Westside Steve Posted March 19, 2014 Report Share Posted March 19, 2014 So mostly for you, Chris, or anyone else from the British Isles. What's your take on the troubles in the north? I play a lot of Irish music and especially around Green season. When I do there are usually drunken people whose grandmother or something came from Ireland years and years ago. Like myself. I fully understand that, for the most part, our Irish roots are really affectation. almost all of those who holler for rebel music are 2nd 3rd 4th generation depending on what percent Irish nationality. Those born and raised in Ireland and having moved to the United States don't seem to even mention rebel music. As a matter of fact I've heard them scold the American kids since those kids I have no idea of what has gone on. Plus they live here now anyway and no matter what went on in the past it is not their fight. I think this Stan Rogers song sums up my take fairly well. I do have ancestors from there but can't really get behind any kind of terrorism for either the IRA or the UDL. Do they care about it much anymore in Great Britain? PS before I left my hotel to go to the parade one of the television stations was doing a remote from one of the Irish castles and there were a bunch of people wearing stupid green hats and so forth. Susan said she didn't think the Irish celebrated St Patrick's Day in that way. I told her I bet the real Irish people don't stay in that castle and those were all tourists. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gftChris Posted March 19, 2014 Report Share Posted March 19, 2014 Not sure I completely follow the question, but if it's something along the lines of "is there a lot of tension between northern/republic of ireland?" I'd say it has died down quite a lot over the last 10-15 years or so. When I was a kid (talking 15-20 years back), there was a lot of it on the news, about IRA bombings, the british army had a large presence in northern ireland and tensions were generally quite high. But since then there's been a bit of a ceasefire, people have come to realise that other things in life are more important. I don't think it's all that surprising to be honest. As I remember it, the north split because of religious persecution (that old chestnut) - of course, when you've got some conflict/tension going on as long as that, there starts to be other factors at play, and it becomes a way of life to hate the other side. But to be honest with the world opening up and becoming more liberal, and coming in to a time where the under-30/40 generation really isn't so concerned with religion, it seems to be dissipating somewhat. Of course, there are still those who hold on to the sentiment, and there are the younger people who've been brought up in to that way of thinking, but the numbers seem to be dwindling. Sinn Fein was, I believe, the major political backer of the IRA, and they seem to have a focus on becoming more 'legitimate' in the political world. So all in all, it doesn't seem to be too much of a problem any more. There'll still be flare-ups now and again, but nothing major. In the rest of the UK, people really don't care about the Irish stuff. You'll get similar protestant/catholic tensions in glasgow, and that's now become quite deeply seeded thanks to soccer - the two biggest clubs in the country are from Glasgow, and one (glasgow celtic) is supported by catholics and the other by protestants (glasgow rangers). When a protestant (Neil Lennon, Northern Ireland) manager was appointed at celtic, he was send a load of death threats over it - bullets in the post, that sort of thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gftChris Posted March 19, 2014 Report Share Posted March 19, 2014 And I love me a bit of Irish music - having listened to a couple of your songs I assume you're familiar with the Dubliners? this is much more like what you'll get played as Irish folk music these days: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JhVWsc5Xgg&feature=kp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westside Steve Posted March 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2014 oh that's a standard around Green season. I get a lot of requests for rebel songs too, Roddy mccorley, the foggy dew you, rock on Rockall, come out ye black and tans, that kind of stuff but the wild Rover whiskey in the jar and that stuff always goes over. From the Irish people I know I get the feeling that its more Britain vs Ireland than Catholic Protestant even though that's how it shakes out. The Catholics think that the British under Protestant rule forced the Irish from their land. So like most things it's politics and power with religion as a veneer. Probably the idea of returning Ulster to the Republic is little more than a pipe dream these days. The biggest gripe I hear from those from the Republic is the immigration from dirt poor countries. I have been to the Republic but not to the north and not to England or Scotland. Both of those places are on my bucket list. Would be an honor to share a few pints with you. WSS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legacy Fan Posted March 20, 2014 Report Share Posted March 20, 2014 Shane MacGowan is a complete shipwreck, but top 5 of iconic voices in rock n roll. The UK & Republic can get on after all?? One of my favorite bands. www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBCiy6Da96o Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gftChris Posted March 20, 2014 Report Share Posted March 20, 2014 For anglo-irish problems, see Oliver Cromwell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westside Steve Posted March 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2014 Yes we all despise Cromwell. WSS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gftChris Posted March 20, 2014 Report Share Posted March 20, 2014 Yes we all despise Cromwell. WSS Being english, I haven't ill feeling towards him. He took the power away from the monarchy, which helped set us up as a democratic country, 400 years ago, and in history classes we generally only heard about the english side of things - it wasn't really until I was watching some irish stand up that I realised there was more to it. But I can certainly understand why there isn't a statue in his honour in Dublin! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westside Steve Posted March 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2014 Being english, I haven't ill feeling towards him. He took the power away from the monarchy, which helped set us up as a democratic country, 400 years ago, and in history classes we generally only heard about the english side of things - it wasn't really until I was watching some irish stand up that I realised there was more to it. But I can certainly understand why there isn't a statue in his honour in Dublin! The victors write the history books. As it has always been, and as it always shall be. WSS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gftChris Posted March 20, 2014 Report Share Posted March 20, 2014 Indeed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosar_For_President Posted March 20, 2014 Report Share Posted March 20, 2014 When I lived in Leeds, there really wasn't any news about tensions. My grandma moved to England when she was young and her stories were hilarious about Ireland. Chris where do you live? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gftChris Posted March 20, 2014 Report Share Posted March 20, 2014 I'm in London. About the most multicultural city you could find except maybe NYC - that kind of centuries-old grudge stuff doesn't really matter to anyone here. Except when it comes to sports. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosar_For_President Posted March 20, 2014 Report Share Posted March 20, 2014 I'm in London. About the most multicultural city you could find except maybe NYC - that kind of centuries-old grudge stuff doesn't really matter to anyone here. Except when it comes to sports. I didn't like London at all, just my opinion. Same with NYC. Crazy country. You made it to the states yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gftChris Posted March 20, 2014 Report Share Posted March 20, 2014 I didn't like London at all, just my opinion. Same with NYC. Crazy country. You made it to the states yet? Sort of - I've been to Boston 3 times, but the last time was when I was 7! I had family there, before they moved to England. That same aunt is the reason I'm a Brown - she's from Newark, OH. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gftChris Posted March 20, 2014 Report Share Posted March 20, 2014 And I know a lot of people really don't like London, it's certainly an acquired taste. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legacy Fan Posted March 20, 2014 Report Share Posted March 20, 2014 I stayed in London for 10 days and "tubed" my way across the countryside about 15 years ago. I enjoyed London. Enjoyed Edinburgh the most, followed by Bath & Cambridge. Outside of the wacky thoughts on guns, I could live on any of the "Isles" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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