Everyone on Twitter having conniptions about this but like… he’s saying it’s a bad thing? He’s saying people in the South don’t pay enough attention to the North and that should change?
It is very weird that the usual suspects (Joe Brolly etc) who make this point ad nauseam are suddenly incredibly offended to hear him agreeing with them?
I mean it’s not like he’s wrong. Loads of people in the South know next to nothing about Northern Ireland beyond half-remembered episodes of Derry Girls. And they aren’t even embarrassed about it!
He’s just annoying. Already.
Signalling that he’s pro European to his masters. No different to the rest of them
I don’t think this is outlandish.
I’m from cork. I’ve been in Belfast only once. And it was to see a band.
I’ve gone to Liverpool to do that twice and London three times.
The troubles was just something I saw on the news.
Well aren’t we all
I’ve been to France and Germany and London countless times
And I’ve been to Belfast once, im in no rush to return
I’m genuinely surprised by how many people relate to this. I’m not from near the border, it’s not like I go to Derry or Belfast every week, but I’ve still been to them more times than Berlin or Paris. I didn’t grow up being brought on holidays abroad, is that the difference?
I suppose. There’s certainly cities north and south of the border I’ve not been to a whole lot. I wouldn’t be inclined to single out the North examples though, particularly if I’m leader of the country and *particularly* at a “British Isles” parliamentary convention
Is anyone actually surprised?
This is the fella that would be licking Maggie Thatchers hole at the end of the day
He’s the definition of a West Brit
To be fair, I’ve been to Paris and Berlin about 3-4 times each and know my way around them. I have only been to Derry once for a football match, in and out. I’ve only been to Belfast for the airport, in and out.
Saying that, I have never been to Kerry or Waterford. I have only been to the train station in Limerick. I only visited Sligo for the first time about a month ago and I haven’t been to Galway once, about 15 years ago. I have only been to Kilkenny once for a football match, in and out.
If I have a few quid for a trip away, I’m getting the hell out of here.
It’s a thought provoking idea. I’ve never really considered it but I’ve definitely spent more time in a few places in Europe than the North. I don’t know if that makes them more familiar to me or not. I’ve never been to Derry but been to Belfast a good few times.
He’s in a class more familiar with talking before thinking, and still thinking what days is smart.
I’ve been to Belfast 3 times and I’ve never been to Derry to the best of my knowledge.
I’ve been in Paris 15+ times and Berlin 4 times.
I was in Paris this year and will be in Berlin again in October.
Never would have thought of it like that!
It just comes across as a weird take in general. It’s not a “generational” thing that he hasn’t bothered his hole going north.
It also doesn’t sit right that he’s singling the north out in this way either, especially coming from the Taoiseach (even if he is a lame duck who’ll be gone in a few months). It feels very “othering”. I’m sure there are plenty of people that would be more familiar with Belfast or Derry than they would be Cork, Galway or Donegal depending on where in the country they’re from.
Painting the North as somehow being more foreign than Berlin and Paris isn’t a take I would expect from a Taoiseach.
According a Belfast Telegraph poll from 2021, 41% of people from the South have never crossed the border, which I found very surprising. As a Dub there’s not a county in all of Ulster I haven’t set foot in (except Armagh I think but I know I’ve travelled through there). Then again I’ve only been in Munster twice so maybe it’s not, certainly if you live further away
Definitely true in my case
He’s right
I’m about his age, from similar neck of the woods and I’ve never been to Derry, been to Belfast a few times
But I would have been to other many European cities more than once
I don’t think it’s a controversial comment tbh
If it wasn’t for the motorbike road races I would have never been in N.I in my life
I don’t think I would have ever have a reason to go north but I might go to France for a holiday or something
I’d know Belfast from seeing a girl up North when I was in college, but I’ve definitely seen more of continental Europe than I have of the North. Just no reason to go there. Didn’t play sport, didn’t have family never needed to be there.
I’ve only ever been to the north once, and even then it was more of a passing through kind of thing.
I’ve been all over the world but haven’t even been to Belfast or anything like that so I can definitely resonate with that sentiment.
Things like Erasmus and free travel to most of the European continent have made it extremely easy to travel, and things like Ryanair have made it more affordable than it’s ever been for the average person. It’s easy to see why people would rather go somewhere like Italy, or Croatia, or Spain, or Germany or any other place, over somewhere like Belfast or Derry.
Personally I’ve been to belfast twice, and both times it was purely to get the ferry to Scotland. Meanwhile I’ve been to paris four times and berlin three. Don’t really feel any interest or connection to the north.
From Paris to Berlin & every disco I get in my heart is pumping for love?
I swear if Leo said “Puppies are cute” there’s people on here who’d still tear into him for having a hidden agenda. No wonder he’s retiring.
How to say you don’t care or want the Irish people of the north without saying it.
I fucking hate everything these posh fucks embody
He’s gonna need a bigger shovel.
Are people from the border not his generation then?
Because why would anyone go to Belfast or Derry if it wasn’t for a special event? There are plenty of Irish cities where people have no interest in going to either, this isn’t a north/south issue. Ask anyone if they would rather go to a city a few hours away from their current home or fly abroad, they will obviously pick abroad. I haven’t been to Cork for 15 years+ because I have no reason to go, I would rather go to Istanbul than Cork. It doesn’t mean anything.
Can’t wait to vote this generation of politicians out for an eternity. Literally destroyed the country for an entire generation of people under 30.
