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President Biden; impact on UK, Ireland, Brexit, trade etc..

My Mom was born in Ireland and certainly exprienced hostility when her family moved to Birmingham in the 1950's and in the 1970's in particular. But, I don't refer to myself or see myself as Irish.

The idea that someone who had some family from Ireland who moved to America 170 years ago referring to themselves as Irish seems really weird to me. Identity, as we all know by now, is a very individual matter though.

I have one relative who went to work / live in London in the early 60s. They literally hid their Irishness in the UK because of the discrimination. They and their Irish wife developed British accents and would not talk about Ireland. They returned to Ireland in the 80s and kept up the Brit accent and a slightly better than you attitude. The rest of the family called the wife Mrs Bucket.
 
My Mom was born in Ireland and certainly exprienced hostility when her family moved to Birmingham in the 1950's and in the 1970's in particular. But, I don't refer to myself or see myself as Irish.

The idea that someone who had some family from Ireland who moved to America 170 years ago referring to themselves as Irish seems really weird to me. Identity, as we all know by now, is a very individual matter though.
It is.

The whole Irish American thing confused and bemused for years, but am fine with it now.

Had plenty of mates born in the UK who identify as Jamaican, Indian, etc. And also identify as British, especially if someone asked "and where are you from".

Identity is a unidentifiable thing. It's really down to individuals, contexts, company, family, peers and a thousand others factors.
 
I have one relative who went to work / live in London in the early 60s. They literally hid their Irishness in the UK because of the discrimination. They and their Irish wife developed British accents and would not talk about Ireland. They returned to Ireland in the 80s and kept up the Brit accent and a slightly better than you attitude. The rest of the family called the wife Mrs Bucket.
Yep.

It can mess around with your head, when you uproot and/or return.
 
Scotland. And yes, we went to Ireland on holiday when I was a kid.
To be fair many Irish even now see Scotland as a second Ireland. There are very close connections between Ulster Irish and Scotland.
My grandmother used to talk about the young Irish going potato picking in Scotland for summer.
 
the Irish American thing started due to how immigrates in the Us were received upon arrival in America like other groups of immigrants,not surprising the still see themselves as a separate group. America never been shy on the race front
 
Not surprising.
I should qualify this.

The US had been a British colony. As such Irish Catholics were always going to be on the bottom rung. They were very much lower class barely getting work and detested by other Christians...namely Ulster Presbyterians and Puritans and others. Remember the KKK hated Irish Catholics as much as they hated blacks.

So its not surprising then that JFK a strong civil rights politician became the first Irish Catholic president...not deifying him..he had his flaws...but he did fight for civil rights and for equality for blacks.
 
Yep!!!
Yeh..they named a petrol station / diner after him in Tipperary
The Obama Plaza...its on the motorway to Dublin. Last stop for the loo ...in case anyone is interested.
 
So its not surprising then that JFK a strong civil rights politician became the first Irish Catholic president...not deifying him..he had his flaws...but he did fight for civil rights and for equality for blacks.
this would be the same jfk who was a war hero, founded the green berets, sent us troops ('advisors') into vietnam etc? i really think you're misunderstanding his election if you say that his civil rights stance was the reason, or the main reason, why he was elected. nixon was a strong supporter of civil rights, it's worth remembering while jfk bought the black vote
 
I'll say one thing for Biden..on this trip to Ireland..he is not short on energy or good humour. He's very sprightly and seems fit.

He's now in Aras an Uachtarain with Mickey D. And they both look very relaxed and chatty. Sun is shining and he is about to go plant an oak tree
 
this would be the same jfk who was a war hero, founded the green berets, sent us troops ('advisors') into vietnam etc? i really think you're misunderstanding his election if you say that his civil rights stance was the reason, or the main reason, why he was elected.
I'm not saying that it was a sole reason . But he was very much aware of racism and wanted change...and he was a civil rights campaigner. He was very supportive of Martin Luther King. He announced that major civil rights legislation would be submitted to the Congress to guarantee equal access to public facilities, to end segregation in education, and to provide federal protection of the right to vote.

That was very significant.
 
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He's now planted a tree and is talking about his grandfather.
Seems very relaxed and way fitter than Mickey D who is struggling to keep up with Biden.
Ringing the peace bell now..bit of a chat ..Mickey D is off to get the dog...dog is as big as Mickey D.

And they're off to lunch.
 
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