English cavalry made many of the men of those newly recruited Irish lords flea disrupting the formation of the more experienced men under the command of Hugh O'Donnell behind them. The English charged O'Donnell who was then also forced to flea and the Irish were thus expelled from the field. Del Aquila, inside Kinsale, heard the sounds of battle but mistook them for an English ruse and did not intervene. When at the end of the battle, the English celebrated by firing their cannon, Del Aquila, thinking this was the signal to attack, finally left Kinsale to engage only to see that the Irish had fled and thus he surrendered immediately. Del Aquila himself was not surprised by the events of the Battle of Kinsale. He considered the Irish 'barbaric' and inadequate as a fighting force. The Irish rebels lost in the region of 1,500 men. According to whose reports you believe, the English lost 3 men, or just the one.
Kinsale knocked the stuffing out of the rebellion. The Spanish military hierachy refused ever again to mount an expedition to Ireland due to the huge risks shown by the battle of Kinsale. O'Neill was thus forced back to his heartlands of Ulster, ruthlessly pursued by Monkjoy who smashed the stone of O'Neill whereupon the Earls of Tyrone had traditionally been crowned. O'Neill finally surrendered in May 1603 and the 9 Years War was over. But Elizabeth had not won it. She had died in March 1603, and so the war was officially won by the new King of England, James I, also King of Scotland.
O'Neill stayed living in Ireland for a short while before he, O'Donnell and the other rebel earls fled the country in what is known to history as "the flight of the earls". They initially aimed for Spain but were ironically blown to France in a giant storm. When they reached the Spanish Netherlands (modern day Belgium), the Spanish who had now made peace with the English considered him an embarassment and so he was sent off, again rather ironically, to Rome. He never stopped plotting a return to Ireland at the head of a Catholic force to liberate it. He constantly planned returning and giving Ireland its freedom. His own son Henry was even made into an officer in the Spanish army still fighting to restore Spanish rule over the United Provinces (modern Holland). Henry however died and Hugh O'Neill outlived him (and his other childen) finally dying in a priory, with all the rituals of a Catholic, in Rome on 20th July 1616. Hugh O'Donnell had died in Spain, many years before.

Irishmen should be proud of Hugh O'Neill, a true fighter for their cause, and I am an Englishman saying that. It is however, ironic (not again) that his heartlands, Ulster, were planted and settled by some English but more often Scottish lords in James I's reign, and so in the end the most Gaelic province in Ireland became the most British.

Ireland is per captia a wealthy country, partly because of the technoligcal sector boom and partly because they're always neutral (even against Hitler :eek: ) and their soldiers serve in our (British) armed forces because they don't have any.

I like Guiness and I hate Martin McGuiness.

In Ulster most people are nice but the bigot community is divided between those who set off bombs and dress in green and those who set off bombs and dress up like Mr Benn and march through peoples houses who don't like them. All members of all sides of the bigot community buy and sell drugs.

You can't smoke in Ireland as they haver a Gestapo which raids public places and fines anyone who has a cigarette, which totally sucks.

Ireland is per captia a wealthy country, partly because of the technoligcal sector boom and partly because they're always neutral (even against Hitler :eek: )

Ach. Ha! Gut time, er, gut afternoon.

Ireland: been there a number of times for family get-togethers (Sligo if your interested). Loved the place, though Sligo is hardly a buzzing metropolis. Still, that's part of the charm. Had a great time whenever I went, but won't be happening again any time soon. My old man did a pretty much unforgivable thing and so now we're on the infamous "out-list" that most Irish families keep locked in a safe deposit box in a concrete bunker in the middle of a mountain in Nepal. Still, my liver did cartwheels on the news.

Northern Ireland: never been, though Sligo's not exactly a million miles away. Worked with a catholic unionist (yes, they exist) from Derry for a couple of years and he was a laugh, for whatever that's worth. Next to nothing, probably. Oh, and a group of Chinese students I taught last year are now doing MBAs at the University of Ulster and they like it, so it gets the approval of Chinese government officials.

