Are you proud to be Irish?

P_1 · 12-10-2014 3:18pm

As a rule I only find pride or shame in things that I've directly contributed to or achieved. Now being born and growing up within a particular political jurisdiction is not one of those things so no, I don't feel any particular pride or shame in being Irish.

Calibos · 12-10-2014 3:54pm

The question should probably be, "Are you glad you are Irish/from Ireland/Live in Ireland?"

Why Yes. yes I am. We have our problems, we often don't make things easy for ourselves but on the whole in the grand scheme of things we've done alright for ourselves and are lucky that we call this place home.

purplecow1977 · 12-10-2014 3:57pm

I'm glad to be Irish but obviously there are things that I find embarrassing and shameful - the bank scandals, the Garth Brooks saga, the state of our Health system, our overcrowded classrooms with diminishing resources, but I am glad to be Irish, and even more so, glad to be from the West of Ireland! :-)

Iwasfrozen · 12-10-2014 5:02pm

It's part of who I am, I am neither ashamed or nor proud of being Irish.

You might as well ask me am I proud of being white or having green eyes.

Fr. Ned · 12-10-2014 5:03pm

MaroonAndGreen wrote: »

Poll added.

Are you proud to be Irish? Why / Why not?

Very proud to be Irish.

Not very proud of our gombeen political class, the reputation as a tax haven they've portrayed around the world, the roll over and beg reputation they've given us, and everything else that goes with that.

Caybar · 12-10-2014 5:08pm

Proud'

We're deadly craic like!

Rums · 12-10-2014 5:14pm

Whether I am proud to be Irish or not changes on a day by day basis, most days I am then I see or hear something nasty and lose faith.

Also Fr.Ned I wouldn't focus to much on the reputation as a tax heaven thing, the EU has no competency when it comes to setting corporation tax... any other EU member who is bitching about Irish corporation tax could lower their corporation tax if they wanted to, nothing stopping them but greed.
Ireland is very dependent on our low corporation tax to draw in foreign investment and a country with 1/3 the population of London needs things that will attract foreign investment, our European neighbours want to have their cake and eat it, they want to keep their High corporation taxes so they make more money from it and they want us to be forced to put ours up so they will get more foreign investment as well.

I would be angry about many things Irish politicians have done but one of the few things I would be proud of them for is keeping our corporation tax low even though are greedy neighbours are bitching about it 24/7, also keep in mind even though the corporation tax is low the country still makes cash off taxing the employees of these companies many of whom would be in the upper tax brackets and these companies naturally have a knock on effect in the areas they set up and help with the growth of other industries.

Drakares · 12-10-2014 5:15pm

How Soon Is Now wrote: »

Im more proud of being from Dublin then being from Ireland.

I guess i have my moments the country has its good and bad points ive never been one of these in your face paddys though.

Im proud of being me!!

Why specifically are you proud of being a Dub? What has Dublin accomplished?

Greenmachine · 12-10-2014 5:19pm

Seems totally irrational to be proud of your nationality, not like I chose it. Can feel proud of my own personal achievements. Can feels a sense of pride when a friend or family member achieves something ,important of them. Pet peeve is someone you barely know like a classmate you rarely talk to, telling you, they are proud of you.

Mahogany · 12-10-2014 5:39pm

Sir Arthur Daley wrote: »

Anyone that is not proud of their country needs their head examined.

Anyone that IS proud of their country needs their head examined.

I didn't choose to be Irish, so why would I be proud?

MadYaker · 12-10-2014 5:41pm

Pride is for idiots mostly. Being Irish is something I'm neither proud nor ashamed of, I just am.

Fr. Ned · 12-10-2014 5:53pm

MadYaker wrote: »

Pride is for idiots mostly. Being Irish is something I'm neither proud nor ashamed of, I just am.

So, if the Irish Rugby team win a grand slam or Katie Taylor wins a gold medal,we shouldn't be proud that she or they are doing it for their country?

The Golden Miller · 12-10-2014 5:56pm

Of course I'm proud to be Irish. I wouldn't trade my Irishness for anything. I don't get people who say they aren't proud to be Irish due to the actions of other Irish people or politicians. They aren't Ireland, they may also be born here but they aren't Ireland. People seem to confuse the two.

If I could become the most gifted footballer or sportsperson in the world in exchange for my Irishness I wouldn't take it. If I was offered fame, celebrity and never ending wealth in exchange for my Irishness I wouldn't take it. If I was offered perfect health until I was 100 in exchange for my Irishness I wouldn't take it. If the love of my life wanted us to leave Ireland for good, she can go and get a divorce as far as I'm concerned. As extreme as it may sound, I would rather die/not exist, than not be Irish. I love Ireland, and all of it's 32 counties, more than anything.

I don't identify as being from Meath or Leinster, nor being European. I'm Irish and Irish only

MadYaker · 12-10-2014 6:25pm

Fr. Ned wrote: »

So, if the Irish Rugby team win a grand slam or Katie Taylor wins a gold medal,we shouldn't be proud that she or they are doing it for their country?

