General Chat

Segregation in N. Ireland could be eased and perhaps eventually solved if all the children were integrated at school and both sides learned that the others are human and don't have horns. Unfortunately the priests insist that all catholic children are educated in catholic schools and taught Irish history whilst the others (non-roman) are educated in state schools and taught British history. There are some integrated schools but few and far between. Unfortunately Cromwells armies rampaged over the north of ireland as well and left not a living soul or beast on Rathlin Island to mention but one but also rampaged here as well. War in any century and any place always brings the worst to the fore. The people in the north of ireland and I have no reason to believe that the people of eire are any different are very friendly, helpful to strangers, the countryside and beaches are beautiful and the humour has to be heard to be believed. In the north you would be asked not would you like a cup of tea but rather 'would you take a drop of tea in your hand'. I always that this vision of tea being poured into my hand! Another was when you have a headache which comes and goes all day will be described as 'my head has been on and off all day! There are dozens and dozens more. I know a little about N. Ireland having lived there from late sixties to the late seventies (the height of the troubles) and had friends from both religions but was always told I would not understand because I was not born there! Ann

I have to say I have never quite grasped the concept of being 'proud' of where you were born, it isn't something you have acheived but merely an accident of nature. I am surprised by some of the views and think there are some who are misinformed as to the role of the Scottish Parliament. It appears to me that some of you think the Scottish MP's in Westminster are making decisions only affecting the English? Scotland is still part of the UK as far as I'm aware, we don't have independence yet! Therefore Scots still have every right to vote for and have Scottish MP's sit in The House of Commons. The Scottish Parliament at Holyrood is there to make decisions on a local level for Scotland regarding education, policing, hospitals etc. The Scottish MP.s who sit in Westminster are there to represent Scotland on national issues such as employment, foreign affairs and defence, so the suggestion that they should be banned? I think not! Scotland put up with a Tory government that it did not vote for for long enough without banning those the country did vote for to represent them in parliament!! Yes the cost of Holyrood was shocking at over 600 million pounds; which will come out of the tax payers pockets; but perhaps if Scotland had been allowed to keep the revenue from it's oil fields( over 150 billion pounds) instead of it all going South, then we as a country could have paid for it with no expense to tax payers. Scotland must surely be one of the poorest oil producing countries in the world. As for Scottish newsreaders speaking English....well hardly surprising is it? It is afterall the language we speak up here, unless Peter, you thought we all spoke the Gaelic LOL Christine

Joan - I don't make fun of the Welsh or Scottish, but I have seen and heard Welsh and Scots making fun of the English. And I have also seen and heard the English making fun of Welsh and Scots. It works both ways. It frustrates me when you say UK people assume England, and I live in England! Not just the Middle East, it's like that in America! I don't care about who reads the news. Huw Edwards is easily understood so I don't see a problem there at all. Ann - I completely agree with you about the segregation in N Ireland. But we weren't born there, so how could we possibly understand?!? My grandad was born there. He was a protestant. Admittedly he didn't live there in the extremely bad times of trouble caused by extremists on either side, but he had the same view as me. Why can't they just get along? Chloe

The title of this thread is very deceiving. I was going to post a reply of how proud I was to be Scottish. Lovely scenery, friendly people, great food, wonderful achievements in science, medicine, engineering etc. Downside, international football – back to the drawing board! How many others would have done the same. Instead the originator goes on to say… The English aren’t proud to be English, and low and behold the Scots, Irish and Welsh get a hammering on this thread because we are. So, lets hear it from the English. Why aren’t you proud to be English. My husband who is English would like an answer to that question. Funny he says that everyone he knows is proud of their heritage. Where is this pocket of England that has a problem then?

I hate the fact I have to have BRITISH on my legal documents..... I'm English and will always be English so why is it not allowed on my passport?

im very proud to be ENGLISH ive never heard of any english men/women who arent i even have a george cross flag flyin in my daughter bedroom window,1 in my partners car and 1 on the ceiling above my bed. we r very proud of our country im not a rasist person by any means but a couple of yrs back we were banned from flyin our flag during world cup or euro football matches due to other religions saying we were racist its an outrage not that any1 listened because like ive said we r PROUD to be ENGLISH limmy xxx

Well I have some French Huguenot ancestors who came to London in the late 1600s and some Scottish blood on another line but am proud to be English, especially proud of my London ancestry.

Where did this come from? Over two years old! Aileen xxx

I know exactly how you feel. My kids used to go to a 98% asian school, obviously Im not racist or they wouldnt have gone there in the first place lol! All the parents were very kind and friendly, I never had any problems. But when England were playing (footie) and my kids had England flags painted on their faces, everyone at the school looked really nervous...like oh God this is going to start a riot. Im very patriotic, having ancestors who died fighting for England, and always put a big flag out the window when England are playing (couldnt care less about football but am proud of my country), but there was an air of tension on my old street, as about 6 of us had the flag out. People thought we were NAZI'S!!! Suppose thats what comes of living in a big city...

PS: In my tree, I have reasonably close ancestors who are: Swedish, Latvian, Welsh, and Romany Gypsy (thought to have come over from Italy in late 1800s). Bit of a dolly mixture lol.