Guinness: Ah, there's better Irish stouts around. And O'Hanlon's port stout beats the crap out of all the competition. It's English, too ;) Don't get me started on the "whiskey". Poteen ain't bad though. Had it once as a naive 18 year old at one of the aforementioned get-togethers (bastard cousin never warned me) and didn't die (though I wished I had the next day).

Ireland: been there a number of times for family get-togethers (Sligo if your interested). Loved the place, though Sligo is hardly a buzzing metropolis. Still, that's part of the charm. Had a great time whenever I went, but won't be happening again any time soon. My old man did a pretty much unforgivable thing and so now we're on the infamous "out-list" that most Irish families keep locked in a safe deposit box in a concrete bunker in the middle of a mountain in Nepal. Still, my liver did cartwheels on the news.

Northern Ireland: never been, though Sligo's not exactly a million miles away. Worked with a catholic unionist (yes, they exist) from Derry for a couple of years and he was a laugh, for whatever that's worth. Next to nothing, probably. Oh, and a group of Chinese students I taught last year are now doing MBAs at the University of Ulster and they like it, so it gets the approval of Chinese government officials.

Nein! No! Oh. NOT head of Gestapo AT ALL! I was not, I make joke!

Mel Gibson wants to make a film about Hugh O'Neill.

Mel never misses an opportunity to smack the English around. I'm surprised he didn't replace the Romans with English soldiers in the Passion.

Scotland was first settled by the Irish. The two are like cousins.

Then in the 1600's the Scots came back under Cromwell and beat the Irish, burning men women and children alive inside a church in Drogheda among other things.

Ulstermen wear orange and love to parade about in it, especially in Londonderry.

The Republic has been emphasizing technology and education, and has used this to keep up its economy.

Scotland may move closer to Ireland as it experiences more self rule.

It's amazing how bloodthirsty we christians can get toward one another.

Scotland was first settled by the Irish. The two are like cousins.

Maybe I'm being pedantic, or just accurate but Scotland was first settled by the picts, who were then driven out by the Scotti who descended from North-East Ireland. The Irish themselves, came from the South-West of Ireland.

Then in the 1600's the Scots came back under Cromwell and beat the Irish, burning men women and children alive inside a church in Drogheda among other things.

That sentence is just so completely inaccurate for so many reasons:

1) The Scots actually came back under James I after the end of the 9 Years War (or Irish rebellion). This was both to complete the colonisation of Ireland (as such, few in Ireland can now claim to have pure Irish blood, as they have either English, Scottish or Welsh ancestry somewhere down the line) and to divert unhappy Scottish Calvinists towards another foe rather than James himself.

2) Cromwell led members of the New Model Army to Ireland in 1649 after a gang of royalists holed up in Ireland planning, although not yet near making, an invasion of England. Not the Scots, who had their own separate army (which would attack England the next year).

3) The incident to which you refer has no evidence in actual records or accounts by any witnesses who were actually there. Cromwell did massacre over 1000 Royalist (many of whom were English) soldiers after they had surrendered but the stories of him butchering civillians bears absolutely no substance apart from accounts written by historians after the restoration (particularly Edward Hyde, Earl of Clarendon, author of the first history book on the English Civil War "History of the Great Rebellion" who was also from 1660-1664, Charles II's chief minister.)

Try reading a book to avoid such mistakes.

Ulstermen wear orange and love to parade about in it, especially in Londonderry.

So what?

The Republic has been emphasizing technology and education, and has used this to keep up its economy. Scotland may move closer to Ireland as it experiences more self rule.


Maybe, but what you have typed is not a fact merely speculation.

It's amazing how bloodthirsty we christians can get toward one another.

Well duh!

Mel never misses an opportunity to smack the English around. I'm surprised he didn't replace the Romans with English soldiers in the Passion.

