r/ireland • u/mooglor • May 07 '15
Welcome /r/Argentina! Today we are hosting /r/Argentina for a little cultural and question exchange session!
Welcome Argentinian guests!
The moderators of r/Argentina are running a regular cultural exchange and have asked us to participate. Today we our hosting our friends from /r/Argentina! Please come and join us and answer their questions about Ireland and the Irish way of life! Please leave top comments for /r/Argentina users coming over with a question or comment and please refrain from trolling, rudeness and personal attacks etc. Moderation outside of the regular rules may take place as to not spoil this friendly exchange.
At the same time /r/Argentina is having us over as guests!
Stop by in this thread and ask a question, drop a comment or just say hello! Enjoy!
/The moderators of /r/Argentina & /r/Ireland
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May 07 '15
Hi everyone! So here we go:
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Mandatory: Do you think a reunification with Northern Ireland is posible?
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Besides the goverments, how do you feel is the relationship between the Irish and the British? (Both British living in Ireland and vice versa)
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Follow up question: Is your relationship with the Scottish somehow different than with the English?
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What's the general view over there about the Falkland Islands?
Cheers! Have a good day!
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u/AlanVonDublin May 07 '15
4) There is a popular site called boards.ie, it has lots of general questions about lots of different things by lots of different people. Las malvinas was one question, there was a vote, the result was close to 50%/50% if I remember correctly. So you can search that site to see exactly what people think.
However, it will be just the demographic of Irish people who use that website which has some British users.
But if there are any people in the world who can be convinced to be pro-malvinas it is the Irish.
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May 07 '15
Mandatory: Do you think a reunification with Northern Ireland is posible?
Certainly possible. Most people I know are sceptical about the idea in the short term though. I think in particular people are worried about stirring up a situation that seems to have calmed down.
2) Besides the goverments, how do you feel is the relationship between the Irish and the British? (Both British living in Ireland and vice versa)
I think it's fairly positive. Apart from good-natured slagging I don't know anyone who personally dislikes the Brits. Although I went to university in England so perhaps I have a skewed view.
3) Follow up question: Is your relationship with the Scottish somehow different than with the English?
I think there's probably a view that sees as something like allies given our cultural similarities and popular historical narrative of struggle against the English.
4) What's the general view over there about the Falkland Islands?
I'm going to have to differ from the other answers here. Most of the people I know would be vaguely sympathetic with the idea that the people there are British and its their wishes that are the most important. This is of course when its ever discussed. Again though I went to university in England so it's entirely likely I have n unrepresentative experience on this.
That was good fun! Now to check out the other thread!
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u/UncleJoeBiden May 07 '15
These are the best answers/the ones that jib with my own opinion.
Please don't read anything about Irish Water. We don't understand it ourselves.
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u/BakersDozen May 07 '15
Hey, welcome
Mandatory: Do you think a reunification with Northern Ireland is posible?
In the near future, I think it is neither possible nor desirable. In the long term, I feel it is inevitable. No idea how far away that is, though. And I don't really care.
2) Besides the goverments, how do you feel is the relationship between the Irish and the British? (Both British living in Ireland and vice versa)
Pretty good. Lots of free movement. I think that we share more of their culture (football, TV, Movies, books, newspapers, magazines, music) than they do of ours. So there can be pockets of Britain with pretty outdated stereotypes of Irish people. We like to think that we are totally cool with the Brits now, but, you'll still see lots of smiles whenever England loses in some major sporting deal.
3) Follow up question: Is your relationship with the Scottish somehow different than with the English?
Personally, I think it's about the same, but I know fewer Scots. I've never been to Scotland, and most of the Scots I've met have been people who have chosen to live in Ireland and so must be well-disposed to us anyway.
4) What's the general view over there about the Falkland Islands?
Hard to generalise, because it doesn't get spoken about much. But I would guess that most Irish people feel it's a little nonsensical that the Malvinas are British. But if that's what the people living there want, what do you do?
Thanks for dropping by!
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u/Totallynotapanda May 07 '15
Mandatory: Do you think a reunification with Northern Ireland is posible?
Possible? yes. Workable? yes. Would it better Ireland? No. Would people's quality of life be severely diminished? Yes. I do not support reunification at present.
how do you feel is the relationship between the Irish and the British?
