Hector and Fat Nolan

[Main Street]

Gaelic games, An Ghaeilge, Traditional music/dancing/ singing, also "ballads", the type of English we speak, easy going nature, history, heritage sites like Newgrange, Rathcroghan, those passage graves across the border in Sligo , holy wells, Croagh Patrick, the book of Kells, all those other historic annals...... etc etc
Then there's drinkin' porther as well

These things are only symptoms. Feeling an affinity with Ireland is the main thing.

Which brings me back to my original point about British culture in NI not being solely about marching.  i.e. Many unionist people in the Six North Eastern counties feel an affinity to the UK.

The affinity towards the  UK  or England? There's not much difference  between an affinity towards being English and towards the  UK.  The English are programmed to think in terms that the UK is an extension of their national identity. The UK is an extension of English identity and  there's little difference between British and English national identity.
Feeling some identity to England is no big unique deal for irish people, we speak the same language, have a long shared history together, positive and negative. And before the EU was formed,  there was no passport, no visa restrictions,  there are  strong Irish communities in England and Scotland. Ireland has a strong connection to English culture and just how many relations live there? You have to do better than that,  than say you have a connection to the UK. as if it's something unique. We all, in Ireland have a strong direct or indirect connection to England Scotland and Wales whether it be cultural or/and family. Some aspects of Irish traditional music is just so similar in character to Scottish.
I suspect a good part of the Unionist British identity is a big fear thing, fear that you'll all be wiped out in a gaelic inspired holocaust. Thats how the programming has been  since 18C and partly of how Unionists have maintained the separation between them and the natives. A separation based on a fear.

I would argue that feeling some identity to England or an affinity to the UK would be a big issue for many of the posters on this board.  Also, at your own admission, just because many other Irish people share my affinity to the UK, this does not detract from my feeling a sense of Britishness.  I have a British passport and, as stated above, feel a connection with many aspects of British culture generally.
With regards to your views on the 'fear factor', I would say that a general sense of apathy is the bigger factor.  Many unionists are simply uninterested in cultural and political life etc in the ROI.  Finally, it could also be argued that 'the separation' that you talk about,  has been deepened by a sense of exclusion of unionist involvement in certain aspects of Irish cultural life e.g. Previous bans on security forces personnel in the GAA and the Sinn Fein hijacking of the Irish language being another.

I appreciate that you keep replying on this board and long may you continue. Even though I and others may not agree and it may appear to be a 'cold house' but where appropriate it definitely adds to the discussion.

Without going around in circles of the usual points of difference.
My point is more that the English/British identity is no big deal, it's the add ons to that which have little to do with the English/British identity, that are the issues.
The general attitude to Irish culture may well be apathetic as you say  but it's apathetic to the culture on your doorstep, not just the culture  that exists in 'another country'.
The apathy is just on the surface of something deeper. If it was only apathy, it wouldn't be an issue, but underneath the apathy is a hostility which comes out of a fear. A big enough part of the whole Unionist ideology is based on fear, in the social, political and religious spheres. Just read the speeches of the old leaders. Fear that the protestant religion would be wiped out, fear of pogroms, fear of republicanism, and now you have republicans speaking Gaelic  in parliament when you use to be able to put them in jail and throw away the key for such audacity.

Strikes me that you are the one going round in circles.

Well Michaelg,  thats the best you can do, some snotty superficial reply?
I wasn't referring to you going round in circles, I was referring to me.
If you just want to be snotty and juvenile, then you can gtf 

[Tony Baloney]

I have no problem with unionists displaying and having an affinity to British culture in whatever form that it takes (other than wanting to march in areas where the demographic has changed to an extent, that their coat trailing isn't wanted anymore), its the suppression of Irish culture as practiced by a very sizeable proportion of the six counties by the establishment in all its forms that get on my goat, the media, BBC, UTV being a prime example.

As for Ulster Scots, being ridiculed in Unionist circles as well, none would have the balls to openly say it for fear of the mob turning on them.

Agree with the entire post. Fair play to Hector for throwing it up to them about it not existing pre-GFA and all the lovely grant aid that came with it.