Hey, as long as he is prepared to judge our occupation of Ireland fairly. If he has our occupation of catholic Ireland as being 'unjust' however the occupation of The Netherlands (protestant) by catholic Spain as being 'fair' then I will get angry. I do not hate Braveheart for portraying William Wallace ina good way. I hate Braveheart for suggesting that English rule in Scotland was anymore brutal than the rule of any other country at the time. But then, its a film, not a textbook so it doesnt really matter.

You can't smoke in Ireland as they haver a Gestapo which raids public places and fines anyone who has a cigarette, which totally sucks.
Hey! they arent the Gestapo, dont you know Ahern called himself a socialist! So they're the KGP!
Anyway seriously you can smoke, just outside, in the cold, and the rain, without any service.

Ireland... Yeeech. Sco'land's bloo'y be'er. Ireland's nae bu' a grea' bloo'y piece o' *belts out some truely creative swearing.* An' yea'll bloo'y stear clearrrr o' thad bloo'y paen in th' arse tha' thea bloo'y call Ireland.

They're very Catholic (or were).

Maybe I'm being pedantic, or just accurate but Scotland was first settled by the picts, who were then driven out by the Scotti who descended from North-East Ireland. The Irish themselves, came from the South-West of Ireland.


thats what i always thought. i remember being told that the kings of Ulster had a fairly large area of land in Scotland

I love Ireland. though i haven't been back in a while. the people i've met there have always been very friendly to me. (though they have said that's because I don't try to be an american acting and Irish dressing up like shamrock as is the case with some tourists) I heard i even got on RTE during the west's awake fest in Tuam during the SawDoctors set. but never saw it.

I had great times in Cork and Galway. Brilliant music and theatre. a barman in Donegal asked me if i wanted to try poteen.
-sorry
-poteen
-POTEEN? what's that?
-ssshhh! ye fool. here.
I almost spit it up.
Also went to the first feile in 1990. does any one here remember that? i need to fill in some black spots.

The Guinness, i think, is better there. It has gotten better here in NY. it seems the more people are drinking it , the better. if it sits waiting for one guy to have his pints of a friday night, it won't be very good. probably the only good thing to come from advertising - better Guinness!

I still have friends i've made both here and there that I am going to try to visit next year with any luck.

slainte

Oh yeah, can any natives on here help me out: what is the deal with people from Sligo? I mean, it seems there's some common stereotype but so far the only people who mentioned it were the blind drunk old expats who were regulars in the pub I worked in. Typical exhange (after mentioning my Dad's family came from Sligo):

"Ah, y a Slio man aryer? You kna wh th se bout Slio men? Ther alll th funnin carmen amanen tilo manomen arbot donal poodle."

Well, that's how it sounds to me, anyhow.

Well, they drink too much, the place is full of rocks, and they oversalt their food. "I love you" in gaelic is very difficult to pronounce, and as a consequence the irish have a hard time saying it.

They're very Catholic (or were).
I think about the time the Constitution was written something like 98% were regular Church goers. The last figure I heard was somewhere in the 30s! Strictly speaking, a majority on the island as a whole are still Catholic, but a lot of people simply don't practice their religion. I am now, for example, a hardened atheist, despite some religious upbringing.

I think about the time the Constitution was written something like 98% were regular Church goers. The last figure I heard was somewhere in the 30s! Strictly speaking, a majority on the island as a whole are still Catholic, but a lot of people simply don't practice their religion. I am now, for example, a hardened atheist, despite some religious upbringing.

That's rather disappointing.

and the north east is majority protestant

On refugees we spend 1/3 of what the UN spends on the whole world!!! :eek:

Bump

and the north east is majority protestant
Quite true; I was talking about the island overall, but this is still a fact. In fact, according to the last census (and by implication, election results and whatnot), in Northern Ireland as a whole there is still a definite majority of Protestants.

