Is Northern Ireland part of Ireland?

SheepCow

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You say Ireland and Eire as if they are interchangeable, which they aren't. Its like saying Canada isn't in the Americas.

I hate to have to do this, but Ireland is the name of:


  • The island
  • The Republic of Ireland
The Gaelic word Éire means Ireland and is the name for the landmass and the Republic of Ireland.

The "Republic of Ireland" is merely the description of the sovereign state, the name in Gaelic being Poblacht na hÉireann
 

pez

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I hate to have to do this, but Ireland is the name of:


  • The island
  • The Republic of Ireland
The Gaelic word Éire means Ireland and is the name for the landmass and the Republic of Ireland.

The "Republic of Ireland" is merely the description of the sovereign state, the name in Gaelic being Poblacht na hÉireann

So your point is...

Ireland and Eire don't always have the same meaning, therefore using them interchangeably, especially in a discussion like this, is wrong and adds to the obvious confusion.
 

SheepCow

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The point is they are interchangable.

Ireland is Eire, Eire is Ireland. Ireland also happens to be the Republic of Ireland, and Eire also happens to be the Republic of Ireland.

It doesn't add to the confusion, it is confusing to start with. The word "Ireland" is used to mean many things - hence why people have been talking geographically and politically :)
 

taB

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But you're not. You're a citizen of the United Kingdom (of Great Britain & Northern Ireland).

My passport says British. However I was more commenting on the spelling in that multicoloured picture :)
 

pez

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The point is they are interchangable.

Ireland is Eire, Eire is Ireland. Ireland also happens to be the Republic of Ireland, and Eire also happens to be the Republic of Ireland.

It doesn't add to the confusion, it is confusing to start with. The word "Ireland" is used to mean many things - hence why people have been talking geographically and politically :)



Ireland 'can' mean Eire. They are only interchangeable if you first establish the context. Usually this doesn't matter because the context is obvious but here it clearly isn't.

If they are interchangeable, saying Belfast is in Ireland and Belfast is in Eire would be equally correct. The first is correct and the second clearly isn't.
 

SheepCow

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Erm, wtf. Ireland does mean Éire, you're just switching languages. Belfast is in Northern Ireland, which is in Ireland (which is aka. Éire) ... Belfast is the 2nd largest city in Ireland ...

Éire is just a different language, it doesn't give it magical properties.
 

pez

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Erm, wtf. Ireland does mean Éire, you're just switching languages. Belfast is in Northern Ireland, which is in Ireland (which is aka. Éire) ... Belfast is the 2nd largest city in Ireland ...

Éire is just a different language, it doesn't give it magical properties.

I am sticking with the English language and Using Eire meaning the Republic or Ireland, I wasn't aware anyone else was swapping languages but then yes, in that case Éire/Ireland/Irlande/Irlanda etc all mean the same.
 

pez

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Clearly you're not since Eire isn't an English word, it's Irish. :)

If i said I'm hiring an Au Pair I wouldn't be speaking french.


Anyway this argument is redundant. The point I was making is the Irish State (whatever you want to call it Eire/Republic of Ireland/Irish Republic/Southern Ireland) is not necessarily interchangeable with the word Ireland.
 

SheepCow

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Ok this is my last post here. No one in Ireland called Ireland "Eire" unless they're speaking in Irish. Eire is not an English word, it is simply the Irish word for Ireland
 

DaGaffer

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My passport says British. However I was more commenting on the spelling in that multicoloured picture :)

What country is on the front of your passport? Clue; it isn't "Great Britain".
 

DaGaffer

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Erm, wtf. Ireland does mean Éire, you're just switching languages. Belfast is in Northern Ireland, which is in Ireland (which is aka. Éire) ... Belfast is the 2nd largest city in Ireland ...

Éire is just a different language, it doesn't give it magical properties.

No, that's not correct. Eire only refers to the Republic (mainly because Gaelic isn't an official language in Northern Ireland).
 

pez

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You would.