28 comments
Everyone on Twitter having conniptions about this but like… he’s saying it’s a bad thing? He’s saying people in the South don’t pay enough attention to the North and that should change?
It is very weird that the usual suspects (Joe Brolly etc) who make this point ad nauseam are suddenly incredibly offended to hear him agreeing with them?
I mean it’s not like he’s wrong. Loads of people in the South know next to nothing about Northern Ireland beyond half-remembered episodes of Derry Girls. And they aren’t even embarrassed about it!
He’s just annoying. Already.
Signalling that he’s pro European to his masters. No different to the rest of them
I don’t think this is outlandish.
I’m from cork. I’ve been in Belfast only once. And it was to see a band.
I’ve gone to Liverpool to do that twice and London three times.
The troubles was just something I saw on the news.
Well aren’t we all
I’ve been to France and Germany and London countless times
And I’ve been to Belfast once, im in no rush to return
I’m genuinely surprised by how many people relate to this. I’m not from near the border, it’s not like I go to Derry or Belfast every week, but I’ve still been to them more times than Berlin or Paris. I didn’t grow up being brought on holidays abroad, is that the difference?
I suppose. There’s certainly cities north and south of the border I’ve not been to a whole lot. I wouldn’t be inclined to single out the North examples though, particularly if I’m leader of the country and *particularly* at a “British Isles” parliamentary convention
Is anyone actually surprised?
This is the fella that would be licking Maggie Thatchers hole at the end of the day
He’s the definition of a West Brit
To be fair, I’ve been to Paris and Berlin about 3-4 times each and know my way around them. I have only been to Derry once for a football match, in and out. I’ve only been to Belfast for the airport, in and out.
Saying that, I have never been to Kerry or Waterford. I have only been to the train station in Limerick. I only visited Sligo for the first time about a month ago and I haven’t been to Galway once, about 15 years ago. I have only been to Kilkenny once for a football match, in and out.
If I have a few quid for a trip away, I’m getting the hell out of here.
It’s a thought provoking idea. I’ve never really considered it but I’ve definitely spent more time in a few places in Europe than the North. I don’t know if that makes them more familiar to me or not. I’ve never been to Derry but been to Belfast a good few times.
He’s in a class more familiar with talking before thinking, and still thinking what days is smart.
I’ve been to Belfast 3 times and I’ve never been to Derry to the best of my knowledge.
I’ve been in Paris 15+ times and Berlin 4 times.
I was in Paris this year and will be in Berlin again in October.
Never would have thought of it like that!
It just comes across as a weird take in general. It’s not a “generational” thing that he hasn’t bothered his hole going north.
It also doesn’t sit right that he’s singling the north out in this way either, especially coming from the Taoiseach (even if he is a lame duck who’ll be gone in a few months). It feels very “othering”. I’m sure there are plenty of people that would be more familiar with Belfast or Derry than they would be Cork, Galway or Donegal depending on where in the country they’re from.
Painting the North as somehow being more foreign than Berlin and Paris isn’t a take I would expect from a Taoiseach.
According a Belfast Telegraph poll from 2021, 41% of people from the South have never crossed the border, which I found very surprising. As a Dub there’s not a county in all of Ulster I haven’t set foot in (except Armagh I think but I know I’ve travelled through there). Then again I’ve only been in Munster twice so maybe it’s not, certainly if you live further away
Definitely true in my case
He’s right
I’m about his age, from similar neck of the woods and I’ve never been to Derry, been to Belfast a few times
But I would have been to other many European cities more than once
I don’t think it’s a controversial comment tbh
If it wasn’t for the motorbike road races I would have never been in N.I in my life
I don’t think I would have ever have a reason to go north but I might go to France for a holiday or something
I’d know Belfast from seeing a girl up North when I was in college, but I’ve definitely seen more of continental Europe than I have of the North. Just no reason to go there. Didn’t play sport, didn’t have family never needed to be there.
I’ve only ever been to the north once, and even then it was more of a passing through kind of thing.
I’ve been all over the world but haven’t even been to Belfast or anything like that so I can definitely resonate with that sentiment.
Things like Erasmus and free travel to most of the European continent have made it extremely easy to travel, and things like Ryanair have made it more affordable than it’s ever been for the average person. It’s easy to see why people would rather go somewhere like Italy, or Croatia, or Spain, or Germany or any other place, over somewhere like Belfast or Derry.
Personally I’ve been to belfast twice, and both times it was purely to get the ferry to Scotland. Meanwhile I’ve been to paris four times and berlin three. Don’t really feel any interest or connection to the north.
From Paris to Berlin & every disco I get in my heart is pumping for love?
I swear if Leo said “Puppies are cute” there’s people on here who’d still tear into him for having a hidden agenda. No wonder he’s retiring.
How to say you don’t care or want the Irish people of the north without saying it.
I fucking hate everything these posh fucks embody
He’s gonna need a bigger shovel.
Are people from the border not his generation then?
Because why would anyone go to Belfast or Derry if it wasn’t for a special event? There are plenty of Irish cities where people have no interest in going to either, this isn’t a north/south issue. Ask anyone if they would rather go to a city a few hours away from their current home or fly abroad, they will obviously pick abroad. I haven’t been to Cork for 15 years+ because I have no reason to go, I would rather go to Istanbul than Cork. It doesn’t mean anything.
Can’t wait to vote this generation of politicians out for an eternity. Literally destroyed the country for an entire generation of people under 30.