Bump
:rolleyes:

:rolleyes:
:rolleyes: :eek: :rolleyes: :D

and the north east is majority protestant

But that is part of the UK...not part of Ireland.

Up north that's true. In the Republic our wonderful flag includes both of these symbolic colours.

Maybe not in lame Americrap Hollywood movies...
Scots are still portrayed like that in Trainspotting, although since the movie focus' specifically on an unemployed druggie it really can't be considered representative.

But that is part of the UK...not part of Ireland.
depends if youre talking the island or the republic of

from previous posts in this thread, it seems to have gone in the way of the island

It's a pitty about the way some people persue religion but thats hardly an Ireland only trait and the whole self determination thing realy isn't working out at the moment but appart from that Ireland is quite a nice place best pint you will ever find lots of quiet open spaces and a rather lovely accent provided you stay away from the divide areas its realy one of my favourite places to go

THE PROCLAMATION OF
POBLACHT NA H EIREANN

THE PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT
OF THE
IRISH REPUBLIC
TO THE PEOPLE OF IRELAND.

IRISHMEN AND IRISHWOMEN: In the name of God and the dead generations from which she receives her tradition of nationhood. Ireland, through us, summons her children to her flag and strikes for freedom.

Having organised and trained her manhood through her secret revolutionary organisation, the Irish Republican Brotherhood, and through her open military organisations, the Irish Volunteers and the Irish Citizen Army, having patiently perfected her discipline, having resolutely waited for the right moment to reveal itself, she now seizes that moment, and, supported by her exiled children in America and her gallant allies in Europe, but relying in the first on her own strength, she strikes in full confidence of victory.

We declare the right of the people of Ireland to the ownership of Ireland, and the unfettered control of Irish destinies, to be sovereign and indefeasible. The long usurpation of that right by a foreign people and government has not extinguished that right, nor can it ever be distinguished except by the destruction of the Irish people. IN every generation the Irish people has asserted their right to national freedom and sovereignty; six times during the past three hundred years they have asserted it in arms. Standing on that fundamental right and again asserting it in arms in the face of the world, we hereby proclaim the Irish Republic as a Sovereign Independent State., and we pledge our lives and the lives of our comrades-in-arms to the cause of its freedom of its welfare, and of its exaltation among the nations.

The Irish Republic is entitled to, and hereby claims, the allegiance of every Irishman and Irishwoman. The Republic guarantees religious and civil liberty, equal rights and equal opportunities to all its citizens, and declares its resolve to pursue the happiness and prosperity of the whole nation and of all its parts, cherishing all the children of the nation equally, and oblivious of the differences carefully fostered by an alien government, which has divided a minority from a majority in the past.

Until our arms have brought the opportune moment for the establishment of a permanent National Government, representative of the whole people of Ireland and elected by the suffrages of all her men and women, the Provisional Government, hereby constituted, will administer the civil and military affairs of the Republic in trust for the people.

We place the cause of the Irish Republic under the protection of the Most High God. Whose blessing we invoke upon our arms, and we pray that no one serves that cause will dishonour it by cowardice, inhumanity, or rapine. In this supreme hour the Irish nation must, by its valour and its discipline and by the readiness of its children to sacrifice themselves for the common good, prove itself worthy of the august destiny to which it is called.

Signed on Behalf of the Provisional Government,

Thomas J Clark Sean MacDiarmada P H Pearse
James Connolly Thomas MacDonage
Eamonn Ceannt Joseph Plunkett

:D BUMP! :p

An orginal copy of that is expected to be sold for between 100,000 and 150,000

bump

bump
WTF does that mean? Explain yourself.:|

WTF does that mean? Explain yourself.:|
Bump: It puts the topic to the top of page one (making it easier to see and get to) because the topics are sorted by the time of the last reply

b... b... b... bunch a bannanas,

BUmP

OK, I'll play the bump game.

In return you have to tell me, just what is the deal with people from Sligo? (see my earlier post)

They're from silgo.

bump

bump

so the answers nothing?