Very strong. UK is Ireland's 2nd largest exporting destination. The queen came over recently and she was warmly welcomed. Most people have moved on.
Is your relationship with the Scottish somehow different than with the English?
No. I have Scottish friends although I hear there is a bit of racism up in Scotland itself.
What's the general view over there about the Falkland Islands?
Not an issue in Ireland. At all. I hold the personal view that the territory is British and should remain as such.
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u/UncleJoeBiden May 07 '15
Dia dhuit, a chara :)
Not only is it possible, it's probable. Northern demographics, an increasingly peaceful and interconnected island and basic economic realities are all supplanting the status quo ante. I don't expect unification within the next few decades but I do believe it is inevitable. Scottish independence will occur and that will fundamentally alter the UK in general and Northern Ireland's relationship to Britain in particular.
Relations between southern Irish and the English (to cut to the quick) are the best they ever have been. The bombings and brutality of the Northern Irish "Troubles" have irrevocably ceased and it feels like we've found old common ground again. It feels like an easy relationship between cousins based on mutual respect, common values and a lot of shared culture. They're good people.
If the English are our cousins, the Scots are our siblings. They may be a bunch of dour Presbyterians at times but we have millennia of interconnected language, traditions and history. We're very similar countries. Northern Ireland is our inbred offspring.
I think there's a lot of sympathy for the Argentinian position. There's also a lot of bafflement at how the junta thought they could win! My own personal view is that the UK was morally and legally in the right. We've learnt from bitter experience that the identity of the people who inhabit a rain-soaked rock is worth defending. Unfortunately, our own rain-soaked rock has a more complicated set of identities than the Falklands!
(Ninja edits: basic copy and pasting incompetence on my part)
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u/tute666 May 07 '15
There's also a lot of bafflement at how the junta thought they could win!
The junta was banking on the UK not to invade, basically.
Also, one kind of assumes the UKs naval might around the time the war happened, but they practically had no naval presence in the south atlantic at the moment.
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u/InitiumNovum May 08 '15 edited May 08 '15
4) What's the general view over there about the Falkland Islands?
The inhabitants of the Falklands had a referendum and the overwhelming majority of them voted to stay with Britain, it's been a British territory for nearly 200 years and some of the first settlers on the island were British. I don't understand why the Argentinians just can't be happy with this statue quo. You can't just claim an island simply because it's a few hundred miles off your cost. According to that logic, the UK should have a rightful claim to Ireland, but they don't because in this day and age Britain recognises the right of Irish people to democratically decide if they want to be with Britain or if they do not. Argentina should give the same recognition to the inhabitants of the Falkland islands.
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May 08 '15
Argentina doesn't claim it because "it's right next to us". I don't know why in so many international threads they have this idea of us. The main argument of Argentina is the "utis possidetis uire" and the fact that it was an argentine settlement in 1833. I just want to make clear that :p
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u/charlyrunkle May 07 '15
It's definitely possible, there are a lot of questions about whether it is a good idea or would it work without violence. For those reasons I'm against the idea until there is more calm on both sides.
Despite all that's gone on for 800 years there isn't a hatred of British people, most of them are grand and wouldn't agree with the policies of previous governments. Irish people would be anti imperial and anti war so we do have some major disagreements politically, but there is still a lot of common ground and most people will have at least some family in England.
Scottish are far more like us than the English, scots are the closest thing culturally and they are definitely the people I feel most like. Our history is similar and there are strong links culturally and our customs are very similar.
To be completely honest most people wouldn't know all too much about it, but most would sympathise with Argentina as we know all all about planted people claiming another people's land as their own.
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May 07 '15
Mandatory: Do you think a reunification with Northern Ireland is posible?
Yes, one nation one state. The majority of people want it in Ireland and it should happen.
Besides the goverments, how do you feel is the relationship between the Irish and the British? (Both British living in Ireland and vice versa)
I don't have a problem with the British. All British people I've met have been very nice.
Follow up question: Is your relationship with the Scottish somehow different than with the English?
Not really, perhaps we may slag the English with them but the Scots I've met have been very nice also.
4) What's the general view over there about the Falkland Islands?
They should be Argentinian. The territory is Argentinian but the people are British. A joint sovereignty of the Malvinas should be arranged.
