As far from tenuous as it gets would be to be born here, to Irish parents, and remained growing up here beyond the age of three, I would say. I'm not questioning his eligibility, I'm questioning whether it's a fair to say it's the "equivilant" of McGeady/McCarthy. Do you think it is?
Last edited by DeLorean; 17/03/2021 at 11:23 AM.
Silence is deafening.
These are actually interesting points. Is obafemi really irish for example? Born in Dublin, left for london very quickly. Parents and culture Nigerian.
His Irishness is as solid or as tenuous as he wants it to be, I guess.
So Kevin Kilbane is English then, whether he likes it or not?
Sorry tets - that's nonsense. There absolutely is differing levels of Irishness. Cirkin is an obvious example. He is absolutely eligible to play for Ireland, and that is a black or white question, but he will probably the first to acknowledge that he's less Irish than I am.
Or this article from the Indo in 2015 does a very good job of showing differing levels of Irishness among former Ireland players. Compare "I was born in Dublin but it never felt like home" (Steve Heighway) with "Others might have mentioned the fact that I wasn’t born in Ireland but it was never a problem for me. My dad was from Donegal so I never really thought of it as a big issue." (Ray Houghton) They're clearly expressing differing levels of Irishness.
So even though I've quoted people to whom this actually relates, and who do see different levels of Irishness, you know better, end of story?
I've already distinguished between eligibility (which is black and white) and culture/feeling (which can vary), so your passport comment isn't relevant to the degrees of Irishness question.
Which is it though? If you're born in another country to Irish parents you're Irish? But if you don't yet have an Irish passport you're not?
And does that also mean that if you obtain an Irish passport at, say, 30 you become Irish instead of being your previous nationality?
I think you're oversimplifying here in a big way and it's borderline offensive to those whose nationality isn't 100% clear cut.
Being born in a Stable does not make you a Horse. I don’t think Mr Wellington thought of himself as Irish.
https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-...ears-1.2244707
Patrick Bamford was heavily tipped to get his first England call up today. No such luck- Ollie Watkins has been preferred to him.
Yes, it's the 'and English' bit that many would find offensive though.
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