Do you know who our taoiseach (Prime minister) is?

Yes I do oh please pick me...
it's Bosco no wait Mary Harnay no I have it the Catholic Chruch...
The incredible Bertie Ahern oh he is soooo dreamy and wonderful, lets make him king with that stammer and aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh stupid gobshite!
nice to see this thread is still going!

Right people from Sligo well the sca from yar wan down da road is dat they all are bit fond of the dark stuff an as result they grew 3 heads every night and all da women are really men or priests!!

Yes I do oh please pick me...
it's Bosco no wait Mary Harnay no I have it the Catholic Chruch...
The incredible Bertie Ahern oh he is soooo dreamy and wonderful, lets make him king with that stammer and aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh stupid gobshite!
nice to see this thread is still going!
sort of

sort of


Well if Bertie isn't taoiseach then who is? Have I missed an election? Damn and I was hoping to run! Are you in secondary school or college? -just for my own interest since you say your from Ireland...but are you? Who presents Morning Ireland??

What do you know/think about Ireland?
and Northern Ireland?

I know that its people must be very annoying to make a stupid thread like this and keep it going for weeks!

I know that its people must be very annoying to make a stupid thread like this and keep it going for weeks!

Shut it, you.

I know that its people must be very annoying to make a stupid thread like this and keep it going for weeks!


Obviously you are not Irish. May the Leprechauns in my garden come and find you and turn your insides out and your outsides in!

I think it's nice to keep a thread like this going. Great way to get to know other Irish peopel and mock those who think they are Irish.

Nice place - we went there for our honeymoon. Neither of us like beaches and discos and hotels and things - so we spent a week on the Irish canals. Amazing - almost no one knows the Irish have canals. In a week of great weather we saw three boats tied up and one moving.

Well if Bertie isn't taoiseach then who is? Have I missed an election? Damn and I was hoping to run! Are you in secondary school or college? -just for my own interest since you say your from Ireland...but are you? Who presents Morning Ireland??
Well I meant sort of still going cause I had to make it still go. secondry school 3rd year doing Junior cert this (school) year. I don't know, do you?

Póg mo thóin Kramers and feck off.

Sarcasm: cause I just love the biased bs that the two sides of american politics that are shown here everyday. Oh and then theres the America is the best threads ohh they're reeeeeeaaaly great.

Do you know who our taoiseach (Prime minister) is?

Eamon de Valera. :)

I know that its people must be very annoying to make a stupid thread like this and keep it going for weeks!
BUMP! http://67.18.37.14/html/emoticons/tongue.gif

Oh and Eamon de Valera was abducted by rock and roll loving aliens! (or was that someone else?)

Bump...

Ok, Do you know what continent we're in?

Well I meant sort of still going cause I had to make it still go. secondry school 3rd year doing Junior cert this (school) year. I don't know, do you?

Póg mo thóin Kramers and feck off.

Sarcasm: cause I just love the biased bs that the two sides of american politics that are shown here everyday. Oh and then theres the America is the best threads ohh they're reeeeeeaaaly great.

Oh bless your only 15. I'm in second year college. Does your mother know your on a forum? Shouldn't you be studying?!!!!! Has your school forced you to study religon??

An orginal copy of that is expected to be sold for between 100,000 and 150,000

heard on the radio this morning that it went for about 240,000...
nice bit of money considering it was sitting in an envelope in someones drawer for the last 60 years...

Eamon de Valera. :)


yes yes well done...you need to update your history, dumass...

heard on the radio this morning that it went for about 240,000...
nice bit of money considering it was sitting in an envelope in someones drawer for the last 60 years...


