Record numbers of free staters flock to join British Army

[Tyrones own]

33 or 45?

78

[Shamrock Shore]

Trout

Can you describe a typical "free stater" for me please.

You can be broad in your terminology if you wish.........use big words if you need a challenge.

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

who are these free stater people you refer to in the thread title?

Citizens or residents of the current legitimate and democratic Irish REPUBLIC, which fanatics wish to exclude from the future Socialist Peoples & Catholic Purity True Gael United Irish Republic. Expect deportations and cleansings after the Glorious Revolution. The 26 county traitor Vichy statelet will be cleansed by our betters.

On a seperate note I would be against the idea of Irish citizens serving in the armed forces of the United Kingdom.

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

Or maybe you just don't know people from the 26 counties find that term offensive as it is the Irish Republic.

[SLIGONIAN]

Listen, its nothing new. In 1954 the IRA raided Omagh Barracks looking for arms and in the crossfire three British Soldiers were injured - 2 from Sligo and 1 from Dublin!

Disappointing, id have very strong views on any Irish citizen serving in the british army, id see them as traitors tbh. Its so sad that people can make this decision.

[Aerlik]

Or maybe you just don't know people from the 26 counties find that term offensive as it is the Irish Republic.

Similarly we Irish from the occupied six counties continue to be offended by our compatriots in the twenty six when being described as from a separate nation/country/culture/heritage.  We are as Irish as them.

[SLIGONIAN]

Or maybe you just don't know people from the 26 counties find that term offensive as it is the Irish Republic.

Similarly we Irish from the occupied six counties continue to be offended by our compatriots in the twenty six when being described as from a separate nation/country/culture/heritage.  We are as Irish as them.

Correct, for me it goes without saying, annoys and angers me when i hear a different view.

[Myles Na G.]

4000 is a "record" number. I wonder when the record keeping began. 

My nephew was one of the officer cadets who made it to the three day assessment. He was saying most of the boys in the barracks were intending to join up with the Brits if they weren't successful. IMO they should be stripped of their citizenship.

I don't really understand why someone would want to join the british army, but that's just ridiculous.
This isn't a dictatorship, free will exists.

In a dictatorship they'd be shot. I agree 100% with Ulick on this one. Why the hell should any Irishman be permitted to join an army that has shot and murdered Irish citizens for 100's of years right up to the present. They have the free will to do so if they so wish, Ireland should have the free will to tell them to leave their passports at the ferry when they leave.

Over the past 100 years or so, many more Irishmen have chosen to serve in the British Army than have chosen to join the death squads of the various paramilitary groupings on the island. Perhaps its the latter who should be stripped of their citizenship.

[mylestheslasher]

4000 is a "record" number. I wonder when the record keeping began. 

My nephew was one of the officer cadets who made it to the three day assessment. He was saying most of the boys in the barracks were intending to join up with the Brits if they weren't successful. IMO they should be stripped of their citizenship.

I don't really understand why someone would want to join the british army, but that's just ridiculous.
This isn't a dictatorship, free will exists.

In a dictatorship they'd be shot. I agree 100% with Ulick on this one. Why the hell should any Irishman be permitted to join an army that has shot and murdered Irish citizens for 100's of years right up to the present. They have the free will to do so if they so wish, Ireland should have the free will to tell them to leave their passports at the ferry when they leave.

Over the past 100 years or so, many more Irishmen have chosen to serve in the British Army than have chosen to join the death squads of the various paramilitary groupings on the island. Perhaps its the latter who should be stripped of their citizenship.

YAWN

[Tubberman]

Or maybe you just don't know people from the 26 counties find that term offensive as it is the Irish Republic.

Similarly we Irish from the occupied six counties continue to be offended by our compatriots in the twenty six when being described as from a separate nation/country/culture/heritage.  We are as Irish as them.

You might explain that to Trout - using terms like 'people down there' is hardly all-inclusive.

