How xenophobic is Ireland?

Freddy Krueger

ejmaztec wrote: »

Ireland is European, whether it's in the EU or not.

Yes I have noticed that since I was 5 years old. I mean if you hate all the other EU countries because we can travel and live in another place (like Ireland) easier without restrictions then please leave from the EU. We can make it without you.

ejmaztec

Freddy Krueger wrote: »

Yes I have noticed that since I was 5 years old. I mean if you hate all the other EU countries because we can travel and live in another place (like Ireland) easier without restrictions then please leave from the EU. We can make it without you.

I don't hate anyone. As far as I'm concerned anyone should be able to live wherever they like, without fear of abuse from the more ignorant members of society.

Freddy Krueger

ejmaztec wrote: »

Ireland is European, whether it's in the EU or not.

ejmaztec wrote: »

I don't hate anyone. As far as I'm concerned anyone should be able to live wherever they like, without fear of abuse from the more ignorant members of society.

Yes I got it. I didn't say anything personally against you. I am proud for your thoughts.

How did you get to be an American?

You are aware that Irish born children of foreign parents are not Irish nationals, and that someone who has never set foot in Ireland is entitled to an Irish passport once they have one Irish grandparent?

I'm not going into whether I think Irish people are xenophobic, but one think I think is really odd is that a lot of Irish people seem to assume American = white. The OP never said she was white (unless I missed it somewhere). I remember one year in college, one of my flatmates commented that one of our other flatmates "didn't look American" (she had dark skin) - what do Americans look like? There are plenty of black, Hispanic and Asian Americans. That's a pet peeve of mine anyway.

Earthhorse

[quote=[Deleted User];57068395]You are aware that Irish born children of foreign parents are not Irish nationals, and that someone who has never set foot in Ireland is entitled to an Irish passport once they have one Irish grandparent?[/QUOTE]

No, he's not. I already said he failed his bar exams. Don't rub it in dude.

javaboy

[quote=[Deleted User];57068395]You are aware that Irish born children of foreign parents are not Irish nationals, and that someone who has never set foot in Ireland is entitled to an Irish passport once they have one Irish grandparent?[/QUOTE]

Yes but you're talking about legal definitions. I'm talking about how people define themselves. The OP said that if she married an Irish man and had kids here she would consider those kids American. How come those children's nationality wouldn't be defined by where they were born yet PillyPen's is? And if PillyPen is basing her own American identity on that of her parents, how did they become Americans? And so on. Eventually it would almost certainly lead back to Europe. So why isn't she European?

I just think it's a bit funny that people seem to trace their ancestry back only as far as it suits them.

Anyway I think PillyPen appreciated that I was really only winding her and Earthhorse up.

I'm not going into whether I think Irish people are xenophobic, but one think I think is really odd is that a lot of Irish people seem to assume American = white. The OP never said she was white (unless I missed it somewhere). I remember one year in college, one of my flatmates commented that one of our other flatmates "didn't look American" (she had dark skin) - what do Americans look like? There are plenty of black, Hispanic and Asian Americans. That's a pet peeve of mine anyway.

I've never really noticed this happening in Ireland before.

javaboy

Earthhorse wrote: »

No, he's not. I already said he failed his bar exams. Don't rub it in dude.

IANAL. IANAL quite a lot. Be warned! :eek:

ejmaztec

[quote=[Deleted User];57068395]You are aware that Irish born children of foreign parents are not Irish nationals, and that someone who has never set foot in Ireland is entitled to an Irish passport once they have one Irish grandparent?

I'm not going into whether I think Irish people are xenophobic, but one think I think is really odd is that a lot of Irish people seem to assume American = white. The OP never said she was white (unless I missed it somewhere). I remember one year in college, one of my flatmates commented that one of our other flatmates "didn't look American" (she had dark skin) - what do Americans look like? There are plenty of black, Hispanic and Asian Americans. That's a pet peeve of mine anyway.[/QUOTE]

Of course, you can still buy one, a passport that is, for hard cash, can't you? :P

Call Me Jimmy

PillyPen wrote:

I have absolutely no idea what you were trying to say here. Lol, still trying to figure it out and have no clue whatsoever.

I broke into song - Imagine by John Lennon. I was making the point that if you read boards like this from the other countries you would have seen that they have roughly the same amount of bigots/dickheads, same as every country in the world.

