Comments on: Derry to be first British culture capital

By: Bloody Sunday’s unfinished business | Left Foot Forward

Bloody Sunday’s unfinished business | Left Foot Forward — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:35:52 +0000

[...] also: • Derry to be first British culture capital – Kevin Meagher, July 16th [...]

By: blogs of the world

blogs of the world — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 03:44:47 +0000

And the winner is… Londonderry! Or should that be Derry? Apparently it's both these days… http://reduce.li/gwj7qk #culture

By: modicum

modicum — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 18:52:05 +0000

Referring to the United Kingdom as “Britain” is a useful shorthand, like referring to the former USSR as “Russia”, or the Netherlands as “Holland”, or the UK as “England”. It’s excusable, but it’s not really correct, and it airbrushes Northern Ireland out of the union.

It’s quite obvious that “Britain” has its origins as an abbreviation of “Great Britain” not the “UK”. Bear in mind that “Great Britain” is also often used as a shorthand for the UK. Using “Britain” is just a continuation of that dubious practice.

As for the identity of people in Northern Ireland, they are entitled to consider themselves British or Irish or anything else. I don’t think there’s much point in telling someone what his identity is. Nationality is a fairly vaporous concept anyway.

In the case of Rory McIlroy I gather he’s from a nationalist background and considers himself Irish. If so then that should be respected.

By: Shamik Das

Shamik Das — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 17:54:20 +0000

The island of Great Britain is not the same as “Britain”. It’s like suggesting Rory McIlroy isn’t a “British” golfer!

By: Erin van der Maas

Erin van der Maas — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 16:22:32 +0000

Derry is not actually in Britain so why would they see themselves as British? It is of course part of the UK and it is the UK capital of Culture – it would be impossible for it to be British Captial of Culture as it is not in Britain [england, wales scotland = Britain]

By: JoshC

JoshC — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 13:59:42 +0000

Congrats to them. As a Sheffielder this Capital Of Culture thing has been most interesting in seeing how other people see my fair city. The BBC had a Have Your Say on the subject and it soon became clear that an awful lot of people who’ve never been here before were derisive of Sheffield and thought it was still a 1980s industrial wasteland full of thick Northerners in cloth caps. Londoners in particular.

By: Derry to be first British culture capital « The best Labour blogs

Derry to be first British culture capital « The best Labour blogs — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 13:31:30 +0000

[...] More… [...]

By: Lord Lindley

Lord Lindley — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 13:22:15 +0000

RT @toques: RT @leftfootfwd Derry to be first British culture capital: http://bit.ly/9gWd8m >>> How strange that it's not even in Britain!

By: Toque

Toque — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 12:54:42 +0000

RT @leftfootfwd Derry to be first British culture capital: http://bit.ly/9gWd8m >>> How strange that it's not even in Britain!

By: B Latif

B Latif — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 12:45:46 +0000

Naming #ethnic/ #religious #wars; #Londonderry or Derry? The first #British #Culture #Capital: http://bit.ly/9gWd8m