Important info

[Oscar]

Yup sure - but in the 1300's (I think), the Scots were sent in to lay siege to NI's main castles and such like, and to set up home for good as oppossed to going in with the primary intention of simply opening a six pack of whoop arse on the poor paddys.

But Irish history is riddled with incidents like these. That's why the country (NI) is in such a mucking fuddle today. So it would take a couple of historians several hours/days to trawl back through history in order to find out the enitre story. A bit like the history of Israel and Palestine I guess.

The Simon Schama "History of Britain" is a good place to start. Being married to a History Teacher helps, too...

[Ixion]

..This naturally pissed of the local Irish after the Scots were given protection by the British crown and were awarded all the best jobs and houses.

After much trouble, strife and resentment over the years the IRA emerged.

Don't blame the crown, 'twas that rascal Oliver that did it.

[TwoSeven]

Small correction.
Politically, the name of the country is the United Kingdom, which includes Northern Ireland. The name "Britain" or "British" is used to refer to that Nation and it's inhabitants. The "British Isles" (geographically speaking) includes all of Ireland.

So the name change is just a bit of PC wank.
Saying the "British & Irish Lions" is akin to saying the "New Zealand and South Island ALl Blacks"

Me? Pedantic? Never....

I think you may want to go back to school and learn basic geography.

Ireland and the Republic of Eire is a completely separate country and I suspect any Irish folks here would take offense to you saying its part of britain. Thats as bad as saying New zealand is part of Australia because its close to it.

[TwoSeven]

But we still don't know if that was Two Seven on his KZ in the latest BRM, do we?

I should hope not. I dont think i've ever read that magazine and have received no notification that they took a photo of me and published it. I suspect they'd be in breach of the privacy act if they did.

[Biff]

Politically, the name of the country is the United Kingdom, which includes Northern Ireland. The name "Britain" or "British" is used to refer to that Nation and it's inhabitants.

Nope - technicaly (my turn to be pedantic) you're wrong. But it's a mistake 95% of Brits make.

Technically Britain does not include Northern Ireland. Trust me on this. I spent the first half of last year working for the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister in the UK and this was made very, very clear to me for a number of very important reasons. So politically and under international law Northern Ireland is technically not part of Britain. It is however part of the United Kingdom.

And as for the British Isles including Ireland - not if you're Irish.

[Ixion]

Nope - you're wrong. But it's a mistake 95% of Brits make.
Technically Britain does not include Northern Ireland. Trust me on this. I spent the first half of last year working for the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister in the UK and this was made very, very clear to me for a number of very important reasons. So politically and under international law Northern Ireland is technically not part of Britain. It is however part of the United Kingdom.

And as for the British Isles including Ireland - not if you're Irish.

"The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland"

So what is "united" is the Kingdom of Great Britain, united with the Kingdom of (Northern) Ireland (though the northern there is actually wrong, and a political sop to the Republicans.

Ireland is not part of Great Britain, which is the Kingdoms of England and Scotland, with the Isle of Man (which is part of neither Kingdom) .

Since Henry VIII the King of England is also King of Ireland (though this is not recognised by the Pope) . Nowadays the Kingdom of Ireland is limited geographically to Northern Ireland (more or less the old principality of Ulster).

We won't even mention the weirdness of the Channel Islands.

It'll all be sorted out anyway when the rightful king is restored.

God Save King Francis

[Biff]

Ireland is not part of Great Britain, which is the Kingdoms of England and Scotland AND WALES with the Isle of Man (which is part of neither Kingdom) .

..............

[Wolf]

Home Rule for Wales!




Moby Dick for King!

[Ixion]

..............

Sorry. Wales is part of the Kingdom of England. Even the titular autonomy of the Prince of Wales was ablosihed by Henry VIII ('im again!) when he abolished the Council of Wales (which, oddly, sat at Ludlow).

Blame old LongShanks. And weep if you will for llewylln.

[James Deuce]

You guys can't read. He said the British Isles, not Great Britain, The Kingdom of Great Britain, or the inbred rejects of Pictish and Celtic society plus a mix of Saxons, Angles, and Normans.

http://dictionary.reference.com/sear...ritish%20Isles

2 entries found for British Isles. British Isles A group of islands off the northwest coast of Europe comprising Great Britain, Ireland, and adjacent smaller islands. [Download Now or Buy the Book] Source: The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. British Isles n : Great Britain and Ireland and adjacent islands in the north Atlantic [syn: British Isles]

[Biff]

If you're referring to my alleged inability to read - I can read thanks. And what I implied was that the people from Ireland (Eire) are not happy being told they live in the British Isles. They live on an island called Ireland. Irrespective of what some online dictionary defines, as probably written and decided upon written by a gaggle of Brits at an English university or some Americans. Anyhoo - the term British Isles is a term used to loosly describe a number of islands just west of Europe, so were arguing about semantics anyway.

Sorry. Wales is part of the Kingdom of England. Even the titular autonomy of the Prince of Wales was ablosihed by Henry VIII ('im again!) when he abolished the Council of Wales (which, oddly, sat at Ludlow)

Aha - those darned bloody Ingles again claiming that because they decided that they no longer recognised an area land as being a seperate nation, then it must indeed cease to exist.

Thankfully the United Nations, the modern British government (albeit under the control of English law and by royal decree referred to as a 'principality' ) and the European Union recognise Wales as a seperate country, part of the 'greater' Britain and the United Kingdom.

CYMRU AM BYTH

[Oscar]

I think you may want to go back to school and learn basic geography.

Ireland and the Republic of Eire is a completely separate country and I suspect any Irish folks here would take offense to you saying its part of britain. Thats as bad as saying New zealand is part of Australia because its close to it.

I think you want to go back to school and learn basic comprehension. You are mixing up Geography and Politics.

From Dictionary.Com:

British Isles

A group of islands off the northwest coast of Europe comprising Great Britain, Ireland, and adjacent smaller islands.

[Oscar]

Nope - technicaly (my turn to be pedantic) you're wrong. But it's a mistake 95% of Brits make.

Technically Britain does not include Northern Ireland. Trust me on this. I spent the first half of last year working for the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister in the UK and this was made very, very clear to me for a number of very important reasons. So politically and under international law Northern Ireland is technically not part of Britain. It is however part of the United Kingdom.

And as for the British Isles including Ireland - not if you're Irish.

Um, read it again - I said that Nth Irleand was part of the UK.

[Oscar]

You guys can't read. He said the British Isles, not Great Britain, The Kingdom of Great Britain, or the inbred rejects of Pictish and Celtic society plus a mix of Saxons, Angles, and Normans.

http://dictionary.reference.com/sear...ritish%20Isles

2 entries found for British Isles. British Isles A group of islands off the northwest coast of Europe comprising Great Britain, Ireland, and adjacent smaller islands. [Download Now or Buy the Book] Source: The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. British Isles n : Great Britain and Ireland and adjacent islands in the north Atlantic [syn: British Isles]

Give that man a Ceegar...

[Wolf]

CYMRU AM BYTH

Cymru am byth!

...ac iechyd da, Biff

Good on the UN and the EU - now all they have to do is recognise the sovereignty of Scotland and Kernow...

(Waiting for bite from Oscar)