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u/ghostsarememories May 07 '15
Yes, one nation one state. The majority of people want it in Ireland and it should happen.
I'd say that's a bit of a stretch to imply a clear majority. I'm not even certain a majority want it. The most common opinion I've come across is sheer indifference.
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May 07 '15
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May 07 '15
Well of course the 1918 election. Frequent opinion polls. That is why an all-Ireland border poll should happen.
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u/Jeqk May 07 '15
Opinions and even demographics may have changed slightly in the intervening 97 years. And rather than a single poll, the 19th Amendment specifies that there must be separate polls north and south.
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u/Nefilim777 May 07 '15
Mandatory: Do you think a reunification with Northern Ireland is posible? No, sadly not. I think too many people want too different things and neither side will be happy one way or the other. I do hope for a peaceful future, though.
Besides the goverments, how do you feel is the relationship between the Irish and the British? (Both British living in Ireland and vice versa) Generally I think its quite good. The hatred is on the fringes and I've never experienced much else other than banter between us.
Follow up question: Is your relationship with the Scottish somehow different than with the English? I think we have a little more affinity with the Scots, mainly because a large portion of them identify with being of Irish descent.
What's the general view over there about the Falkland Islands? That it belongs to Argentina. I've always been brought up with that stance anyway.
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u/MorelloWorkaholic May 07 '15
Greetings, irish redditors! Thanks for having us over here.
In 1st place, I'd like to ask you about the health and education systems in your country (I believe these are two aspects where you can somehow measure or see the life quality a country provides to its citizens). How is it managed? (Publicly, privately, and such) What is your opinion of it?
In 2nd place, and this is kind of a reaaally general question, who would you say is a hero of your country? This one's just to get to know you guys better. I'm looking for answers of every kind and field. (e.g. some argentinians consider Diego Maradona, an 80s-90s football player, a hero, while some leave the term for figures with a heavier weight in the history of our country).
Thanks in advance for any answer, and apologies for my grammar and/or spelling mistakes!
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u/mcguirl2 May 07 '15
Hi, welcome!
Education is meant to be free here, that is all children are entitled to access education without paying school fees, but naturally there is still a cost involved in sending your kids to school. Education is mandatory for all children over 5, whether they are to be home schooled or attend mainstream.
The vast majority of schools in Ireland are state run by the Department of Education and managed locally by an elected board of management usually including the principal and a parents representative. There are no fees for attending these schools apart from the obvious costs of going to school such as uniforms, books/supplies, lunch money, transport etc. Although funded by the dept. of Education, most schools are under-resourced and have a parents association and responsible for their own fundraising to make up the difference. So most schools hold fundraising events or ask parents for donations.
There are also a small number of private fee-paying schools in almost every town. The majority of Irish people have probably attended a state school though just because there are more of them.
Something like 90% of Irish state schools have a Catholic ethos, a hangover from the old days when most Irish people used to be practicing Catholics, which is no longer the case. So catholicism is taught as part of the curriculum in those schools. Other religious schools teach their own religions. There is a new wave of secular schools but there still aren't enough of these to cater for the high demand and many secular children are forced to attend religious ethos schools because there's nowhere else to go.
Current pupil to teacher ratios in Ireland are among the highest in Europe. I have heard of classes of anything from 32 to 36 pupils to one teacher.
Irish children attend primary school from the age of about 4 or 5, for 8 years. Then they may attend secondary school for a further 5 or 6 years. They sit two state exams in secondary school, Junior Certificate, and Leaving Certificate which is the big one that would qualify you for higher level education.
Undergraduate admittance to Third Level Education is mainly through our Central Applications Office and is based on a points system. Points are awarded for performance in the Leaving Certificate exams, and different college courses require different amounts of points.
When I was going to college, higher education fees were mostly free and many people could avail of a grant to assist with college expenses, but that has changed since I went and I don't know what the university situation is like any more.
I don't know very much about our healthcare system, maybe someone can answer this better for you but I'll make an attempt! We have a kind of state healthcare system but nowhere near as effective as like the NHS in the UK. We have a medical card system that entitles people on state benefits to "free" healthcare, but they still pay a tax on their medicines. Some people are entitled to a GP only card which gets them free GP visits. They are supposed to be bringing in free healthcare for children under 6 soon. Probably the majority of people go privately to their doctors. Health insurance is optional, it's very expensive here but good to have.
