What does Team GB, not UK, say to you?
Since Brian’s mentioned Paddy Barnes’ magnificent efforts in Bejing (Kenny Egan looking good at the moment too), it’s as well to mention in passing that Christine Ohuruogu has bagged an impressive Gold in the women’s 400m, and Germaine Mason has a Silver for the High Jump. (See 10 ways Britain changed over the weekend). But Suilven points us to an interesting piece from Kevin Myers on the subject of the GB designation (something Michael Shilladay should be speaking about on the IPM programme on Radio 4 this Saturday). Kevin Myers has this to say on the subject of Team GB:
A straw in the wind. Unintended, as straws in the wind usually are, but a reminder nonetheless that the people in Britain (and even that term might itself soon become obsolete) have reverted to pre-Troubles default mode. Ireland (or any part thereof ) is something they know nothing of, and care less about. Now that their various intelligence agencies have finished playing ducks and drakes with democracy in Northern Ireland, and foisted two sets of tribal bigots into power, they can once again pretend that those six north-eastern Irish counties are no longer their business, as they did for 50 ruinous years after 1922.Another straw in the wind draws near this autumn, though this time, being intended, it is more of a haystack in a hurricane: the probable ending of the Common Travel Area between the islands of Ireland and of Britain, including Northern Ireland. Travellers from the North to Britain will need special documents to gain admission. This is undoing the Good Friday Agreement, Sunningdale, the 1948 Ireland Act, the 1922 Treaty, the 1920 Government of Ireland Act, 1801 Act of Union, the creation of the crown of Ireland in 1541 for Henry VIII, and Poynings’ Laws: moreover, it is the first paninsular annulment of English authority over any part of Ireland whatever since the submission of the Irish kings before Henry II on November 11, 1171.
There is more to this than airborne hay: tectonic plates are moving. Britain looks as if it is breaking up anyway, but even if it’s not, it is clear that there is no genuine British regard for the Ulster unionists. If in the creation of a team for one great international sporting global contest, the British do not even remember that Northern Ireland shares their kingdom, then clearly there is not a surfeit of natural affection there.
Hi Culligan,
“Britain is not an Irish Isle, and Ireland is not a British Isle.”
That being the case, is the Irish Sea an Irish Sea then? If not, why not?
Hi TAFKABO,
“So Northern Ireland isn’t included in the terminology team GB, if that isn’t evidence that the rest of the Uk has suddenly forgotten NI exists then I don’t know what is. Why imagine if another constituent part of the UK, let’s say Wales for instance, wasn’t even included in the national flag?”
The Welsh red dragon represents the “indigenous” British, who will have their land returned after the white dragon (Anglo-Saxons) has been vanquished. I’m not sure that really suits a modern UK.
One of the most high-profile sportsmen in ‘Team GB’ took part in the Madison the other night – Mark Cavendish, winner of 4 stages on this year’s Tour De France unfortunately didn’t pick up a medal but one doubts that in the Isle of Man, where Cav is from, there wasn’t too much existential whinging or glee that the team he represented wasn’t called Team GB&IOM;. Nor for that matter in Guernsey at the achievements of local equestrian Carl Hester in Sydney and Athens.
‘On the basis of history (from early 1600’s), geography (lakes+mountains – natural borders), race, culture, religion, language, sport, legal tender and outlook, NI is more British than Irish.’
Comical, please more of the same.
GB represents people from Great Britain. What’s the big deal? Everyone sees the UK as GB because that’s where 98 per cent of it is. The North of Ireland is no man’s land under London control. If they cared about Unionists they could as easily say team UK. They don’t, because Irish Unionists are irrelevant to GB.
Say to anyone in Ireland of whatever nationality, (excluding a Unionist) that you’re going to the UK and it automatically means you’re going over to Great Britain. Say to anyone in GB you’re going to Belfast it means you’re going over to Ireland; innately different from GB/UK.
Team GB represents people from GB. Ireland represents people from Ireland. Unionists are just GB hangers on, I’m afraid.
Wales has a wonderful flag of our own thank you. Whgich we don’t mnd waving in Beijing. Sod the petty Chinese bureaucrats:
Tom James wins gold
Just a shame our swimmers find it difficult to swim straight….
David Davies
Which we don’t mind – sorry