Here's an often/constantly overlooked one. On paper at least, Ireland was supposed to be an equal member of the United Kingdom after the Act of Union. However before the creation of the United Kingdom the people from the Kingdom of Great Britain were not called "Great British" but instead were just referred to as "British" (before revisionists claim otherwise I don't recall Paul Revere's famous quote being "The Great British are coming! The Great British are coming!"). Similarly the people of Ireland before the Act of Union were (in English) called "Irish". So why exactly is it that this Irish identity was supposedly subsumed into an overriding British identity once the Act of Union was passed? Surely if Ireland was an equal member of the original UK then coming from the UK shouldn't autmoatically have conferred a British nationality on people from Ireland. If both former kingdoms were supposed to be equals in the new one then people in Ireland should have remained defined as Irish and people from Great Britain should have remained British with "Subject of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland" or words to that effect being the only acceptable overriding moniker. So either Ireland's nationality was made subordinate indicating that the country wasn't an equal partner and was just another land invaded, colonised and conquered by British forces or people from Ireland don't have any grounds to call themselves British. Anyone care to point out where I'm going wrong here? For the record I actually am OK with people identifying themselves with being British to be honest, I just enjoy point out these little things really. Sh*t-stirring to call it by another name! :D

Hahahahhaaha!

Not. A. Chance.

It seems some Unionists would be in favour of partition of Scotland in the event of the Yes side winning the referendum, their argument being that those who wish to remain in the UK should be free to do so. In this case the break of the UK is already guaranteed because surely if the No side wins those who wished to leave should also be free to do so, partition can't just be employed to the advantage of Unionism.

Haha!

"Why does that lad from Ireland think he's British? He doesn't live in Britain!?!" said British people who are actually British under their breath!

"Henry, I want a United Ireland" - Said every British Prime Minister since the 70s under their breath

"Maybe if the people behind the removal of what is now the Irish Repbulic from the UK had a wee think, the British isles might be a better place!"

Excuse me?

Maybe if the colonial rulers of that UK had thought to themselves "You know what? Let's try not persecuting the native Irish just because they're Catholic and give them equal rights in their own country, maybe they'd like that. Hey maybe we should develop their economy while we're at it instead of plundering all their food/resources to fuel our Industrial Revolution and bloodthirtsy empire building. That might make the two islands more equal so that one doesn't wind up with ten times the population of the other in a century or so from now" then maybe Britain (East Island) and Ireland (West Island) would indeed be a better place.

If that is in reply to my comment I never said it was inclusive of all traditions, I said it wasn't exclusive of any traditions like how the 12th excludes Catholics, there's a difference. I have seen no photos or videos of PUL people showing their identity at the parade much like I didn't see any of Chinese people with dragon costumes or Germans in Lederhosen, it's an Irish celebration. The PUL are determined to make clear that they are not Irish so why should they have their culture represented in an Irish event? It's hypocritical for them to ask to be able to. The same is true for 12th celebrations, I don't need or ask to see photos of Irish people demonstrating their identity during the July festivities. The difference is though that the Irish people celebrating Paddy's day don't feel the need to antagonise PUL people by burning their flag or singing sectarian songs. The key to a shared future is each community respecting the other's traditions. Paddy's day is not disrespectful of the PUL community's culture, however the 12th and the build up to it do have some elements which are disrespectful towards Irish people's culture associated with them.

To be fair Unionists, for the most part, seem to be adamant about the fact that they are British not Irish. St. Patrick's Day is an international celebration of Ireland's patron saint and Irish culture along with it. Why would the Unionists be represented on St. Patrick's Day when they spend the other 364 days of the year insisting that they are not Irish? I wouldn't complain about a Chinese New Year parade in Dublin or Belfast not having a few Shamrocks or Tricolours thrown in for good measure.

How about the fact that the Union flag yobs have a tradition of burning tricolours the night before the 12th but the tricolour yobs don't burn Union Jacks on Paddy's day? Also the 12th excludes Catholics, St. Patrick's day is open for all to celebrate.

Maith thú!