this post was submitted on 18 Mar 2024
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Unpopular Opinion

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The Irish Tricolour flag represents the country of the Republic of Ireland, 26 counties of the island, which in fact doesn't include the 6 counties that St Patrick mainly operated in. In fact, it can be quite offensive to many people living in the place St Patrick mainly operated in, due to a civil conflict.

St Patrick also has his own flag - a red saltire on a white background - which deliberately represents him.

Making St Patrick's day a festival of Irish Nationalism specific to the Republic of Ireland makes zero sense, and using a flag which only represents part of the island, especially since many Americans are also descended from Ulster Scots in Northern Ireland.

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[–] Flax_vert@feddit.uk -5 points 8 months ago (4 children)

This is probably one of the most uneducated takes I have seen in a while.

The Island of Ireland, 2/3rds of it belong to the Republic of Ireland and the other 3rd chose to opt out of independence and remain in the United Kingdom, as Northern Ireland. You'd know this if you knew basic Irish geography.

The tricolour does not represent all people on the Island of Ireland - It was designed with no consultation from Northern Ireland and was supposed to poorly attempt to represent them so they can justify their irredentism, which was finally dropped in the late 90's. However they never dropped the shortened name "Ireland" nor the flag. In fact, it was even used by terrorists while attacking the protestants they claimed it represented.

St Patrick's Saltire was never used during terrorist campaigns and originates from the Fitzgerald dynasty. Of course, St George's and St David's Crosses and St Andrew's Saltire also have little to do with their respective saints. St Patrick's Saltire is used by various different colleges and organisations all across the island. It's not as offensive as the tricolour.

Lastly, - the most uneducated take - St Patrick IS celebrated by Protestants in Northern Ireland. We regard the Saints too, from respect in low church denominations such as Baptists, to veneration in high church denominations such as Church of Ireland. St Patrick is seen as pre-Catholic, originating long before the Schism and the Reformation. But tricolours are never used, usually the saltire in place or just green things. In fact, Belfast City Hall flies the Union Flag alongside St Patrick's Saltire on St Patrick's day.

[–] TheOctonaut@mander.xyz 2 points 8 months ago (3 children)

chose to opt out

lol

I promise you I read the rest of your crap (I promise you, the only means by which I am "uneducated" is by virtue of not having been brainwashed by the British education system which is incredibly light on British history...), but I almost didn't when you opened with this outright farcical statement. Oh and the St Patrick's Saltire is part of the Union Jack and yes, was used during the terrorism against Irish people, both government sanction and otherwise.

It isn't my job to educate you on your own history (our own history), and I suspect if you're the type of person who thinks what Belfast City Hall does on St Patrick's Day matters a tap to anyone, there wouldn't be much point in trying. The good news is that my government will happily do so in a generation or so. Irredentism is alive and well my friend, since the DUP broke the Good Friday Agreement by joining government and trying to establish a border on the island of Ireland. The consequences will be long remembered.

[–] Flax_vert@feddit.uk 0 points 8 months ago (2 children)

Ever heard of the Ulster Covenant? Northern Ireland literally chose to opt out of independence. That's a fact.

[–] TheOctonaut@mander.xyz 1 points 8 months ago (1 children)

"The Prime Minister of Northern Ireland"

The artificial division was already in place and a non-representation puppet state did the thing they were told to do without any input from the affected population. The partition away of part of Ireland, including non-unionist areas, had already happened. The ability of the British government to fabricate history with nonsensical language long predates this ("The British Isles") and continues to the modern day ("confidence and supply").

[–] Flax_vert@feddit.uk 0 points 8 months ago

There was still a Unionist majority then. It literally says the nationalists didn't participate in the parliament. To this day, Sinn Féin still don't participate in Westminster. So Unionists basically had free reign