I think that the English don't feel the need to assert their nationality in the same way as other nations not having been oppressed or occupied since 1066. Fluidity is the essence of Englishness e.g St George was a Palestinian knight and immigration from the Carribean Asia and across Europe and the wider Commonwealth has added to the melting pot of English identity. Maybe in time we will all accept hyphenated English identities as is the case in the US so that citizens can choose to be B
an English Indian or English Irishman etc without any sense of disloyalty or lack of commitment to the community that we choose to live in. Green Guinness anyone?
nearly a year now, and I actually spent my last night in Manchester in Fiddler’s, so I’m sad to hear it’s closing. I’ll never forget taking English and Italian colleagues there, who were somewhat sceptical, and having some oul boy trying to sell us fake watches. A home from home.
No comment other than, like Jack’s, my family came from Kilkenny in the 1840’s. For reasons unknown they settled in Shrewsbury, my guess is to work on the Shrewsbury- Wrexham railway.
When I moved to Manchester 50 years ago I was surprised to find myself among so many Irish Catholics, we were very much the minority in Shrewsbury.
My County Mayo roots on my Father's side thank you Jack for this piece. I used to love a Guiness and still love Ireland, such a beautiful country.
I say Jack, have a word with St Greorge. I think he’ll tell you the Clayton is in East Manchester.
Oh lord! Thanks for flagging. I guess the Guinness had more of an effect than I remember ha.
I think that the English don't feel the need to assert their nationality in the same way as other nations not having been oppressed or occupied since 1066. Fluidity is the essence of Englishness e.g St George was a Palestinian knight and immigration from the Carribean Asia and across Europe and the wider Commonwealth has added to the melting pot of English identity. Maybe in time we will all accept hyphenated English identities as is the case in the US so that citizens can choose to be B
an English Indian or English Irishman etc without any sense of disloyalty or lack of commitment to the community that we choose to live in. Green Guinness anyone?
Lovely article. I’ve been back in Ireland for
nearly a year now, and I actually spent my last night in Manchester in Fiddler’s, so I’m sad to hear it’s closing. I’ll never forget taking English and Italian colleagues there, who were somewhat sceptical, and having some oul boy trying to sell us fake watches. A home from home.
No comment other than, like Jack’s, my family came from Kilkenny in the 1840’s. For reasons unknown they settled in Shrewsbury, my guess is to work on the Shrewsbury- Wrexham railway.
When I moved to Manchester 50 years ago I was surprised to find myself among so many Irish Catholics, we were very much the minority in Shrewsbury.