Do you consider yourself european?

Censorsh!t

Okay, obviously, I know, technically Irish are European. But I always find it very odd when people refer to me as European.

When I was in S. Africa someone was saying how important manners are because they know "Europeans can be very rude". My first thought was "but I'm not European...not in that sense anyway!"

When someone speaks of Europe, I always think Spain, France, Germany, mainland Europe basically. Yet Ireland would never enter my head.

Would you consider yourself European? Do you think Ireland is a 'European' country? In the cultural sense of the word.

Phew...how many times can I say Europe in one post!

Lapin

I'm a Galwayman first and foremost.

Then Irish.

European somewhere further down the line.

Rightwing

Censorsh!t wrote: »

Okay, obviously, I know, technically Irish are European. But I always find it very odd when people refer to me as European.

When I was in S. Africa someone was saying how important manners are because they know "Europeans can be very rude". My first thought was "but I'm not European...not in that sense anyway!"

When someone speaks of Europe, I always think Spain, France, Germany, mainland Europe basically. Yet Ireland would never enter my head.

Would you consider yourself European? Do you think Ireland is a 'European' country? In the cultural sense of the word.

Phew...how many times can I say Europe in one post!

Absolutely, that's why I drive on motorways. That's where the cash came from.

cloud493

No. But then I suppose physical detachment and being a small island, both in the UK and Ireland, changes your perspective.

wazky

Well look at it this way, when you look at the Euro section on Pornhub do you see freckly, redhead'ed Sineads and Deirdres going at it?

bnt

I'm "European" in my drinking habits: occasional drinks with food, no drinking to get drunk. The way you do it here in Ireland - explicitly planning to get "locked" - is not "European".

Fat Christy

Nope, I'm Irish. I would never refer to myself as being European...

suicide_circus

I am the product of a western and a central european so, yes I consider myself European.

fits

Yes, very much so. But I work all over Europe which probably contributes to that. I have a very different perspective now, compared to before I left.

sheesh

yes

jimgoose

Ireland, the UK and the USA, being Common Law jurisdictions have a rather different look-and-feel from the Continong, with their Civil Law jurisdictions based partly on Roman law and the Leges Barbarorum. So no, I don't feel particularly European.

fits

bnt wrote: »

I'm "European" in my drinking habits: occasional drinks with food, no drinking to get drunk. The way you do it here in Ireland - explicitly planning to get "locked" - is not "European".

try visiting Nordic countries. They are even worse I would say. Getting drunk rather than socialising is the aim. I think the focus is more on socialising in Ireland.

suicide_circus

bnt wrote: »

I'm "European" in my drinking habits: occasional drinks with food, no drinking to get drunk. The way you do it here in Ireland - explicitly planning to get "locked" - is not "European".

*yawn* hair shirts at the ready!

The notion that all continental euopeans confine their boozing to a small glass wine while eating a long languid sumptuous dinner is laughable. Now the irish and british relationship with drink is somewhat questionable but the those on the continent aren't exactly saintly, they just dont stress or beat themselves up about it.

Philo Beddoe

Yes, most definitely.

c_man

No, not really. Only feel any bit that way when on the continent and think that if anything were to happen it'd be grand since we're all in the EU.

_Kaiser_

Nope not at all.

Consider myself a Dub, then Irish but as far as I'm concerned the EU has been far more trouble for this country (and the other smaller nations) than it's worth.

They should have stopped at the EEC - once they got political aspirations it all went south.

bnt

fits wrote: »

try visiting Nordic countries. They are even worse I would say. Getting drunk rather than socialising is the aim. I think the focus is more on socialising in Ireland.

Oh, I know - I saw a few things on trips to Denmark that would curl your hair, and once shared a house with some Swedes here in Dublin. I couldn't even try to compete with that. But that's not what I meant by "European" drinking, which I did see in France, Spain and Portugal. I expect I'd see different drinking if I visited Slovakia ...

whiskeyman

Only ever consider myself european either at airports (when you see a 'EU' flag at a passport booth and watch the poor suckers queuing for the longer international booth), or if there's some discount / benefit to be had:
EU medical card, etc...

Lenin Skynard

Yes, very much so.

Fuzzytrooper

I've had many conversations with my Polish wife on the subject. Definitely wouldn't consider myself European - more loosely affiliated.

jimgoose

bnt wrote: »

...But that's not what I meant by "European" drinking, which I did see in France, Spain and Portugal. I expect I'd see different drinking if I visited Slovakia ...

Yes, I've witnessed the phenomenon of "European Drinking" as well - I conclude it's because most of 'em wouldn't spend furkan Christmas! :pac:

Iranoutofideas

Not in the slightest. I was over in Germany recently with a friend from the States. He was looking to me for guidance on certain things as I am "European".

I told him I might as well be from the States too as Germany was just as alien to me as to him.

jimgoose

Iranoutofideas wrote: »

Not in the slightest. I was over in Germany recently with a friend from the States. He was looking to me for guidance on certain things as I am "European".

I told him I might as well be from the States too as Germany was just as alien to me as to him.

