IRELAND

You may or may not know that I am proud of my Irish roots. Having a typically Irish name and knowing some of my heritage gives me the best reason to celebrate this week. It has been a week of celebration, not only was it Guinness's 250th year of producing the black stuff but it was also St Patrick's day where everyone comes out celebrating saying they have a little Irish in them - avoid the terrible chat up line that some people come out with. To top it all off was the last celebration of the 6 nations. Ireland won the Grand Slam something they haven't done in 60 odd years. I watched the marathon of games with my brothers and their friends in a pub and the elation of the Irish game was unbearable. All the English fans who were celebrating their win against Scotland were cheering for the welsh, something i haven't heard them do for a while. However ever since then I have been accused of being called something called a "Plastic Paddy". This brings up images of a little barbie doll shape wearing green, with painted shamrocks on her face. I do not see a resemblance between this image and myself, however I get annoyed of other people placing me in a band of people that should not call themselves Irish. I agree I was not born in Ireland but does it have to be your place of birth that labels you as being from that country? My sister's boyfriend was born in Singapore although having British parents and having a Manchester accent-does this label him from being from that country even though he has never lived there? Which poses another question where you live does that mean that is where you are from? Again what happens to those individuals who travel around a lot with there parents from country to country, does this mean they have no place of origin? When people judge others it makes me really angry to think that they know your whole life story just from looking at you. Well here's to people thinking that I am a "Plastic Paddy". My Grandparents on my father's side had to immigrate over to England for job opportunities. My Grandparents on my mother's side had split views of immigrating over to England for job opportunities, they didn't want to come but had to to support their family. However funnily enough my mother's brother was educated in Ireland as they thought is was better schooling then the English. Unfortunately my mother had to attend school here due to the reason that she had to help out around the house as her father and mother was working all hours to support her family. So it makes me sick to think that I can not class myself as having Irish blood just because I was born and raised in England all be it that for generations all my family originate from Ireland. I classify myself as British NOT English, even though Ireland is an independent country-well most of it! So let me celebrate the achievements properly of the Irish and let me drink Guinness till my heart is content and bad thoughts on those who have to judge and label people for their own entertainment.