As for a national hero, you probably wouldn't be able to get us all to agree on just one! 😄 everybody will have their own.
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u/Tonesullock May 07 '15
At the moment higher education fees ar a couple of thousand euro. As an example, University College Cork has a yearly registration fee of €3000 with a remaining 3000 owed to the university paid by the Government on your behalf. But, if you fail your year you must pay the full €6000 to repeat.
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u/VoldemortsEvilTwin May 07 '15
Q 2) People will probably not like certain names I put here, but I'll have a lash at it anyway. There would be a good few Gaelic footballers and hurlers (national sports). People like Colm Cooper, Pat Spillane etc. Football would be people like packie bonner, Liam brady, Roy Keane. Rugby would be Brian O Driscoll.
In Politics, maybe Eamonn de Valera who was a Taoiseach (prime minister) and then a president. He was integral to the early years of Ireland. Michael Collins led the IRA just before Ireland gained independence from the British. The leaders of the 1916 rising against the British http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter_Rising
Entertainment U2 are probably the most successful band we've ever had. Thin Lizzy are looked well upon. Gay Byrne hosted a talk show for a long, long time, and is well liked. The great Irish writers like oscar wilde, Joyce, beckett and heaney.
I know that I am definitely forgetting a tonne of people here (help me out if I omitted anyone), but I think that it's a good starting point.
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u/LittleHelperRobot May 07 '15
Non-mobile: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter_Rising
That's why I'm here, I don't judge you. PM u/xl0 if I'm causing any trouble. ^WUT?
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May 07 '15
The health and education question has been answered but as for heroes.
Michael Collins masterminded the campaign that finally won us our independence from Britain after centuries of struggle.
Padraig Pearse (and 6 others) led the 1916 rising against Britain which set us on the road to independence and got all the leaders executed.
Wolfe Tone defined the idea of an Irish republic during the time of the French Revolution. He was a protestant lawyer that believed Ireland should be a republic where Catholics and Protestants could coexist in peace and where Catholics wouldn't be discriminated against. He killed himself after he was captured during the abortive 1798 revolution.
Daniel O'Connell I know less about (probably because he didn't shoot people or have a violent death) but he spearheaded the movement to get rights for Catholics and campaigned peacefully for that and Irish independence.
Of course there were many Irish martyrs and heroes throughout the years but these are the main ones we're taught about in school. I wouldn't say we have any sporting heroes of the calibre of Maradona.
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u/noganetpasion May 07 '15 edited May 07 '15
Hi guys! I just had a Guinness (It's never too early for a Guinness) and here are some questions I just thought of while drinking:
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What's (in your opinion) the BEST Irish dish? Anything from a sandwich to a gourmet dish, show me your best.
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Is Gaelic (Gaeilge?) used commonly? Are there signs in Gaelic in public places?
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How open is your community (in your own experience) to foreigners? Do you think we could have a rough time understanding your accent if English is not our native tongue?
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Can you recommend some Irish bands? Bonus points if they're metal (any kind of metal) or post-hardcore!
And that's it! Thanks for the Colcannon and for William Brown, have a nice day!
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May 07 '15
What's (in your opinion) the BEST Irish dish? Anything from a sandwich to a gourmet dish, show me your best.
Steak & stout/Guinness pie for definite!
Is Gaelic (Gaeilge?) used commonly? Are there signs in Gaelic in public places?
Most people will know a bit of Irish. I studied it for three years but that was it. There are places on the west coast that speak Irish daily, and some places only have Irish.
All road signs and street signs are in Irish and English.
How open is your community (in your own experience) to foreigners? Do you think we could have a rough time understanding your accent if English is not our native tongue?
Very open! We love it. Accents- it depends, but mostly, yes, non-native English speakers tend to have a lot of difficulties understanding us.
Can you recommend some Irish bands? Bonus points if they're metal (any kind of metal) or post-hardcore!
Hmm, metal I'm not sure at all... I love Thin Lizzy, of course.
