What? You mean Ireland’s a country?
A local correspondent rings to tell Squinter of an interesting experience he had on the RTE website.
He had been trying to access an episode of the popular RTE comedy review programme The Panel, but when he clicked on the desired item an information bubble on the screen told him: ‘Only available in Ireland’.
Not surprisingly, that set him to wondering about exactly what RTE means when it uses the word ‘Ireland’.
Technically speaking, and in global geo-political terms, there’s no such place as Ireland, and yet Free Staters continue to use the term as if it’s interchangeable with their real name, which is the Republic of Ireland (Note to Sqinter: Not the Free State. Ed). Prods seldom use the term and when northern nationalists use it they do so unambiguously and with reference to the 32-county island.
And so Squinter called the RTE press office and an interesting conversation ensued, which is probably best understood in its raw and unedited form (preamble excised)...
Squinter: Yes, you see, I was just wondering what exactly RTE means when it bandies the word Ireland about.
RTE: Ireland? Why, we mean Ireland, of course.
Squinter: All of it?
RTE: What do you mean?
Squinter: Well, if you try to access The Panel in Belfast the message says ‘Only available in Ireland’.
RTE: And?
Squinter: Belfast’s in Ireland.
RTE: No it’s not.
Squinter: Well, where is it?
RTE: Britain?
Squinter: No.
RTE: The UK?
Squinter: Well, yes, but it’s also in Ireland.
RTE: How can that be?
Squinter: Because Ireland’s not a country, it’s an island.
RTE: Are you sure?
Squinter: Yes.
RTE: Click. Brrrrrrrr.
Those damned Free-Staters...
Bigger shock for me was that there were 3 statements from Squinter that I was in complete, 100%, unadulterated agreement with:
Northern Ireland is a a part of the UK.
Ireland is not a country.
Ireland is an island.
I'm going for a lie-down.
15 comments:
I'd have assumed people like that would be able to distinguish between Britain and Great Britain, and identify that Ireland is in fact the only, correct and full name of the state in the south of the island...
Assume nothing with the the Andy's Town news DG, they are very much from the "Hun barstewards ate my hamster" school of journalism.
Re the Republic of Ireland's "true" title, as I said in the post, astonishing even myself...I agree with Squinter.
The Republic claims the title "Ireland" but there again East Germany claimed the title "The German Democratic Republic" in times gone by.
Ireland is the name of the island, the whole island.
Ireland is the name of the island, the whole island.
Article 4, of the Irish constitution,
"The name of the State is Éire, or, in the English language, Ireland."
So, your statement while correct with regards to the Island, it is also correct to say that the state, which compromises the 26 counties of southern Ireland, is also called Ireland.
Unless you are refusing to accept the validity of the Irish constitution.
Regardless of that, people tend to use whatever name the are comfortable with. If im talking with some one from NI, I will use the term ROI, as that is what they are more comfortable with. In general conversation, I will use Ireland. People will always choose the short of two phrases anyway. Human nature
How often do people interchange NI and Ulster, or indeed use Great Britain, Britain, the Main land when referring to the UK.
Jaysus...
This old chestnut... again.
So how do we sort this out... Wanna check with the UN, EU, WEU etc etc etc...?
The internationally name of the state that covers the vast majority of the territory of the island of Ireland is - yes you've guess it - Ireland...
Maybe check with your own Government who have recognized this fact - and eventually caught up with rest of humanity.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Names_of_the_Irish_state
Seriously, O'Neill for a smart, progressive guy you really do pedantic reactionism as well as any Shinner.
What about Canadians with the citizens of the USA describing themselves as "Americans".
What about Canadians with the citizens of the USA describing themselves as "Americans".
I can understand their hurt
Seriously, O'Neill for a smart, progressive guy you really do pedantic reactionism as well as any Shinner.
I'm actually on the same reactionary side as a Shinner on this one- just possibly we're the ones in the right?!
Unless you are refusing to accept the validity of the Irish constitution.
Since the repeal of Articles 2 and 3, no! It does irritate though and actually does not reflect the political and geographic reality.
Regardless of that, people tend to use whatever name the are comfortable with
Or can cause most offence with!
Yes, the 'far-right'.
:)
It does irritate though and actually does not reflect the political and geographic reality.
Maybe so, but it was up for grabs by both states, one took it, the other didnt.
The name Northern Ireland itself is could come in for similar criticism. "Northern Ireland" surely refers to the Northern part of the Island of Ireland.. Therefore NI is named after a geographic part of the Island. What about the other northern parts of the island. Surely they too have a claim to that name! .... most of that is jest, but there is definitely an element to which the name NI is exposed to similar criticism.
Or can cause most offence with!
Those damned Free-Staters...
Spoken in jest im sure.. but a term used quite regularly by Unionists folk from NI, for the same reason you point out.. ie to cause offence.
As I was saying, personally if im talking to someone from NI, especially from the unionist community I will use the term ROI as that is what im sure they are most comfortable with and its no skin off my back. I recognise that there are quite a few which will try shove other terms down your throat, but they will always exist. They feed off of getting up the backs of 'the other side'
Fakey,
Very good!
Kloot,
Spoken in jest im sure.. but a term used quite regularly by Unionists folk from NI, for the same reason you point out.. ie to cause offence.
In fairness, it's also used by a lot of the more hardline Republicans in NI. The only person within my own family or friend circle that I can remember using it was my grandmother, but as she was born in 1908, she was probably entitled to (or confused)!
In fairness, it's also used by a lot of the more hardline Republicans in NI.
True enough... sure didnt we sell em all out. ;)
Perhaps we should rename the 26 counties "Mexico" and be done with it.
"and identify that Ireland is in fact the only, correct and full name of the state in the south of the island..."
...and the west...and the north...and the east (if you're in Fermanagh
The name of the state is 'Ireland', did they change that or what?
So Ireland is part of Ireland, as well as being an island or whatever.
I gave up with that when the KMT soldiers in HK stopped getting their pensions from the Republic of China, or Taiwan
When the pensions stopped, maybe they were not the ROC, a bit like the 'northern divisions'
When they stop paying you, you've just been dumped.
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