A few years back I spent a couple of days in Dortmund on a bit of a job. It was like something out of Blade Runner. I was extraordinarily happy to be tucking into Shepherd's Pie with Chips'n'Gravy in Heathrow on the way back, served by a stroppy little Indian cutie with a Sarf Landan accent annat innit?!? Congratulations, you're home! :D

SEPT 23 1989

No I want nothing to do with this European "project"

oceanman

No, even though our dumbass leaders sold us out to Europe, I still consider myself Irish.

preston johnny

Only when I'm eating my Aldi pizza with french fries, drinking wife beater and a swiss roll for afters and going Dutch on the cost.............oh! And when the Ryder cup is on

Dacelonid

fits wrote: »

try visiting Nordic countries. They are even worse I would say. Getting drunk rather than socialising is the aim. I think the focus is more on socialising in Ireland.

Yep, payday in Sweden and Denmark are nuts, from my experience in those countries

jester77

Absolutely.

I have Euros in my wallet, I can travel within Europe without having to show a passport or needing a visa and no need to change currency (mostly), I am free to work anywhere within Europe without any bureaucracy, my driving license is valid within Europe, have european health insurance and so on.

TheBeardedLady

Definitely.

Satriale

Luke Kelly wrote:

Will German, French or Dutch inscribe the epitaph of Emmet?
When we have sold enough of Ireland to be but strangers in it.
For What Died the Sons of Róisín, was it greed

Never

Censorsh!t

jester77 wrote: »

Absolutely.

I have Euros in my wallet, I can travel within Europe without having to show a passport or needing a visa and no need to change currency (mostly), I am free to work anywhere within Europe without any bureaucracy, my driving license is valid within Europe, have european health insurance and so on.

Yes, as I said we are technically European.

But I mean in a cultural way.

gugleguy

Yes. In terms of leisure pursuit/occupations sure.
Just let's say I'm not a die hard GAA supporter in any sense, in terms of being Irish. :):D

Iwasfrozen

A South African calling Europeans rude? Blimey.

jester77

Censorsh!t wrote: »

Yes, as I said we are technically European.

But I mean in a cultural way.

But we are not the same culturally even at a national level. Someone born in Dublin city can no more relate to someone born in rural Leitrim than they can with someone born in southern Italy.

The Backwards Man

I'm from Donegal.

Dyr

if anyone here does feel european reflect on why your fellow europeans only got stung for 200 bills while you're paying 8 grand to save the euro

Some are more european than others

Skylinehead

Censorsh!t wrote: »

Yes, as I said we are technically European.

But I mean in a cultural way.

Is that actually a thing though? Germans, French and Spanish are as different from each other culturally as they are from us.

RobertKK

Yes, I feel we share a lot of common interests with our fellow Europeans and I support closer ties via a federal Europe.

We are citizens of the European Union as it is.

P_1

No I don't consider myself European, I don't consider myself Irish, I don't consider myself a Dub. I am just me.

Oops69

The concept of a ' European ' identity is rubbish , we'd all gouge each other's eyes out and relish it at the drop of a hat if our economic futures didn't restrain us .

Censorsh!t

Skylinehead wrote: »

Is that actually a thing though? Germans, French and Spanish are as different from each other culturally as they are from us.

True, I am being very general here!

I mean basically besides the political and technical aspects, would people consider themselves to be European.
We are obviously European, geographically speaking as well as being in the EU.

But when you think of Europe, do you picture Ireland in there? Or would you view other countries as being 'more European'. I know this is all a load of ****e I'm speaking, but, I think Ireland has a very different feel to many European countries I've been to. That could be all the rain though.

RobertKK

Genetically most Irish can be traced to where we came from...northern Spain.

Birneybau

Censorsh!t wrote: »

Okay, obviously, I know, technically Irish are European. But I always find it very odd when people refer to me as European.

When I was in S. Africa someone was saying how important manners are because they know "Europeans can be very rude". My first thought was "but I'm not European...not in that sense anyway!"

When someone speaks of Europe, I always think Spain, France, Germany, mainland Europe basically. Yet Ireland would never enter my head.

Would you consider yourself European? Do you think Ireland is a 'European' country? In the cultural sense of the word.

Phew...how many times can I say Europe in one post!

Ah, the South Africans, not known for rudeness at all. Especially the white ones.

Fratton Fred

When I'm in a meeting with other Europeans, probably not. When I'm in a meeting in Asia Pacific, or the Americas, then I do.

kingchess

suicide_circus wrote: »

I am the product of a western and a central european so, yes I consider myself European.

which Western??one that starred Clint Eastwood??,maybe it was John Wayne??:D

Shenshen

Yes, entirely.

I've seen enough of the world to recognise that Europe is indeed a cultural union, and a very close one at that.
You only ever really get to see your own culture once you look at it through another culture's eyes.

DeadHand

jester77 wrote: »

But we are not the same culturally even at a national level. Someone born in Dublin city can no more relate to someone born in rural Leitrim than they can with someone born in southern Italy.

Nonsense statement.

The Dub and the Leitrimite would very likely speak the same language, play the same sports, eat the same foods, listen to the same music, read the same books, watch the same television, experienced the same rituals growing up, would know someone roughly from the other's locality unless either were recent arrivals.

Dubs and culchies relate to each other just fine on every level. The city is full of culchies raising families of Dubs, the countryside is full of Dubs raising families of culchies.

Put your hypothetical Damo in a room with a lad from Carrick on Shannon and a lad from Palermo and see who he clicks with first. It won't be Ciro from Sicily.

Cienciano

I don't think anyone in europe would consider themselves European ahead of the country they're from.

DeadHand

I'm Irish, it's all I am and it's enough.

DarkyHughes

I'm Irish (republican) first, European second & a Earthtinian third.

DLMA23

No