Get off this forum you non Irish leprechaun murderer!!!! Just kidding. But shouldn't you be studying now???

yes yes well done...you need to update your history, dumass...
No he is still alive in Mary Harneys stomach..... :p

Get off this forum you non Irish leprechaun murderer!!!! Just kidding. But shouldn't you be studying now???

you evil sarcastic bitch go away and type out your essay like a good girl or i'll tell you lecturer!!! HAHAHAHAHA ... :mp5:

No he is still alive in Mary Harneys stomach..... :p

lol too true :fluffle:

you evil sarcastic bitch go away and type out your essay like a good girl or i'll tell you lecturer!!! HAHAHAHAHA ... :mp5:

Oh so scared am I. Like you even know your way around college. Standing outside the orb plying your trade!! And threatening to stab me with that cheap ring of yours won't scare me. As commander in cheif of the Pirate ship (don't tell Helen that the commander in cheif is more powerfull than the captain) I sentence you to walk the cat walk in a neon orange and pink shiny track suit!!!!! Hahaha. Or I'll just let Billy have his way with you!! :fluffle: :eek: :fluffle: :) :rolleyes: :D

ugh ugh ugh no, i may cry...ha ha ha bang goes your lift home this evening...

anyway out side the orb ? no no no the boole darling...
heh, i'll tell your mammy that those shoes were more that 15 yoyo's...

ugh ugh ugh no puke i may cry...ha ha ha bang goes your lift home this evening...


Oh Shit, well I don't need you. Public transport is the chariot of the people! Yes I'm likely to get killed but hey? Well wot about Monica or Lucy will you have one of them?? Yes bang is the right word since your car is a banger :mp5:

Oh Shit, well I don't need you. Public transport is the chariot of the people! Yes I'm likely to get killed but hey? Well wot about Monica or Lucy will you have one of them?? Yes bang is the right word since your car is a banger :mp5:

you dirty hussy, that subaru has transported you home how many times in the past year??? and you dare extract the urine??? i'm keeping your x-mas pressie, and i'm taking meko away with me...
:cool: :eek: :headbang:

anyway out side the orb ? no no no the boole darling...
heh, i'll tell your mammy that those shoes were more that 15 yoyo's...


My shoes actually were E15! Reduced from E35. So there. In the boole but isn't that a bit too public. I know its underground and hence sound proof but the ORB well there are more rooms. Any way Mom won't mind how much my shoes were in comparison to when I tell her your selling your self for E10 :gundge:

you dirty hussy, that subaru has transported you home how many times in the past year??? and you dare extract the urine??? i'm keeping your x-mas pressie, and i'm taking meko away with me...
:cool: :eek: :headbang:


Not Meko. Leave my kitten alone. She's far too cute for the likes of you. You can take the nasty fat (hobbit of a cat) pippen. And for the record leave Merlyn alone as well. Did you know Greebo committed suicide?????

My shoes actually were E15! Reduced from E35. So there. In the boole but isn't that a bit too public. I know its underground and hence sound proof but the ORB well there are more rooms. Any way Mom won't mind how much my shoes were in comparison to when I tell her your selling your self for E10 :gundge:

ok thats it , skanky girl, your walking home...wait til i tell jon that you were being mean to ME...

oh yeah sorry everyone else, kinda took over there...

Jon likes it when I'm mean to him!! Ok sorry about the Greebo comment!!! He was truely a price amoung cats

I saw the price mistake but thought it was too funny to correct. For all to see Greebo cuddlesworth was a prince amoung cats

Jon likes it when I'm mean to him!! Ok sorry about the Greebo comment!!! He was truely a price amoung cats

indeedn he was... however
* raises her arm and whacks mekonia across the back of her head for being insolent and cheeky*
HAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

hee heee that was fun :D

indeedn he was... however
* raises her arm and whacks mekonia across the back of her head for being insolent and cheeky*
HAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You'd never guess we were in the same lab doing what w dfdfdfefec vdcdfcdfde deddsdeffgrbhyikmu, ol.likjuyhtbgrvtfedwloikumjynhtbgrvfecd(ruratania has leaned across my computer and cos she is a bid hairy lonerWwqw who has done it again she has to reply to herself)

oh crap laughing so hard can't breath...

ahem. so as we were saying, B-B-B-Berite is indeed the head honcho, or if you like it, Taoiseach...and Mekonia is certifiably insane

oh crap laughing so hard can't breath...


