UK, Ireland /
Irish Thoughts on Britain and the British and vice versa [53]
I was raised in the Uk & Ire. I was raised Catholic and consider myself an Irishman.
THere is, for me and many of my friends and people i know, a rivalry between the Uk and IRE ONLY on the sporting fields these days.
95% of the Repbulic of Ireland and 85% of the north of Ireland in the Good Friday Agreement voted for peace. this shows the overwhelming amount of people who them and us atitude does not exist anymore.
The english schools are only recently being educated to the horrors of what the Bristish empire did abroad in South Africa, India and Ireland to name aview and they are like the germans after WW2, very apologetic if it comes up at all!
In the groups I hang out with - there is not division anymore between us (bar the oild sporting rivallry - like any other nation (the scots and welsh have it too against england)
The atitiude in ireland is growing that we are europeans now. It is much slower in taking shape in the UK as its not long since the fall of the empire. BUT one more generation will see a big change there..
But there is no animosity between us now for the most part!
I mean, we will never forget the horrerendous past (on BOTH sides) and it is better for that
THere is MORE effort now in getting along :)
As to the Irish Language - It was a casualty - But lets be honest and real Ireland has 2.5million 'irish' and we do speak it very basic. But it is the fact we are 'native' english speakers that has allowed Ireland to be the economic success it has become
I love Irish Tradition and music - but the politician FORCED the language on the youth of this country and nearly killed it for good! You prop love it more than most irish!!! seriously!!!
It will survive as a heritige language but it has a MINOR role in this country and for the most part - we are fine with that. Bono cant speak a word of it either :)