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u/Odnyc May 07 '15
Not actually Irish, but Irish-American. Regardless, I'll give this one a shot.
something that you definitely can't eat every day, but that's fucking fantastic after a night out is Irish Breakfast. I'm a fan of boiling bacon too, but that might be because its harder to get and pricey where I am, so I only really have it when in Ireland.
Outside some parts of the west of Ireland, and Donegal, Irish isn't really spoken in conversation. Despite this, its a mandatory course in primary and secondary school, is an official language of Ireland, (along with English), and all signs, laws, government documents, etc. are printed in both English and Gaelic.
3)I go to Ireland every year or two, and I've never been treated differently for being a foreigner. I spend the vast majority of my time in small town/rural Co. Offaly, so its not due to the effect being more accepting of diversity due to living in a big city. On the other hand, the only way to tell I'm foreign is when I talk, and people hear my american accent, so maybe I don't have the best barometer. I definitely would say Ireland has become more accepting of foreigners in the last several years. Back around 2004-2008, when a lot of eastern European countries joined the EU, Ireland saw a lot if immigration, and there was a lot of anti-immigrant sentiment, but that has changed significantly with exposure. (Ireland is pretty homogeneous, so I think that is what led to the reaction. It was the first time the country ever experienced widespread immigration.) You shouldn't have a problem. In general, the Irish are some of the friendliest people you'll ever meet.
On a side note, when I was in Tullamore last year, I got into a conversation at a café with a Spanish couple a borrowed a lighter from. They were living in town, ran a tapas bar, and were doing really well. They had both been living in Ireland for several years and "liked everything but the rain" (I wound up going there a few days later and it was great. So, if you're near Tullamore, check it out, its on the main st. Somewhere between the bridge house and the canal)
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u/Tonesullock May 07 '15
What's (in your opinion) the BEST Irish dish? Anything from a sandwich to a gourmet dish, show me your best.
An Irish stew I suppose. We don't have many good traditional dishes.
Is Gaelic (Gaeilge?) used commonly? Are there signs in Gaelic in public places?
Gaeilge or Irish is officially our first language, so yes, every sign is written in English and Irish. As an actual spoken language it's spoken fluently in pockets on the Western coast called "Gaeltachts" (though I have noticed from first hand experience that even in Gaeltachts many families, particularly younger families, don't speak it in the home. English remains their primary language) Other than in the Gaeltachts, Irish is taught as a mandatory subject in primary and secondary schools but many people never properly learn the language at all, learning off answers that they wouldn't be able to translate into English. Yet, there are still "gaelscoil"s and "gaelcholáiste"s - schools that teach every subject through Irish and have students speak Irish at break and lunchtime. I myself have attended these schools and we do leave fluent but there's little incentive to carry the language on and use it in day to day life as their is still a stigma surrounding it that it's "useless" and "backwards" (mainly stemming from it being forced on people at school and the association it has with the conservative agricultural Ireland).
How open is your community (in your own experience) to foreigners? Do you think we could have a rough time understanding your accent if English is not our native tongue?
We generally are known as being very friendly to tourists and foreigners, especially as people love the country and try to create a friendly image of it. Our big cities have mixtures of many cultures so you would have no problem fitting in and understanding I'm sure.
Can you recommend some Irish bands? Bonus points if they're metal (any kind of metal) or post-hardcore!
I'm sorry but I'm not that into metal and wouldn't be able to name any Irish metal bands. If you enjoy any soft rock/ alternative music I'd recommend Bell X1, Kodaline and Hozier.
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u/Totallynotapanda May 07 '15
What's (in your opinion) the BEST Irish dish?
Crisp sandwich of course.
Is Gaelic (Gaeilge?) used commonly?
Not at all. No one uses it outside of small areas called the Gaeltacht. You won't find many speaking it in Dublin.
Are there signs in Gaelic in public places?
Aye. There are. Ask u/RomanCatholic for more info on that.
How open is your community (in your own experience) to foreigners?
Eh, central Dublin after midnight the scum starts to appear. But as a whole, we are a very open country.
Do you think we could have a rough time understanding your accent if English is not our native tongue?
Depends on what part of the country you're at. My accent would be understandable to most, but if you were talking to a Kerryman you would have a lot of trouble understanding him.
Can you recommend some Irish bands?
Not really :P I like the Script!