Some people just don't know when they're wrong eh? :)

In that case I would have just said, 'I am hiring an [at equal terms].'

Foreign words in use in the English language is hardly a new thing and rarely are they a literal translation.

Do you know when you are wrong?
 

SheepCow

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Jesus people Éire is Irish for Ireland, the world Ireland. Which means the country, the landmass etc.

Look it up or ask an Irishman.
 

pez

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Jesus people Éire is Irish for Ireland, the world Ireland. Which means the country, the landmass etc.

Look it up or ask an Irishman.

I don't know where you are from SheepCow but as an Englishman speaking English, Eire means the Republic of Ireland. Its highly possible that its purely a colloquial term but I have no up to date Oxford English Dictionary nor the will to check.
 

pez

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eire

noun
a republic consisting of 26 of 32 counties comprising the island of Ireland; achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1921

WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.

Lets go round again. Maybe we turn back the hands of time. Lets go round again, One more time!


You don't believe the word Eire exists in the English language. I do. Shall we move on?
 

Sar

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Eire refers to the Republic, not Northern Ireland in any way shape or form.

Sorry Sheepy, but I do agree with your earlier post.

We're British. Some Catholics, particularly near the Border, may call themselves Irish, but they're not. Unless they have dual citizenship, in which case they can be either.
 

Scouse

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OK. Since we're being gay enough to go the whole "l00k!!111! itz in teh d1ckshunary!!111!" approach:

Eire /ˈɛərə, ˈaɪrə, ˈɛəri, ˈaɪri/
–noun

1. the Irish name of Ireland.
2. a former name (1937–49) of the Republic of Ireland.

and clicking through the word Ireland:

Ire·land /ˈaɪərlənd/
–noun

...
2. Also called Emerald Isle. Latin, Hibernia. a large western island of the British Isles, comprising Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. 4,991,556; 32,375 sq. mi. (83,850 sq. km).

Can someone now kill this thread or do I have to go dig out my Oxford dictionary and copy it out :(
 

elisera

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Notice how few people actually from NI are getting involved in this discussion..

The fact of the matter is, Ni is part of the UK but the citizens (of which I am one) can have dual nationality so whats on the front of your passport means diddly squat.

It is entirely down to who you ask whether people will say they are Irish or British.

Northern Ireland is not a region like Northern England. It is an entirely separate country. Liek Scotland we have our own devolved parliament, our own laws, bank notes and a few other quirks. I doubt people would have this discussion if Northern Ireland had been named something different as no-one seems to question whether Scotland or Wales are part of England just because they share a land mass.

Could rant more but I doubt it will change people's opinions!
 

Belgerath

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Damn it I nvr go into General :D

Elisera told me this post existed so i had to post

Northern Ireland is part of the UK

You are legally British and Irish as you can have both passports.

Ask 2 people in Northern Ireland what there Nationality is and chances are (unless its the same area which i'm not touching with a barge pole) you will get 2 different answers.

Are we part of Ireland, yes as a land mass but we are Part of the United Kingdom

Things may change on that but not in the near future.

We have are own government, assuming they can agree for 5 minutes on anything.

Also looks like this post resurected from the dead :D sowy Deebs, hopefully this clears a few things up.

One thing both north and south we can agree on is Guinness rox :drink:
 

Insane

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sush the both of you before i come twat you with a stick! :eek:

Its fun watching them argue about over here :)

oh and guiness does not rock, its rotten.. id guess drinking dirty water through a hobos sock would taste better
 

elisera

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Bah your just not Irish enough

(runs and hides) :drink:

You can run but you definitely can't hide... Not only do I know where you live but one phonecall to your wife and you will suffer more than I could ever wish for :lol:
 

Uara

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sorry but i have got to agree with Belg, Guiness does indeed rock!! I loved it,went to the guiness brewery with 3 friends, i was the only one who drank it out of us 4 so i got 3 free pints of guiness, RESULT!!!!
 

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