Irish Pride

[tzarinna]

what i always found funny was that almost every american when you mention ireland thinks they know everything about it and the way people live here

yet i'd say a good 9/10 you's dont know jack s**t

Have you ever been to a "straw bite" ceremony?
I was lucky enough to get invited to one and later was taken to the newlywed's house for a little after party.

 

[jaguarr]

I believe Irish is a state of mind. Race is irreleavant. If I was born in the heart of Africa, but like Robert Parrish, can't I be Irish too?

Errr....not really, dude. It's one thing to embrace another culture, but it doesn't mean you are a native of that culture. TRUE Irish people are from Ireland. Period. I'm of Irish descent which means I can't run around saying that I consider myself an African-American because it's just a state of mind no matter how much I like black culture and might embrace it.

jag

 

[the_ultimate_evil]

Have you ever been to a "straw bite" ceremony?
I was lucky enough to get invited to one and later was taken to the newlywed's house for a little after party.

cant say i ever have, never heard of it

 

[tzarinna]

cant say i ever have, never heard of it

I hope I didn't spell it wrong.
I was in Doolin and was invited to this bar that the tourists don't know about. "Straw bite" is apparently a very paganistic ritually that very few Irish ever witness much less continue to practice. I was really tipsy that night and it was a long time ago so I may make some mistakes as to exactly what the ritual entails. But I believe a bunch of people dress in these really paganostic outfits made with straw and the bride and groom are suppose to try to pick each other out of the group. I think it's suppose to prove that they belong together or something. Later they played a mix of celtic and modern music. The after party was at their house and recall unknowingly cornering the groom,he was cute. Once I discovered his indentiy I backed off and was introduced to the wife,who looked a lot older than him.
Later was my little make out of a little irish man until sunrise. Awww,such good times.

 

[Kritish]

Flogging Molly. Best Irish band ever.

Yes, one of the best "new" bands.

 

[kainedamo]

None of you have any idea that Northern Ireland just had one of their most important and historic days just on monday

 

[Halcohol]

None of you have any idea that Northern Ireland just had one of their most important and historic days just on monday

Okay, it was all over the news, but I still don't know what the hell happened. Did Blair finally agree to give them independence, or what?

 

[kainedamo]

Okay, it was all over the news, but I still don't know what the hell happened. Did Blair finally agree to give them independence, or what?

I created a thread about it that quickly fell away with no replies.

No, Blair didn't give us independence. What happened was, we had this thing called the Good Friday Agreement like 8 years ago or more, where the parties of this country agreed that if everyone could fulfill certain requirments, we'd have a "power sharing" insitution set up. Basically that means our politicians will have alot of power, but still part of Britain with the Prime Minister getting the last word and stuff. But its basically the first step to a United Ireland (the north once again uniting with the south).

But the whole thing very quickly fell apart. The DUP refused to sit and talk with Sinn Fein, and some people blame Sinn Fein for not giving up enough concessions.

Eventually, a few years later, the IRA decommissioned all of their weapons. But the DUP had a whole hub bub about "we haven't seen photos of the decommissioned weapons! There's bound to be more weapons lying around, how do we know they decommssioned them all??" etc etc. So we got nowhere with that. And alot of people accused the IRA of still being active, despite the lack of evidence of this, and the fact that the watchdogs whos job it is to oversee all of this said the IRA had little or no activities left.

This year, Sinn Fein accepted the rule of policing. This was an important move, because for decades the police have been seen by Catholics as being corrupt, heavy handed, with secterian connections. Indeed, it had emerged not long before Sinn Fein accepted policing that the RUC (the police are now known as the PSNI) back in the day had conspired with loyalist terrorists to murder innocent Catholics. There was a small movement of Sinn Fein who absolutely did not want Sinn Fein to accept the rule of policing - it was a big move - but it had to be done, and that was that.

So, Tony Blair announced that this year we would have elections. This is the first time we have had elections since 2003. Can you imagine a western country that can't elect their own politicians in this day and age?? Pretty crazy. But at the start of March, we had our elections.

The DUP got the majority of votes, with Sinn Fein in second. That means, if the power sharing executive would go ahead, that Ian Paisley would be First Minister and Martin McGuinness the deputy First Minister. The problem is, is that DUP throughout the whole year has been insisting there is no way they would sit and share power with Sinn Fein.

The deadline for them to sort out if they would share power, or if the WHOLE entire process would fall apart, was monday. Ian Paisley has NEVER directly spoken to leadership of Sinn Fein - until Monday. Pictures of Ian sitting next to Gerry Adams - something alot of people see as the equivalent of pigs flying - were broadcast around the world. The two parties agreed to share power in 6 weeks time.

It's one of the most important days for politics in about 40 years.

 

[Halcohol]

I suppose that tentative congratulations are in order. I honestly hope that hugs are passed all around and that the country can heal itself

 

[kainedamo]

I suppose that tentative congratulations are in order. I honestly hope that hugs are passed all around and that the country can heal itself

It's a very positive time. And I'm personally a little weirded out by how positive the DUP are being. I mean, we're talking about a party whose leader has made his career for the last 40 years screaming "NEVER, NEVER, NEVER!". The DUP have even stopped referring to Sinn Fein as IRA/Sinn Fein.

So, this is how I think things will go, now that we are going to get a real devolved government. Sinn Fein and DUP will share power. A few years down the line... I'm not sure... maybe 10 or 15 years, they'll agree to let the public take a vote on independence. The public will vote in favour of independence, the North will break off from Britain, and unite with the south of Ireland. Something I didn't think I'd see till I was an old man, if at all.

 

[Halcohol]

It's a very positive time. And I'm personally a little weirded out by how positive the DUP are being. I mean, we're talking about a party whose leader has made his career for the last 40 years screaming "NEVER, NEVER, NEVER!". The DUP have even stopped referring to Sinn Fein as IRA/Sinn Fein.

So, this is how I think things will go, now that we are going to get a real devolved government. Sinn Fein and DUP will share power. A few years down the line... I'm not sure... maybe 10 or 15 years, they'll agree to let the public take a vote on independence. The public will vote in favour of independence, the North will break off from Britain, and unite with the south of Ireland. Something I didn't think I'd see till I was an old man, if at all.

Well, from what I've been learning in my Canadian History classes, the path from colony to nation takes awhile... but the British Empire ain't what it used to be, so I'm sure the only thing that would potentially hinder Irish sovereignty movements would be dissension among the government representatives.

Barring that, however, it looks like things are looking good. Cheers, mate

 

[kainedamo]

I've opened up a new thread. Let's see how that one goes. Everyone come in, even if ya don't know much or care much about the politics. Like, do you think people would party in New York if Ireland got independence?

 

[Son Of Logan]

I'd like to see these issues stay alive in this thread and keep this thing going year round. Not just for St. Patty's Day.