Being English? Being French? Being Russian? Being Irish?

It all depends on your vision of the future. For many the end game is to have distinct cultural identities and even competition but within a framework that does not allow violence to influence competitive outcomes. To me that looks like one all encompassing supranational body that is connected democratically with total universal suffrage. That idea does not preclude national identity. Obviously this is not star trek and in reality we will be killing each other for a few thousand years more, perhaps forever if violence is insurmountable. For now we will have to awkwardly stumble through geo politics and the ordinary citizens interests are manipulated into believing that 'x' defeating 'y' is their purpose in life, when really they should just be maximizing the experience of what fleeting time they have to live. In my mind even hedonism is more noble than tribalism.

When a countries native language is gone. You lose a massive part of your identity and eventually just become another consumerist vassal state of the US or UK. Ireland is no more than an economy these days.

Nationalism is stronger than ever I think, certainly as strong as it's ever been in Ireland. Scottish and English nationalism are also to the fore in recent years. Nationalism is a corrosive force as it focuses on differences between neighbours i.e. what makes Irish people different from Scottish or French people and so on. But it's also valuable as it encourages us to value aspects of our own culture. If we could combine the latter with patriotism, we'd have the best of deals.

Yeah I'm aware of that and i am happy to hear it but it means very little. There is no real advantage to having a good level of Irish language if there is no will from the powers that be to bring about a revival of it. Everything will still be done in English. Just look anytime there's a thread on here or Reddit about trying to revive the language its attacked and belittled by most.

The Jews done a good job at reviving Hebrew Because they were pretty much forced to learn it.

The very fact that we managed to, as a society, outlaw things like rape and theft is owed partly due to tribalism. Our society was built by the tribe that believes in these rights and morals. There are plenty of cultures on the globe that believe rape of a woman by a man is okay, or that stoning people to death or chopping off their hands are morally acceptable punishments. If we suppress our tribalistic urges, then we will not be able to maintain this free society as other tribes will coopt it and drive it toward their own goals.

Iran was once a free and liberalish society, until the Islamic revolution happened. Stronger tribalism from the liberal side could well have stopped it.

There are plenty of studies out there of the effects of a dominant lingua franca on local languages. English is an easer tool in so many ways and that in its own right can reduce the enthusiasm and the obvious need to speak Irish. We should still teach it and encourage people to learn it but we can't force motivation on anyone.

I was living in the UK at the time of Brexit and know plenty of people that voted leave, some good friends of mine. There is not a racist bone in their bodies. England is probably the most multicultural country in Europe. In Ireland we seem to get mixed up between the EU and Europe. They are different things. Devolution of Scotland and Wales did wake up some sort of dormant English nationalism though for sure. Some of it ugly.

With regards to here in Ireland, it does get that feeling like we are just sort of an economic zone within the EU now, attracting in US companies. We've definitely lost something over the last decade. It's all about the GDP and economy.

Well, no interest in rugby generally. But if I did, maybe. My point is, I'm not going to go and pretend to like rugby just because Ireland is playing. Nor am I going to celebrate if they win - unless I'm on the team and did something to earn it. The only think I know about the Aga Khan trophy is that it's something to do with horses, so yeah - nothing.

You can have society and community without attaching it to nationality - and it will probbaly be more genuine for that reason. I'm part of an art society, for example - and have lived in art communites. This was far more benefitial than "being Irish" because I chose to be an artist and I chose to be a part of the community. I have a stronger connection rather than falling back on one that's already there.

Individualistic, perhaps. Narcissistic - why?

...except I'm not actually opposing anything.

The OP asked a question: does being Irish mean anything?

I answered: not in my case, no.

If anything, the strawman here is you trying to claim that I opposed an argument, when no argument existed in the first place.

I'd say the availability of nuclear weapons has brought more peace in the last century than the EU has.

The threat of mutually assured destruction that would come from a nuclear exchange ensures peace between nations. Again, its the threat of force that is responsible.