BEING NORTHERN IRISH: an identity crisis?

Supplement for task 7.

Politics aside...being from Northern Ireland has often led to confusion over the years. Most people still use the word ‘Ireland’ to describe my country, but Ireland isn't a country, but is an island consisting of two countries, Northern Ireland (part of the United Kingdom) and Republic of Ireland (or Eire, a sovereign country). It can cause quite an identity crisis actually. I am proud to be Northern Irish, British and Irish. But first and foremost however I am Northern Irish.

The problem is I don’t associate myself with those from the Republic of Ireland. I also don’t particularly associate myself with those from England, Wales or Scotland (each British country has clear and separate cultures). Therefore to be associated as British in some cases can also cause me to get upset. Though I shouldn't argue, for, actually I am British, Irish and Northern Irish. Or should I?

As an old flat mate once said, "Jonny you need to change the name of your country. People just think 'Northern Ireland' is a geographic part of a country called 'Ireland' ", the more I thought about this in life, I have to believe he is quite close to the truth.

Perhaps, in 1921 when Northern Ireland as a country was formed, it shouldn't have been called Northern Ireland. It's not really an ideal name, is it? Northern Ireland doesn't include the most NORTHERN county (Donegal) in Ireland, and isn't a word which will ever name a separate country, besides, the rest of Ireland isn't called "Southern Ireland".

I’m from a country called Northern Ireland (and always will be), but perhaps I should have been from a country called Ulster... But the problem goes like that: here are the 9 counties of ULSTER: Antrim, Armagh, Down, Londonderry, Cavan, Monaghan, Fermanagh, Donegal, Tyrone, the six north eastern ones make up Northern Ireland. Only SIX of the Ulster counties ended up in the country of "Northern Ireland".

If anyone ever asks me where I'm from I will normally answer "Northern Ireland", after that say "Bangor", or "near Belfast the capital", sometimes I will say "The UK", rarely will I say "Ireland". If I say "Ireland", Irish people (mainly from the south) and people from other countries will often ask: "Oh cool, what county are you from?"

In essence I can answer all of these to the question "where are you from mate?"
- Northern Ireland (my country), - Bangor (my town), - near Belfast (my capital), - County Down (my county), - United Kingdom (my government/monarchy), - Ulster (my province), - Ireland (my island), - Europe (my continent), - Planet Earth (my planet - only used whilst talking to Martians, Mercurians or Jupiterians)

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