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May 07 '15
Are there signs in Gaelic in public places?
Aye. There are. Ask u/RomanCatholic for more info on that.
I have been summoned. I am Ireland's Irish language signpost lover. Although the language is called Irish not Gaelic. We have bilingual Irish-English signposts in the Republic written in smaller Italics which isn't exactly fair as it gives greater status to the English (despite Irish being the first official language of the state). We have place names translated and driving instructions. In the Gaeltacht (Irish speaking regions) they have monolingual Irish signposts. In the 6 county state Northern Ireland (in the UK) they only have English language sign posts, although some nationalist areas have had their councils install bilingual signage. For more information read my blog at: www.obsessedwithsignposts.ie
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u/MaG50 May 07 '15
Next year is the big centennial of the Easter Rising.
What is the general feeling about both the rising and the men (and women) involved?
Are there any big events planed?
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u/jeperty May 07 '15
The rising is regarded as a turning point in our history. It failed as an uprising but it got the public to hate the British even more. Some view it as a moment to be proud of, others just dont care much. The people who took part in it are regarded as heroes, especially the leaders
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May 07 '15
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u/MaG50 May 07 '15
It's a very interesting point of view. I understand it did set in motion the civil war and the great divide that came with it, but it is also the turn of the tide for an independence effort spanning centuries.
I find it very much in contrast with our latest bicentennial 5 years ago which was very much a celebration, albeit one quite government fomented. But we do have the benefit of it being 200 years, that is a lot of time to let woulds heal.
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u/Bosco_is_a_prick May 07 '15
Argentina allows Irish people to apply for a six month work visa. How hard would it be for an Irish person with basic Spanish to get work
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u/Wild_Marker May 07 '15
This goes on the other subreddit!
But I'll answer anyway. There's a lot of places where english is required so being a native english speaker probably gets you more points than actually speaking spanish. It really shouldn't be too hard to find work.
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u/Bosco_is_a_prick May 07 '15
Great, I'm off to Argentina so.
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u/Wild_Marker May 07 '15
Come to the r/argentina meetups if you want to meet new friends, we do them often!
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May 07 '15
try posting in the thread of r/argentina for better answers!
The easiest way to get a job would be working in a hostel. Buenos Aires will be your best option to start.
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u/Izzen May 07 '15
What's new in Ireland nowadays, what's going on? I mean you turn on the news, open a newspaper or hear people talking, what is it about?
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u/mcguirl2 May 07 '15
The main thing in Irish media at the moment is the referendum on 22nd of May where Ireland will be voting to change our constitution. The two amendments up for review are: giving gay people the right to marriage (currently gay people have the right to civil partnership here but not yet marriage) and also lowering the age of candidates for our presidency to 21. It appears from opinion polls that the vast majority of us are supporting gay marriage but there is a big push to encourage people to actually go out and vote because we are notoriously bad at using our votes here! Record numbers have registered to vote ahead of this referendum.
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May 07 '15
Introducing charges for public water usage, which is controversial due to arguments over tax, infrastructure and implementation.
Upcoming referendum on same sex marriage, it requires a constitutional change by referendum so of it passes Ireland will be the first country to formally recognise same sex marriage by popular vote.
Upcoming British general election and the birth of some monarch, it's not related to Ireland but it's all over our newspapers.
EU, Greece, austerity etc.
And the weather, always the weather :)
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u/peck3277 May 07 '15
Gay marriage referendum, non stop 24 hour gay marriage. To those already decided what way they are voting and those who aren't voting the 22nd of may can't come soon enough so we don't have to hear about it anymore!
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u/HolyAndOblivious May 07 '15 edited May 07 '15
Are you best or worst Ireland? Nah jk... I live in a place named after Willam Brown, some Irish sailor that was turned into an admiral by our goverment who created our navy, being also very good at piracy and kicking british french and spaniard asses in general. Are you taught about him?
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u/TheGodBen May 07 '15
I've heard of him, he was briefly mentioned in a TV show a few years ago and the information stuck in my memory for some reason. But most people probably have no idea he existed, and he's certainly not taught about in schools. To be honest, most Irish people aren't even aware that Irish immigration to Argentina was a thing.
And we're clearly best Ireland, that other Ireland sucks!
