Irish identity tops new Northern Ireland poll

[Rossa]

I'm a unionist. I would call myself Northern Irish before I called myself British certainly. Northern Irish - first, British - second, European - third.

I think this because Northern Ireland is slightly different to either the rest of the UK or the ROI. In NI, there is a little bit of Irish in the Brits and a little bit of Brits in the Irish, not matter how much either side would not admit it.
We are both influenced by each others cultures and thats a good thing.

Very few places have 2 major cultures, it should be treasured, not hated.

I agree with your point but just to widen it. British culture is enjoyed throughout Ireland not just in the 6 counties and Irish culture is enjoyed in the length and breadth of Britian.

[st333ve]

The most encouraging result of the poll is that 18% see themselves as being Northen Irish. It gives a grand total of 57% who see themselves as being something other than Irish.
Certainly bad news for anyone trying to hasten the day of a United Ireland.

I fully 100% support the right of Unionists to be British, and this would not change with the constitional stance of the north.

Self determination is nothing to do with imposing nationalities or and identity on anyone, it about all the people running their own affairs irrespective of what part of Ireland they are from or what background.

This is part of the GFA.

Removing the border is not a search for an identity, people have their identity and this wont change no matter where peopole draw lines and circles through Ireland.

[topcat]

I'm a unionist. I would call myself Northern Irish before I called myself British certainly. Northern Irish - first, British - second, European - third.

I think this because Northern Ireland is slightly different to either the rest of the UK or the ROI. In NI, there is a little bit of Irish in the Brits and a little bit of Brits in the Irish, not matter how much either side would not admit it.
We are both influenced by each others cultures and thats a good thing.

Very few places have 2 major cultures, it should be treasured, not hated.

i agree with you. i am a republican/nationalist whatever you want to call it. the 2 cultures should be valued and respected equally. what do you think of the all ireland economy concept? i find it amazing that cowen is over in america trying to drum up business but McG and Robinson are meeting the same people trying to convince them to go north, surely that makes no sense for either area and probably ends up with both parts of the island losing business? can't we have a single entity while maintaining different identites politically as long as the people want it that way?

[Gadjodilo]

I think this because Northern Ireland is slightly different to either the rest of the UK or the ROI. In NI, there is a little bit of Irish in the Brits and a little bit of Brits in the Irish, not matter how much either side would not admit it.
We are both influenced by each others cultures and thats a good thing.

This is a very good point. I do think that NI has been evolving its own identity. One question is why - ostensibly at least - nationalists don't seem to be defining themselves as Northern Irish to the same degree as unionists.

[18 Brumaire]

Very few places have 2 major cultures, it should be treasured, not hated.

I agree with your point but just to widen it. British culture is enjoyed throughout Ireland not just in the 6 counties and Irish culture is enjoyed in the length and breadth of Britian.

You mean this? http://www.politics.ie/culture-commu...useum-wtf.html

[picador]

This is a very good point. I do think that NI has been evolving its own identity. One question is why - ostensibly at least - nationalists don't seem to be defining themselves as Northern Irish to the same degree as unionists.

Northern Irish is a subset of Irish, not a separate identity. Do people in Dublin, Waterford, Cork, Letterkenny etc. describe themselves as Southern Irish? Why on earth would they?

[Gadjodilo]

Northern Irish is a subset of Irish, not a separate identity. Do people in Dublin, Waterford, Cork, Letterkenny etc. describe themselves as Southern Irish? Why on earth would they?

No, I think many would see it as a parallel identity rather than a subset. Why else would so many unionists claim it?

[FutureTaoiseach]

Surprising in the recession that support for a UI is - at 36% - very close to the Catholic percentage of the population. That's the highest in any NI poll since the GFA which usually had it around 25%.

[British Citizen]

Northern Irish is a subset of Irish, not a separate identity. Do people in Dublin, Waterford, Cork, Letterkenny etc. describe themselves as Southern Irish? Why on earth would they?

I think the people who class themselves as 'Northern Irish' might disagree. Who are you to tell anyone how they should class themselves??

By your logic, Irish is just a subset of a European nationality...

[Gadjodilo]

I think the people who class themselves as 'Northern Irish' might disagree. Who are you to tell anyone how they should class themselves??

By your logic, Irish is just a subset of a European nationality...

Well, there is no European nation but I'd see Irishness (and Britishness etc.) as part of a wider European identity.

By the way, I would have thought - assuming your loyalty to Queen Elizabeth II - that you'd be happy to classify yourself as a "subject".