They aren't doing it for their country. They are doing it for themselves and for glory and for their team mates and their family. Ask anyone on the Irish rugby team what motivates them and if they answer truthfully very few would say pride in their country.

Molester Stallone II · 12-10-2014 6:27pm

Drakares wrote: »

Why specifically are you proud of being a Dub? What has Dublin accomplished?

4th best gaa team in the land !

DarkyHughes · 12-10-2014 6:28pm

MadYaker wrote: »

Pride is for idiots mostly. Being Irish is something I'm neither proud nor ashamed of, I just am.

You are so cool & grown up.

Macavity. · 12-10-2014 6:32pm

I guess I'm pretty indifferent about it. I do think we have a beautiful country and a lot of great people have came out of it, but that doesn't really make me feel proud considering I could have been born into any other country in the world. I definitely think it's odd when people say they are ashamed to be Irish whenever some random Irish person does something immoral, as if they are responsible for it just by being the same nationality.

jobbridge4life · 13-10-2014 4:38pm

Mahogany wrote: »

Anyone that IS proud of their country needs their head examined.

I didn't choose to be Irish, so why would I be proud?

You didn't choose your parents do you think people who are proud of their parents need their head examined?

You didn't choose your siblings...

and so on and so forth.

BoJack Horseman · 13-10-2014 4:49pm

I was born in Holles St hospital.

It wasn't my choice, but I am fiercely proud of that.

Anyone not proud of the hospital....nay, ward they were born in needs their head examined.

Glory to ward 7!!

Peist2007 · 13-10-2014 4:52pm

BoJack Horseman wrote: »

I was born in Holles St hospital.

It wasn't my choice, but I am fiercely proud of that.

Anyone not proud of the hospital....nay, ward they were born in needs their head examined.

Glory to ward 7!!

The world is divided into countries, not hospital catchment areas, so i dont see your logic there

smash · 13-10-2014 4:54pm

Being Irish isn't an achievement. Being of any nationality isn't an achievement. It's just something you had no control over. As such, I don't see a reason to be proud of it but I also don't see a reason to be ashamed of it.

BoJack Horseman · 13-10-2014 4:55pm

Peist2007 wrote: »

The world is divided into countries, not hospital catchment areas, so i dont see your logic there

How magnified does parochialism get before the abstract 'Pride' becomes silly?

If someone is proud to be born in a village, is it any better than being proud of being born in hospital?

Be proud of your footprint in this world, your works & your legacy.

Pride in the randomness of your birthplace seems pointless.

The_Captain · 13-10-2014 4:57pm

I like being Irish, but I'm not proud of being Irish, it's not an accomplishment.

Are you proud of having brown hair? Proud of being right-handed? Proud of having a seat on the left side of the room in maths?

jobbridge4life · 13-10-2014 4:59pm

smash wrote: »

Being Irish isn't an achievement. Being of any nationality isn't an achievement. It's just something you had no control over. As such, I don't see a reason to be proud of it but I also don't see a reason to be ashamed of it.

You see I accept that point, and as I said in my original contribution to this thread it is silly but I guess I just get wrapped up in it a little bit.

Perhaps the word pride/proud is just not approrpriate. To my mind its like when people say 'to take a bit of pride in your area' they don't mean be 'proud' in the sense of YAY I was born here and therefor must believe this place is the best ever, they mean look after your area, work towards its betterment and enjoy the collective sense of whatever achievements you can come by.

yourdeadwright · 13-10-2014 5:05pm

I don't understand being proud of where your from, you have no say in it

I think you should be proud of achievements not something you had no say in what so ever ,

I’m Irish , I’m not proud to say it or at the same time embarrassed of it, its something i had no say in it at all,

There's upsides and downside of living everywhere,

Yamanoto · 13-10-2014 5:06pm

I'm proud to be 6'2", with a genetic predisposition to glaucoma.

jobbridge4life · 13-10-2014 5:08pm

yourdeadwright wrote: »

I don't understand being proud of where your from, you have no say in it

I think you should be proud of achievements not something you had no say in what so ever ,

I’m Irish , I’m not proud to say it or at the same time embarrassed of it, its something i had no say in it at all,

There's upsides and downside of living everywhere,

Again...

are you proud of your parents or any of their achievements? Or are you just too enlightened?

Creative Juices · 13-10-2014 5:09pm

How Soon Is Now wrote: »

Im more proud of being from Dublin then being from Ireland.

I guess i have my moments the country has its good and bad points ive never been one of these in your face paddys though.

I am not sure I am proud of Dublin. I was as a child and I loved the school tours there but it has got a lot dirtier and rougher than I remember.

BoJack Horseman · 13-10-2014 5:10pm

Yamanoto wrote: »

I'm proud to be 6'2", with a genetic predisposition to glaucoma.

I'm proud of my abilities as a lover, which few have gone so far as to deem "adequate".