Keep it that way. Scurvy bagart! You are less than toe jam on my mekos pretty black toe!! And I'm uninviting you to xmas dinner. Bri will take your place now...yes a piece of cheese ho how replaceable you are

ahem. so as we were saying, B-B-B-Berite is indeed the head honcho, or if you like it, Taoiseach...and Mekonia is certifiably insane
insane with a capital I! Ruratania is a skank who gives it all away for free..her lunch money that is. Please ask her about that incident in confession with the priest. Those weren't cries of spiritual joy

aha, can't get rid of me that easily...and if you stopped to remember that x-mas dinner is in Mag's house not yours, then we'd be laughing... DUMASS!!! anyhoo i'll be leaving soon cos have to do the TMA esssay...

insane with a capital I! Ruratania is a skank who gives it all away for free..her lunch money that is. Please ask her about that incident in confession with the priest. Those weren't cries of spiritual joy

she's confusing me with her again.haven't gone to mass or confession in donkey's years so i thik she was having a wee flashback...nasty :rolleyes:

i'll make her move house! I know, I should have had my comparative essay typed by now and I've class in 15 min!! To the history department robin bring your utlitiy belt

indeed batman... *biff* *pow* !!!!!

she's confusing me with her again.haven't gone to mass or confession in donkey's years so i thik she was having a wee flashback...nasty :rolleyes:


Skank, you never know when her utility belt comes in handy oh doubly irony

i'll just go get the batmobile.
*runs round the corner to a really nasty old souped up white honda civic-today being mekonia's day to drive her car and spend her petrol...*

quick get the anti shark repellant spray!! and take a dose yourself. I need coffee before I go to class the beans from nextdoor are calling oh no thats just what you had for dinner last night

i'll just go get the batmobile.
*runs round the corner to a really nasty old souped up white honda civic-today being mekonia's day to drive her car and spend her petrol...*


Eh a white hona civic...I'm a muppet boy racer??? No my car is a lovely land rover which daddy keeps forgetting to buy...silly man. I think all the drugs from last week wil wear off soon

coffee? i knew it... she's nno relation of mine she's adopted i tell you!!! why don't you crave tea like every other normal irish girl?!?!?!?!!!!

Eh a white hona civic...I'm a muppet boy racer??? No my car is a lovely land rover which daddy keeps forgetting to buy...silly man. I think all the drugs from last week wil wear off soon

yes you are a muppet boy racer...and for all you other boy racers out there - HONDA CIVIC'S ARE NOT NICE,NOT NICE AT ALL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

coffee? i knew it... she's nno relation of mine she's adopted i tell you!!! why don't you crave tea like every other normal irish girl?!?!?!?!!!!


Cos coffee is almost as good as sex!!! Thats why and we all know that normal Irish catholic girls don't like sex. Why the hell'd ya go tell ppl we were related. Yes I told you dis morning I didn't want you go come to the labs I'd get no work done... COFFFFFFFFFFFFFFEEEEEEEEEE

goodbye cruel world.... the library is calling me... Q+1...Q+1...

yes you are a muppet boy racer...and for all you other boy racers out there - HONDA CIVIC'S ARE NOT NICE,NOT NICE AT ALL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Which is why you have a poster of one in your room. Yes Gandalf the grey is one! Oh wait thats Sineads room, sorry ok sundance fish

Cos coffee is almost as good as sex!!! Thats why and we all know that normal Irish catholic girls don't like sex. Why the hell'd ya go tell ppl we were related. Yes I told you dis morning I didn't want you go come to the labs I'd get no work done... COFFFFFFFFFFFFFFEEEEEEEEEE

hah your not related to me as i keep telling ppl!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! we only look alike!!!!!!!!!!!!! your not even from this county!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So long far well I bid you all go feck yourself :sniper:

hah your not related to me as i keep telling ppl!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! we only look alike!!!!!!!!!!!!! your not even from this county!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dream on babe dream on. And Gandalf has a white horse

evil girl you will not have the last word!!!!!!!!!!

evil girl you will not have the last word!!!!!!!!!!