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u/noganetpasion May 07 '15
He was one of the best (if not THE best) Admirals in the history of Argentina. A very dedicated and skillful man.
In 1826 he repelled a fleet of 31 Brazilian with only 4 ships and 7 cannons, to the cry of "Grazing fire, our Nation is watching us!", phrase that's been immortalized in Argentinian naval warfare history.
He was, in my opinion, the brave and valiant man archetype we should all strive to be. I pay my respects every time I visit La Recoleta cemetery, where he's buried.
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u/ninjawasp May 07 '15
There's a statue of him along the river liffey in Dublin --> http://comeheretome.com/2013/03/08/admiral-william-brown/
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u/itsallinwidescreen May 07 '15
I took it upon myself to read up on him when I came here to South America. A pretty impressive man by all accounts considering the poverty he rose from. We aren't taught about him in any detail in school but my father told be about him as his interest in Argentina perked up when his brother, my uncle, fought for Argentina in the Falklands. I, as an Irishman, am quite proud that another one from our stock is held in such high esteem in Argentina. He's also from a neighbouring town in Ireland to that of mine.
Can you answer a question from me? How prominent is Irish culture in Argentina? I know they Che guevaras mother was Irish and that buenos aires has a few gaa clubs. Can you add anything to this?
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u/tute666 May 08 '15
Irish immigration was highly focalised in a couple of towns, or places within argentina. You also have to take into account, that most of the irish immigration was in the first half of the 19th century, so there was a lot of intermingling over a century and a half.
Nowadays, If you're not a descendant of, part of the anglo-argentine community or live in one of the places where there was considerable irish immigration, it's a rather obscure fact.
Also, do take into account that the number of immigrants, compared to the great italian and spanish immigrations around the turn of the century, is miniscule in comparison.
Re sports, The origin of most sport clubs and similar, was immigrants creating them as a social gathering place. Thus many sports were imported and practiced in the country.
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u/UnGauchoCualquiera May 08 '15
You are wrong about some things though.
Irish immigrations was the largest during the second half of the 19th century.
You are also half-right about the irish towns. What happened is that most irish immigrants formed their own closed agrarian communities (kibbutz like). Through time communities opened up and people started to move to the cities and so their irish identity was lost.
4 of my grandparents were from one of said communities and although they were born in Argentina they didn't speak a word of spanish and carried irish surnames.
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u/tute666 May 08 '15
Youre right. Wikipedia says 1850-70s. But it predates Italian and spanish mass immigration I mean.
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u/HolyAndOblivious May 08 '15
Irish culture is not an everyday thing but it should not be too much of a problem to find a place where there is a lot of it. A friend of mine was taking Irish folk dance lessons.
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u/Gauchoparty May 07 '15
Just a suggestion, r/IrelandGoneWild needs more support, just saying.
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May 07 '15
Haha, is the mod the only one posting on that?
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u/Gauchoparty May 07 '15
It looks like it is. Get your shit together ireland :(
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u/UncleJoeBiden May 07 '15
I can't believe there is an Irish GW. There's niche and then there's niche.
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u/thatfleeddude May 07 '15
Serious question: Here we have imported the St Patrick tradition of wasting ourselves sometimes with awful consequences (fights, lewd behaviour, destruction of public property, etc). Are we doing this right or is it a complete idiocy ?
NOTE: we have imported this from the yanks and not from you guys, so we may have some deep misunderstanding of the tradition.
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u/MaG50 May 07 '15
Hi Ireland! Thanks for having us over! I've been reading about a lot of controversy regarding Irish Water...can I get a tldr on the whole thing?
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u/BakersDozen May 07 '15
Hi, Welcome!
Great question.
Water infrastructure has been underinvested for a loong time. Investment has gone mostly into expanding the network rather than fixing legacy infrastructure. The EU wants water treated as a commodity rather than a public service. The Irish government has made a mess of implementing this through an expensive new semi-state company with suspicions of corruption in its setup, the people are not happy - many never registered, many refuse to pay. The system is sending out incorrect bills. The government is making up the rules as it goes along.
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u/Barrilete_Cosmico May 07 '15
Ive read that unlike in places like Greece and the US, when the financial system collapsed the bankers came under very little scrutiny and were bailed out without much controversy. How true is this and why do you guys think this is the case?