But of being Irish?
No, don't see the point.

Laois6556 · 13-10-2014 5:12pm

Being Irish is deadly, we have a great reputation in many countries. Everyone should be proud.

COYVB · 13-10-2014 5:13pm

I'm not proud to be Irish, nor am I unhappy to be Irish. I simply AM Irish, and since I had no hand in where I was born, I don't believe it's anything I have any right to be proud about

daviecronin · 13-10-2014 5:15pm

Im 100% proud to be Irish? We are the best simple as

I'm proud of what this country has done and is doing. We fought off the lads with guns with hurlies I mean come on? How many countries can give out social welfare to any poor auld beggar. I mean I know we give out about various taxes etc etc. and maybe we have right to? But the country has done a lot for us. Just remember it could always be worse. We as a society have a lot to be grateful for and we take it all for granted. Put yourselves in someone elses shoes for once

BoJack Horseman · 13-10-2014 5:16pm

jobbridge4life wrote: »

Again...

are you proud of your parents or any of their achievements? Or are you just too enlightened?

I'm proud of my parents.
I'm neither proud or ashamed of the random location they were born in...... after all, its random.

jobbridge4life · 13-10-2014 5:18pm

BoJack Horseman wrote: »

I'm proud of my parents.
I'm neither proud or ashamed of the random location they were born in...... after all, its random.

You had no influence on either. Logic fail.

COYVB · 13-10-2014 5:20pm

jobbridge4life wrote: »

You had no influence on either. Logic fail.

He is, however, made up from a mix of their genetic material. I reckon that probably gives him enough leeway to be proud of them

BoJack Horseman · 13-10-2014 5:20pm

jobbridge4life wrote: »

You had no influence on either. Logic fail.

I don't have to have an influence to feel pride?

They are proud of my achievements, despite no direct involvement.

Neither have any relevance to the random spot of soil we were born on.

jobbridge4life · 13-10-2014 5:26pm

COYVB wrote: »

He is, however, made up from a mix of their genetic material. I reckon that probably gives him enough leeway to be proud of them

And we are (mostly) all the result of the genetic mix of the relatively closed gene pool of individuals who have made up the population of this island over the past several thousand years... so...

Ultimately I agree the notion of being proud is not appropriate but I think its a matter of finding a better way of expressing the sensation rather than simply writing it off altogether.

smash · 13-10-2014 5:54pm

jobbridge4life wrote: »

You see I accept that point, and as I said in my original contribution to this thread it is silly but I guess I just get wrapped up in it a little bit.

Perhaps the word pride/proud is just not approrpriate. To my mind its like when people say 'to take a bit of pride in your area' they don't mean be 'proud' in the sense of YAY I was born here and therefor must believe this place is the best ever, they mean look after your area, work towards its betterment and enjoy the collective sense of whatever achievements you can come by.

But that's completely different. If that's the angle you're coming from then the question should be "do you take pride in Ireland as a country" which has nothing to do with nationality, it's to do with not wanting to live in a shíthole area or society.

Peist2007 · 13-10-2014 6:35pm

BoJack Horseman wrote: »

How magnified does parochialism get before the abstract 'Pride' becomes silly?

If someone is proud to be born in a village, is it any better than being proud of being born in hospital?

Be proud of your footprint in this world, your works & your legacy.

Pride in the randomness of your birthplace seems pointless.

Question is whether you are proud to be Irish. Are you? If not, then you're not.

Also, biology and genetics should tell you your birthplace was not random. You have (probably) Irish parents. You were always going to be irish. Taking pride in the place where your anccestors hailed from etc and enjoying the buzz when a sports team from your place of origin, for example, wins at something, is a natural feeling from a social animal like ourselves.

Taking a sense of pride in where you come is a trait shared worldwide. Therefore, it exists. Whether or not you are way too cool for it is another question.

ShadowHearth · 13-10-2014 10:57pm

I am not irish, but I live in Ireland for 10 years now. When someone asks me where I am from, I always answer like this: " I was originally Lithuania, but I feel more Irish then I ever was Lithuanian".

I cannot legally say that I am proud to be irish, but I love being "sort of irish", even if it pisses off some people.

Laois6556 · 13-10-2014 11:21pm

ShadowHearth wrote: »

I am not irish, but I live in Ireland for 10 years now. When someone asks me where I am from, I always answer like this: " I was originally Lithuania, but I feel more Irish then I ever was Lithuanian".

I cannot legally say that I am proud to be irish, but I love being "sort of irish", even if it pisses off some people.

Well begorrah, a Lithuanian in Cork. That hybrid accent is something that I can't imagine.

jobbridge4life · 14-10-2014 2:10pm

smash wrote: »

But that's completely different. If that's the angle you're coming from then the question should be "do you take pride in Ireland as a country" which has nothing to do with nationality, it's to do with not wanting to live in a shíthole area or society.

I don't think it is entirely different. If you are to take 'pride' in something then you become proud of it.

Are you proud to be Irish?

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