The Poppy

[Che]

good man Eddie Jordan

[Tonto]

How do you surround something on one side?

You're quite right, don't know what I was thinking.  To the west by Eire and to the south by France.

I take it that because of your pedantry that you have nothing else of note to say?

[Hardy]

Don't do that.

[Hardy]

You're older than I thought!!  But Switzerland is a very different case to Eire in WWII:
1.  Harsh landscape makes invasion difficult.
2.  No strategic importance made it unnecessary.
3.  Many Swiss are 'ethnically' German.
4.  Switzerland and Germany had good relations.

However:
1.  Eire was weak militarily (tiny navy would have made invasion impossible to repulse from an island nation and no air force).
2.  Great strategic importance.  Invading Eire would have put the Germans onto the same piece of land as the British in NI and also effectively have surrounded Britain on one side.

Anyway, to persevere with my one-man celebration of pedantry, I'm surprised that your meticulousness in referring to countries by their official names in their official languages collapses after the sum total of only one of the selection of countries, nations and states you mention. I can understand your reluctance to tackle the unwieldiness of a phrase like "Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft/Confédération Suisse/Confederazione Svizzera/Confederaziun Svizzer/Confoederatio Helvetica and Deutschland had good relations" but why go out of your way to change languages just to state the name of Ireland?

[Cúig huaire]

Just noticed Eddie Jordan isn't wearing one on the BBC. Don't know what the score is there.

Common sense on EJs behalf.
I have nothing against people wearing poppies, but the BBC seem to force it upon people. EJ is one of the very few people you will see on the beeb without a poppy. Rememberance day is getting as bad as Christmas, we get reminded of it earlier every year.

[Turlough O Carolan]

Of course one of the big ironies is that Edward Carson had lunch with the Kaiser just before the war started, seeking his help to fight home rule. Carson also declared that he'd rather that Ulster be ruled by the Kaiser than Redmond. Protestant Wilhelm was told he'd make a grand ruler of Ulster. It's surely time the c**k was added back into the poppy.

[Estimator]

I play the  Poppy watch game for most shows on TV - I noticed that Dara O'Briain wasn't wearing one on Jonathon Ross on Friday night.

[Tony Baloney]

I play the  Poppy watch game for most shows on TV - I noticed that Dara O'Briain wasn't wearing one on Jonathon Ross on Friday night.

Contact Donagh, he will be submitting a full dossier of poppy wearers and abstentionists in the coming weeks.

[fitzroyalty]

Whats the big deal if some Irish people wear a poppy on british tv. Not everyones political beliefs are the same. it probably makes no difference for some people putting a wee flower on for half an hour.

[Aerlik]

You're older than I thought!!  But Switzerland is a very different case to Eire in WWII:
1.  Harsh landscape makes invasion difficult.
2.  No strategic importance made it unnecessary.
3.  Many Swiss are 'ethnically' German.
4.  Switzerland and Germany had good relations.

1.  Not so. 
2.  Not so.  Invading Die Schweiz would have created a full Baltic to Med./Adriatic front and the perfect launch pad into the heart of France, considerning the Aye-ties were pro-Germany.
3.  Elaborate!  If you mean Teutonic, that is open to debate.
4.  So did Austria and Germany, or so it thought.  Despite being an Oesterreicher himself, AH won no friends by annexing Austria.

The Rothschilds and their cohorts made sure Uncle Adolf was paid to stay out.

[stew]

I would never wear a poppy but I dont have any problem with those that do, I do however find it amazing that so many irishmen fought for the british army over a period spanning generations. I would rather die than fight for that shower of hoors.

That's the tip of the iceberg.

The definition of a true Irishman? - Doesn't exist. Why the feck do we speak English? Head south of Kinsale and it's French. Head east of Scotland and it's that thon stuff yer lads out of The Muppets spake. We drink Guinness and bow to English sport/music.

They have been invaders for centuries Shane, they were bound to have influence over us but you are right, our Irishness has been diluted by them and sadly that was their intent all along.

[Tony Baloney]

I would never wear a poppy but I dont have any problem with those that do, I do however find it amazing that so many irishmen fought for the british army over a period spanning generations. I would rather die than fight for that shower of hoors.

That's the tip of the iceberg.

The definition of a true Irishman? - Doesn't exist. Why the feck do we speak English? Head south of Kinsale and it's French. Head east of Scotland and it's that thon stuff yer lads out of The Muppets spake. We drink Guinness and bow to English sport/music.

They have been invaders for centuries Shane, they were bound to have influence over us but you are right, our Irishness has been diluted by them and sadly that was their intent all along.

I think you got half of O'Neill's point. There is no such thing as Irishness as you see it. Irishness is the sum of many parts over many centuries, indigenous Irish, English, Scottish, French, Northern European etc. etc.

[Minder]

The Birmingham City team have them attached to their shirts today in the game v Man City.

[pintsofguinness]

The Birmingham City team have them attached to their shirts today in the game v Man City.

Jeeze that's idiotic.

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

A directive from that particular manager I would say.