Earthhorse

javaboy wrote: »

IANAL quite a lot.

You...anal...quite a lot.

javaboy wrote: »

Be warned!

Look, when I accepted your friendship request this isn't what I had in mind.

Yes but you're talking about legal definitions. I'm talking about how people define themselves. The OP said that if she married an Irish man and had kids here she would consider those kids American. How come those children's nationality wouldn't be defined by where they were born yet PillyPen's is? And if PillyPen is basing her own American identity on that of her parents, how did they become Americans? And so on. Eventually it would almost certainly lead back to Europe. So why isn't she European?

I just think it's a bit funny that people seem to trace their ancestry back only as far as it suits them.

But how is it your business how people define themselves? Surely it's not up to you to tell someone who they are. My mum is English, my dad is Irish, I was born and lived in England for 11 years, and have lived in Ireland for 12 years now. Which am I then? By your logic, am I not Irish because I wasn't born here? Even though I don't remember my first few years in England?

Also, lot of people who ask me where I'm from are really asking why I'm so tanned, so saying 'Irish' or 'English' isn't what they're looking for. I'll mention that I'm part Italian since the nosy feckers are obviously dying to know :pac: I'm not really getting your point. It is a bit sad when people say they are Irish because their great, great, great grandfather was from Limerick, but it's totally different when it's immediate family, as it does impact on your life. If someone is born in Ireland and has a Spanish mother, their being half Spanish is quite relevant, no? They would hardly be just Irish if they were bilingual, dark skinned, knew loads about Spain and went there every year. Why can they not call themselves Irish AND Spanish?

javaboy

Earthhorse wrote: »

You...anal...quite a lot.

Yep that's what I said.

Look, when I accepted your friendship request this isn't what I had in mind.

You knew what this was.

[quote=[Deleted User];57070001]But how is it your business how people define themselves? Surely it's not up to you to tell someone who they are. My mum is English, my dad is Irish, I was born and lived in England for 11 years, and have lived in Ireland for 12 years now. Which am I then? By your logic, am I not Irish because I wasn't born here? Even though I don't remember my first few years in England?[/QUOTE]

Look we we're having a conversation about how people define themselves. It was all in good fun I think. No need to take it so seriously.

If you really want to know, I would define you as English but you can call yourself Irish if you want.

Also, lot of people who ask me where I'm from are really asking why I'm so tanned, so saying 'Irish' or 'English' isn't what they're looking for. I'll mention that I'm part Italian since the nosy feckers are obviously dying to know :pac: I'm not really getting your point. It is a bit sad when people say they are Irish because their great, great, great grandfather was from Limerick, but it's totally different when it's immediate family, as it does impact on your life. If someone is born in Ireland and has a Spanish mother, their being half Spanish is quite relevant, no? They would hardly be just Irish if they were bilingual, dark skinned, knew loads about Spain and went there every year. Why can they not call themselves Irish AND Spanish?

My point is that imo someone from Ireland is Irish. Someone from England is English. Someone from Spain is Spanish. I don't bring ethnicity, language or current location into it.

That's my take on it. Those people you talk about are fully entitled to call themselves Irish and Spanish or Spanrish or Hibernio-Iberian if they like. I'm also fully entitled to think it's silly. Do you get my point now?

Terry

PillyPen wrote: »

I love Mass! What a beautiful state. Have you ever been to Salem?

And I did offer to buy you a drink. That's all the wooing you're gonna get out of me!

You'll fit right in.


Just don't attempt a leprechaun accent and you'll be fine.
There is nothing more irritating than an American trying to do an Irish accent and getting it completely wrong.
Not one person in Ireland talks like those people in the movies.

javaboy

Terry wrote: »

You'll fit right in.


Just don't attempt a leprechaun accent and you'll be fine.
There is nothing more irritating than an American trying to do an Irish accent and getting it completely wrong.
Not one person in Ireland talks like those people in the movies.

Woah woah I hope you're not including Richard Gere's superb turn as Declan Mulqueen in The Jackal. (from about 0:50)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zo34Bm_0rKc

Terry

Ahh to be shure to be shure.

Also, we use the metric system here and drive on the proper (left) side of the road.
For some of the imperial measurements (pints being the most notable), there are differences there too.
An Irish pint is larger than an American one.
I've been using this site for years.

brianthebard

Freddy Krueger wrote: »

Yes I have noticed that since I was 5 years old. I mean if you hate all the other EU countries because we can travel and live in another place (like Ireland) easier without restrictions then please leave from the EU. We can make it without you.