[gallsman]

Upon leaving school and moving to Dublin, the attitude of (what I perceive to be a majority) people of my generation in the south toward the north, its people and its constitutional status both shocked and apalled me. Apathy is about as politely as I could put it. Nobody cared about the Troubles, nobody knew the history post-partition, nobody was interested in any northern politics. Maybe the last bit is understandable.

From my school, one guy shunned going to uni and went off to the Curragh to join the cadets. Upon graduating he was swiftly sent off to NUIG, where he and a load of other recently graduated officers, spent two years drinking and failing exams for their Arts degrees, on the taxpayer's dime whilst receiving their full salary. This is something that needs to be reviewed. Obviously I'm not tarring everyone with the same brush.

Another fella, who I was quite friendly with, went to Queen's to study Aeronautical Engineering. Always fascinated by planes, particularly fighter jets, he buggered off to join the RAF and is now a few flying hours away from full qualification. Entitled to dual citizenship like anyone born in the north, I no longer consider him Irish and certainly not a friend.

[thebigfella]

Upon leaving school and moving to Dublin, the attitude of (what I perceive to be a majority) people of my generation in the south toward the north, its people and its constitutional status both shocked and apalled me. Apathy is about as politely as I could put it. Nobody cared about the Troubles, nobody knew the history post-partition, nobody was interested in any northern politics. Maybe the last bit is understandable.

From my school, one guy shunned going to uni and went off to the Curragh to join the cadets. Upon graduating he was swiftly sent off to NUIG, where he and a load of other recently graduated officers, spent two years drinking and failing exams for their Arts degrees, on the taxpayer's dime whilst receiving their full salary. This is something that needs to be reviewed. Obviously I'm not tarring everyone with the same brush.

Another fella, who I was quite friendly with, went to Queen's to study Aeronautical Engineering. Always fascinated by planes, particularly fighter jets, he buggered off to join the RAF and is now a few flying hours away from full qualification. Entitled to dual citizenship like anyone born in the north, I no longer consider him Irish and certainly not a friend.

Says a lot more about yourself than him. What you saying is people in the north with a brit passport cannot call themselves Irish?

[Hardy]

"The friendship that can cease has never been real."

[gallsman]

Upon leaving school and moving to Dublin, the attitude of (what I perceive to be a majority) people of my generation in the south toward the north, its people and its constitutional status both shocked and apalled me. Apathy is about as politely as I could put it. Nobody cared about the Troubles, nobody knew the history post-partition, nobody was interested in any northern politics. Maybe the last bit is understandable.

From my school, one guy shunned going to uni and went off to the Curragh to join the cadets. Upon graduating he was swiftly sent off to NUIG, where he and a load of other recently graduated officers, spent two years drinking and failing exams for their Arts degrees, on the taxpayer's dime whilst receiving their full salary. This is something that needs to be reviewed. Obviously I'm not tarring everyone with the same brush.

Another fella, who I was quite friendly with, went to Queen's to study Aeronautical Engineering. Always fascinated by planes, particularly fighter jets, he buggered off to join the RAF and is now a few flying hours away from full qualification. Entitled to dual citizenship like anyone born in the north, I no longer consider him Irish and certainly not a friend.

Says a lot more about yourself than him. What you saying is people in the north with a brit passport cannot call themselves Irish?

No, where on earth did I say that? I didn't even mention passports. I know many people who go with a British passport because it can be a matter of inconvenience and the office in Moleworth Street can be incompetent at the best of times. It's not for me, but it wouldn't change my opinion of that person or their allegiances.

What I'm saying is that I don't consider any Irishman who joins the British Armed Forces and serces the Queen to be Irish any more.

[saffron sam2]

Another fella, who I was quite friendly with, went to Queen's to study Aeronautical Engineering. Always fascinated by planes, particularly fighter jets, he buggered off to join the RAF and is now a few flying hours away from full qualification. Entitled to dual citizenship like anyone born in the north, I no longer consider him Irish and certainly not a friend.

A guy who is working in an area that he was always passionate about. Can't see an issue personally. He's still as Irish as you and clearly better off without the friendship.