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u/DatJazz May 08 '15
A question for r/Argentina. Anyone watch the football? Did River Plate deserve the win?
I've an Argentinian co-worker who supports River Plate. What can I say to annoy her?
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u/ArgieGrit01 May 08 '15
Boca fan here. Just wait till thursday and let her know they only won because they were 12 (the ref) against 11
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May 07 '15
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May 07 '15
I'll give you my top three (current) favourite Irish acts:
The Guggenheim Grotto: Folk-pop. Their album Happy The Man is apparently the most played album on my iPod. Pretty deserving of that title, I keep going back to it. Sample song: Her Beautiful Ideas
My Bloody Valentine: Shoegaze, noise-pop, alternative rock. Their album Loveless pretty much defines the genre shoegaze. Sample song: Only Shallow
Fionn Regan: Folk, singer-songwriter. Really fun, lyrically, in his first album The End of History, shines musically in his later albums. Sample song: Put a Penny in the Slot
Other honourable mentions: Meltybrains?, Lunar Eskimo, And So I Watch You From Afar, God Is an Astronaut.
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u/heavysausagedublin May 09 '15
how have i not heard of Guggenheim Grotto ? Thanks for the tip, great stuff
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u/electrictrad May 07 '15
Why the harp is so important there? (coat of arms, guinness logo, etc).
The harp is the national symbol - the old Irish harp is an ancient, complicated instrument that was played between about 800-1600 AD (very approximately) by travelling (mostly blind, because back then music was one of the few things blind people could do) and highly skilled harpists who would travel to the homes of lords and kings and play music for them and write tunes (called planxties) in their honor.
The main example we have left is the Brian Boru Harp from the 14th-15th century - it's this harp which is used by the Irish state and by Guinness as their symbols.
I'm not sure exactly why it's used as a symbol, except that it's a rare and iconic instrument with a unique sound and long history unique to Ireland; it is one of the few ancient instruments or symbols that distinguishes us from England and mainland Britain, as the lyre was their harp of choice, so I suppose it was probably chosen as a nostalgic attempt to give legitimacy to the idea of Ireland as an ancient land with it's own unique musical and cultural heritage? That's my best guess!
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u/Nairbex May 07 '15
long history unique to Ireland; it is one of the few ancient instruments or symbols that distinguishes us from England and mainland Britain
According to Wikipedia the Celtic Harp is also traditional to Brittany, Scotland, and Wales
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May 07 '15
Thanks!, very interesting history. Irish harp is the same as the Celtic harp?. I'm listening Celtic/Irish harp videos and I want to drink a beer there. I'm reading more comments below this one because there are more sources.
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u/UncleJoeBiden May 07 '15
We're the only country in the world with a musical instrument as our national symbol. All the stars and cool animals were taken.
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u/VoldemortsEvilTwin May 07 '15
Wasn't the symbol of the harp imposed by the British?
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May 07 '15
Source please, rather than just forcing someone to go to the effort of proving you right or wrong.
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May 07 '15
Bands:
The Frames
Ash
Thin Lizzy
Freedom 35s
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May 08 '15
I've really enjoyed last two!, thanks!
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May 08 '15
Cool! The Freedom 35s are just a local band, no label or anything, so you probably won't find lots of stuff from them!
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u/BigBums May 07 '15
As far as bands go, a few I like are: not squares, and so I watch you from afar (both from northern Ireland), girl band, squarehead, so cow, cast of cheers.
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u/Nefilim777 May 07 '15
Harp question answered. Band: Redneck Manifesto.
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May 07 '15
Thanks. Really beautiful music, like a lot. Love instrumental music, clean sound and very rich at the same time. Nice arrangements.
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u/heavysausagedublin May 09 '15
Can you recommend any good Argentine Hip Hop/Punk/Rock ?
Great Irish act called "Villagers" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQ6_ValNYiU
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May 07 '15
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u/Wild_Marker May 07 '15
We sank their boat with bombs that barely managed to explode. We'll never let them live that one down.
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u/lord_addictus May 08 '15
But you lost a war to them right off your own coast while they had to travel half way across the world. Does that not cancel it out?
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u/everydayimrusslin May 07 '15
If there was ever a place to start up a cattle exchange!