Actually only Ireland, the Uk, and another country (can't remember which one) have no travel restrictions. So really you should be thanking us instead of bitching.

Look we we're having a conversation about how people define themselves. It was all in good fun I think. No need to take it so seriously.

If you really want to know, I would define you as English but you can call yourself Irish if you want.

I'm not taking it seriously. I'm just perplexed as to why you think the place you happen to be born decides your nationality. A lot of my friends would see me as an Irish person who happened to be born in England. I see myself as both. Are both your parents Irish, by any chance?

I get your point, I just don't understand why it's 'silly' for someone to say they are half-Irish, half-American when that's what they are. The fact they are half American means they have American citizenship which is a huge advantage for living/working in the USA, they'd have grandparents over there, they'd probably visit fairly regularly, I mean being half American is extremely relevant to their life. It's nothing like someone in Texas claiming to be Irish when they're 1/16 Irish and have never set foot here. Can you not see the difference?

LolaLuv

Dave147 wrote: »

Lol I should've known, the person you were passing off as yourself would never survive on this site lol! I must admit I'd find it hard to take a Bush voter seriously, I would just think something has to be missing if they're voting for him. So what's your plan? Moving to Dublin or just coming for a year or something? Make sure you travel around anyway, you'll miss out on alot of our culture by staying in Dublin. I would definitely recommend spending some time in Cork, February being the best time to visit. The place goes mad for rag week..

The *official* plan is that I'm going to Trinity for a year as a study abroad student. But I've always wanted to move to Europe for good, and the timing might be right. The only problem is that I want to get my Master's and PhD and that will likely be cheaper for me to do in the states. I have a year to decide so. What's rag week?

Steve_o wrote: »

My housemate in college is from Boston but his accent is turning to the darkside, he sounds have American half Limerickan... its mad!!

"Hey guys, quit goofin around or I'LL FOOOKIN SHHHTAB YUH...":D

Lol, I'm afraid that's what will happen to me, and then I'll sound goofy to both the Irish and Americans! Haha, oh well.

thelordofcheese wrote: »

how well you'll intergrate is probably inversely proportional to how offended you get at the word "cunt"

It's been my favorite word since I saw "The Vagina Monologues" in high school! Yay ****!

latchyco wrote: »

I imagine if you were from the bronx in NYC then the dublin slang would go easy on yer ears, however it might be lost on somebody from Southern california

The slang will take forever for me to get! I've been trolling boards for months and still can't understand half of what people are saying! (See "kip"!)

[quote=[Deleted User];57068395]You are aware that Irish born children of foreign parents are not Irish nationals, and that someone who has never set foot in Ireland is entitled to an Irish passport once they have one Irish grandparent?

I'm not going into whether I think Irish people are xenophobic, but one think I think is really odd is that a lot of Irish people seem to assume American = white. The OP never said she was white (unless I missed it somewhere). I remember one year in college, one of my flatmates commented that one of our other flatmates "didn't look American" (she had dark skin) - what do Americans look like? There are plenty of black, Hispanic and Asian Americans. That's a pet peeve of mine anyway.[/quote]

I see what you're saying, but I am indeed white. This is an issue in America as well, and I think a valid one.

Wagon wrote: »

Once you have a sense of humour you'll be grand Also, we swear a lot and slag the holes off each other but once your a sound chap you aren't going to have any problem. Americans that leave their country tend be be open minded and enough to know there's an airport with planes that fly over the sea

It might sound terrible, but I'm probably looking forward to the swearing more than anything. I swear all the time, it just doesn't offend me, but my family's always getting on me about it. I don't swear in professional settings or anything, but I think it punctuates things so nicely in informal conversation.

Terry wrote: »

You'll fit right in.


Just don't attempt a leprechaun accent and you'll be fine.
There is nothing more irritating than an American trying to do an Irish accent and getting it completely wrong.
Not one person in Ireland talks like those people in the movies.

Ha, I know exactly what accent you mean! I won't do that, unless I'm really drunk and trying to piss people off or something. :rolleyes:

Terry wrote: »

Ahh to be shure to be shure.

Also, we use the metric system here and drive on the proper (left) side of the road.
For some of the imperial measurements (pints being the most notable), there are differences there too.
An Irish pint is larger than an American one.
I've been using this site for years.