I think I just did!!!

OK... I'll come back later so.

OK... I'll come back later so.


Ha us evil girls have ruined your thread mwahahahaha never mess with the Rouge Nation of Mekonia! Mekos rule!!!

I visited there last summer, the land was beutiful, the history was interesting and the people (even though most of them didn't agree when foriegn policy came up in conversation) were wonderfuly nice and sociable
Lol, Republicans.

Indeed you'll find that most of us disagree with rampant, arrogant neocon imperialism.

I went to another meeting regarding our school trip to Ireland, which I am signed up and have payed for. We watched a clip of a DVD from Ireland Tourism or what ever you call it and then were assigned an aspect of the country to research before we go on the trip. I was assigned the Ring of Kerry. Anyone know any "facts" or "information" about it? I'd prefer if you didn't put in personal opinions but I guess that isn't totally avoidable.

Ireland is per captia a wealthy country, partly because of the technoligcal sector boom and partly because they're always neutral (even against Hitler :eek: ) and their soldiers serve in our (British) armed forces because they don't have any.

You can't smoke in Ireland as they haver a Gestapo which raids public places and fines anyone who has a cigarette, which totally sucks.
We do have a small military.

There is a smoking ban in workplaces, which includes pubs and restaurants. I support it, I support my freedom from smoke. There's no "gestapo" though, they're called the Gardai (i.e. police).

Scots are still portrayed like that in Trainspotting, although since the movie focus' specifically on an unemployed druggie it really can't be considered representative.
We're not talking about Scotland

Hey! they arent the Gestapo, dont you know Ahern called himself a socialist!
That was great. You should get the newest Phoenix. They had an absolute field day with it!

http://www.phoenix-magazine.com/phoenix/misc/cover-image.do

Never, ever go to Northern Ireland. Some people feel obliged to love their country whatever it's like, but I'm not such an idiot. This counry is rubbish. We work harder for the same wages people get paid in the rest of the UK for less work and then are charged more for products, especailly anything to do with banks who can pretty much do as they please with our money becuase there is almost no competition. The weather is also really bad and politics are so depressing just turn off the news everytime they come. I know I won't miss anything vital becuase nothing ever happens.
The education system is the best in the UK, which is pretty much the only thing good about living here. I am going to move to either Scotland or the Republic when I'm older. Probably Scotland, near the west coast, becuase then I'll be able to go and visit my family more easily.

Never, ever go to Northern Ireland. Some people feel obliged to love their country whatever it's like, but I'm not such an idiot. This counry is rubbish. We work harder for the same wages people get paid in the rest of the UK for less work and then are charged more for products, especailly anything to do with banks who can pretty much do as they please with our money becuase there is almost no competition. The weather is also really bad and politics are so depressing just turn off the news everytime they come. I know I won't miss anything vital becuase nothing ever happens.
The education system is the best in the UK, which is pretty much the only thing good about living here. I am going to move to either Scotland or the Republic when I'm older. Probably Scotland, near the west coast, becuase then I'll be able to go and visit my family more easily.


Education is shit in the UK. Unless you went to public school(which is private). Granted its not fantastic in Ireland but its far better than the UK. The British a levels were once considered way harder than the Irish leaving cert until some one with way to much time on their hands did another study and actually found that the leaving cert is about 1.5 times more difficult than a levels and it is harder to get in to college in Ireland!!! Sentiments I agree with completely, but hey I got there so not so bad!

the Northern Irish education is about a billion times better than the English one...and the exams are harder