Record numbers of free staters flock to join British Army

[gallsman]

If I use the term "free stater," I use it pejoratively to (mildly) offend someone. I do it frequently in fairness, but that doesn't mean I think anyone from south of the border should shrug it off as a meaningless remark. The entity that exists today, while not the Irish Republic I would like, is certainly not the Irish Free State.

On the other hand, I take no offence at being called a "nordie" whatsoever. It's a geograhical remark, not partitiionist. Being from Belfast, I can hardly dispute that I come from the north of the island of Ireland, can I? There's no international border in Connacht and I refer to my Mayo and Galway friends as "Westerners". That's hardly partitionist.

[Nally Stand]

Why did you say it's "often" the same people, then? Are we to take you at your word? You must have a basis for it or surely you wouldn't say it. Because that would be talking shite.

See my previous reply. Or desist from "talking shite".

[mylestheslasher]

You should try living in Cavan, Monaghan or Donegal. The Northerners call you a freestate bastard , the southerners call you a Nordie Bastard. The correct term is Cavan Bastard!

[supersarsfields]

If I use the term "free stater," I use it pejoratively to (mildly) offend someone. I do it frequently in fairness, but that doesn't mean I think anyone from south of the border should shrug it off as a meaningless remark. The entity that exists today, while not the Irish Republic I would like, is certainly not the Irish Free State.

On the other hand, I take no offence at being called a "nordie" whatsoever. It's a geographical remark, not partitiionist. Being from Belfast, I can hardly dispute that I come from the north of the island of Ireland, can I? There's no international border in Connacht and I refer to my Mayo and Galway friends as "Westerners". That's hardly partitionist.

It's not a geographical term. I'm yet to hear of a Donegal person being deemed a Nordie. That said I'd feel no real offence at being called a Nordie. It's a term to define residents of the 6 counties, of which I am.

Free state is a term with a wee bit of a poke, alright. That said It wouldn't stop me using it if I felt it was warrented.

You should try living in Cavan, Monaghan or Donegal. The Northerners call you a freestate b**tard , the southerners call you a Nordie b**tard. The correct term is Cavan b**tard!

Would tight b**tard not cover it? 

[Jim_Murphy_74]

The correct term is Cavan b**tard!

No it's not, it's "Mean Cavan b**tard".

/Jim.

[fer fox ache]

Gallsman Nordie is definitely a term of abuse, you won't hear it used about folk from Donegal even if they hail from Malin

[gallsman]

Gallsman Nordie is definitely a term of abuse, you won't hear it used about folk from Donegal even if they hail from Malin

Taking this and supersars point, perhaps yes, it is unlikely that somone from Donegal would be referred to as a "nordie". That doesn't make it a term of abuse. As mentioned, I come from the six counties. Like it or lump it, that entity exists today. I was born in it and grew up in it and it continues to this day. The Irish Free State has long since ceased to be.

[Hardy]

Why did you say it's "often" the same people, then? Are we to take you at your word? You must have a basis for it or surely you wouldn't say it. Because that would be talking shite.

See my previous reply. Or desist from "talking shite".

Which one? I saw both your previous replies. Neither of them addressed my simple question. Or maybe you can show me how one or other of them did. Otherwise you'll be leading me to the inevitable conclusion that you're talking shite.

[mylestheslasher]

Gallsman Nordie is definitely a term of abuse, you won't hear it used about folk from Donegal even if they hail from Malin

Yes you bloody will you eejit. Do you think your average Dub (for example) can differenciate between a Donegal accent and a Derry accent??

Tight bastard, mean bastard - water of a ducks back. But please, I beg ye, never call me a Meath Bastard.

[Banana Man]

i would never have thought of free state as an insult, it evokes that sense of freedom that we in the north yearn for

It was always referred to as that by the older generations as that is what they knew it as, my granda would aways have referred to as 'down in the free state' and the jealousy and envy would spark at the mention of these words that to us in the north equalled freedom.

it is something any southerner should be proud of imho

[Nally Stand]

Why did you say it's "often" the same people, then? Are we to take you at your word? You must have a basis for it or surely you wouldn't say it. Because that would be talking shite.

See my previous reply. Or desist from "talking shite".

Which one? I saw both your previous replies. Neither of them addressed my simple question. Or maybe you can show me how one or other of them did. Otherwise you'll be leading me to the inevitable conclusion that you're talking shite.

Read it again then maybe? Actually, don't bother if you don't want to. You think I'm talking shite, I think you're talking shite; I'd say I'll still sleep soundly tonight either way Hardy

[Hardy]

Night night.

[Applesisapples]

Nordies saying the southerners are "Free-staters" is (for some people) the same as the Southerners calling people in the north "Brits".

From now on, im calling all the "nordies" on the board either "Brits", "Britons", "Anglo-Saxon" or "ye English"


After all its just a term isnt it ye shower of Brits?

You're obviously a Fine Gael voter.

[Applesisapples]

I will not call the 26 counties the Irish Republic either, people have died for hundreds of years for a 32 county Irish Republic, the only time I feel comforable referring to an Irish Republic is when it's a 32 county Irish republic. 

What is it with republican's about how many/how long people have died for their cause being some kind of metric?

I can think of many a political idealogy or goal that people have died for.

The validity of the Republic of Ireland as a state has been tested and accepted electorally, including 1998 in an All-Ireland context.

It is quite reasonable to use that as a barometer ahead of number of deaths for a cause.

As for the term FreeStater, it has been used by many as derogatory term.  Interestingly you append your denial with an explanation that you will never accept the formal status of our state, something that doesn't fit well we your preceeding claims.

/Jim.

I have to admit I've referred to the ROI as the Free State, completely oblivious to the fact that it is considered offensive. Now that I know I can be more selective as to when I use it. That said I think we are all throwing tantrums over words when really it is context that determines the insult.

[Tubberman]

i would never have thought of free state as an insult, it evokes that sense of freedom that we in the north yearn for

It was always referred to as that by the older generations as that is what they knew it as, my granda would aways have referred to as 'down in the free state' and the jealousy and envy would spark at the mention of these words that to us in the north equalled freedom.

it is something any southerner should be proud of imho

Very interesting. A perspective I never would have thought of to be honest.
It's out of date now anyway, and an annoyance as much as anything, but interesting to see that for many who used it, it was a term of envy or aspiration rather than a dig/insult.