Thanks for the site, I'm sure I'll be using it!




RE: The nationality discussion: I think culture has a lot to do with how one defines oneself. If I had kids in Ireland, I would still teach them some American traditions and would therefore see them as somewhat American. Plus they'd have a strong connection to America through my side of the family, so they'd definitely be at least partially American, I think.

brianthebard

[serious]fwiw pilly, you may be american, but you know how to use the word xenophobic in the correct context-you'll catch most people expecting the 'dumb yank' unawares. In fact the only problem might be you're *almost* too smart. [/serious]

And em, yore ma, etc.

m@cc@

PillyPen wrote: »

But I am worried! Maybe it's just from all the stress from preparing for an international move, but I have lived in Japan, India, and France and have never been so concerned as I am about Ireland. I keep hearing horror stories!

You've been to France and you're worried what the Irish think of America??!

LolaLuv

m@cc@ wrote: »

You've been to France and you're worried what the Irish think of America??!

Lol, I know, it's ridiculous. I was having a freakout! Honestly India was the worst. I dated an Indian for four years and his parents didn't talk to him for the first three because I'm American. :rolleyes:

m@cc@

PillyPen wrote: »

Lol, I know, it's ridiculous. I was having a freakout! Honestly India was the worst. I dated an Indian for four years and his parents didn't talk to him for the first three because I'm American. :rolleyes:

If you've been to France, you'll have no problem in Ireland. You'll more than likely hear George Bush mentioned in the first few sentences but once you get over that you'll be fine. There's no animosity directed towards Americans, more at America.

Kintarō Hattori

So PillyPen, 10 pages and 144 posts in do you feel reassured that you're gonna be just fine or are you more nervous than ever?

pickarooney

PillyPen wrote: »

Lol, I know, it's ridiculous. I was having a freakout! Honestly India was the worst. I dated an Indian for four years and his parents didn't talk to him for the first three because I'm American. :rolleyes:

If you'd had kids, would they have been American Indians?

LolaLuv

pickarooney wrote: »

If you'd had kids, would they have been American Indians?

Ha, they would have been ABCDs.

LolaLuv

Kintarō Hattori wrote: »

So PillyPen, 10 pages and 144 posts in do you feel reassured that you're gonna be just fine or are you more nervous than ever?

I feel a ton better! I'm sure I'll keep freaking out, though, that's just the way big moves tend to effect people. And I feel silly for putting this in AH and not PI; I didn't realize the difference!

javaboy

[quote=[Deleted User];57071803]I'm not taking it seriously. I'm just perplexed as to why you think the place you happen to be born decides your nationality.[/QUOTE]

It's my opinion that your birthplace decides your nationality. Your opinion is different. What is so perplexing about it?

A lot of my friends would see me as an Irish person who happened to be born in England. I see myself as both. Are both your parents Irish, by any chance?

You and your friends can view you as Irish, English or both. That's your right. I'll continue to consider you English. That's mine. Yes both my parents are Irish.

I get your point, I just don't understand why it's 'silly' for someone to say they are half-Irish, half-American when that's what they are. The fact they are half American means they have American citizenship which is a huge advantage for living/working in the USA, they'd have grandparents over there, they'd probably visit fairly regularly, I mean being half American is extremely relevant to their life. It's nothing like someone in Texas claiming to be Irish when they're 1/16 Irish and have never set foot here. Can you not see the difference?

Yes I see the difference between someone whose parents are Irish claiming to be Irish and someone who has to go back 4 generations to find an Irish ancestor claiming they are Irish. In my opinion neither are Irish but I do recognise the difference in scale of each person's claim to Irishness.


Look it's no big deal. We have a difference of opinion over what makes you Irish/American/English or whatever. I respect your opinion even if I disagree with it.

Silenceisbliss

whats a xenophobe? is that something to do with being scared of women warriors?

Steve_o

Silenceisbliss wrote: »

whats a xenophobe? is that something to do with being scared of women warriors?

No no no... oh wait, it is actually!!:D

Also, OP: Stay away form Copper Face Jacks, no time to explain why, just do!!!

javaboy

Silenceisbliss wrote: »

whats a xenophobe? is that something to do with being scared of women warriors?

No although it was coined based on the show Xena: Warrior Princess.

It's basically a fear of spin off series. Sounds way better than Joeyphobia or Knotslandingaphobia.