# Map of Ireland - what animal would you say it resembles? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 9, 2013, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/map-of-ireland-what-animal-would-you-say-it-resembles/670801 "2013-10-09T19:26:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Alex](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atomic_alex/32/175_2.png) [@Atomic\_Alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Alex)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/map-of-ireland-what-animal-would-you-say-it-resembles/670801/1 "2013-10-09T19:26:57Z")
Bit of a random topic but something that has been bothering me since I was a small child. When you look at a map of Ireland what animal would you say it resembles? I don’t want to influence peoples opinions but suffice to say I’ve most often heard it described as one thing when I’ve always only been able to visualise it as another. And when I try to describe what I think it looks like people look at me like I’m insane _(granted, I’m used to that by now but still)_. [http://www.worldmapsinfo.com/mapimage/ireland.jpg](http://www.worldmapsinfo.com/mapimage/ireland.jpg) btw please post genuine answers, if you don’t think it looks like anything thats fine but not really helpful. ---
**Author:** ![BubbaDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bubbadog/32/333_2.png) [@BubbaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BubbaDog)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/map-of-ireland-what-animal-would-you-say-it-resembles/670801/2 "2013-10-09T19:28:13Z")
Seahorse ---
**Author:** ![Macca26](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/13edae/32.png) [@Macca26](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Macca26)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/map-of-ireland-what-animal-would-you-say-it-resembles/670801/3 "2013-10-09T19:48:03Z")
A very stubby, cartoony-looking bird flapping its wings was the first thought that came to mind. Lough Neagh is the eye, the large outcropping over by Belfast with the other lake is the beak, Nephinbeg is in the short, stubby wing feathers, and Carrauntoohill is in the short, stubby tail feathers. That little land blip out by Waterford is its feet all bunched up for flying. Dublin rests on its fat tummy. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/map-of-ireland-what-animal-would-you-say-it-resembles/670801/4 "2013-10-09T20:04:03Z")
A [koala bear](http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p137/melody_lee/ireland_map.jpg). Although having read the previous post, yes, it does look like a cockatoo facing right. If you imagine [this](http://www.avianweb.com/images/birds/parrots/cockatoos/MajorMitchellCockatoo4.jpg) had its wings outstretched behind it, and less of a crest. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/map-of-ireland-what-animal-would-you-say-it-resembles/670801/5 "2013-10-09T20:06:20Z")
A buffalo (bison), viewed on its side with the feet pointing west and the big wooly head looking towards the north pole. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/map-of-ireland-what-animal-would-you-say-it-resembles/670801/6 "2013-10-09T20:06:55Z")
It took me a minute to see anything, but then (without looking at any other replies) I recognized a [cockatoo](http://carolinabirds.org/Daniels/SouthAfrica/BrdsOfEden/Cockatoo,%20Sulpher-crested1.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/map-of-ireland-what-animal-would-you-say-it-resembles/670801/7 "2013-10-09T20:08:26Z")
A ram? With the top right being a horn and the Nephinbeg part being raised-up front feet? ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/map-of-ireland-what-animal-would-you-say-it-resembles/670801/8 "2013-10-09T20:11:04Z")
I have never thought about it before but I immediately saw a Koala Bear as well. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/map-of-ireland-what-animal-would-you-say-it-resembles/670801/9 "2013-10-09T20:15:41Z")
Actually, it’s not a koala, it’s a [drop bear](http://i.imgur.com/6fu0wEc.jpg). :eek: ([hat-tip](http://www.reddit.com/r/funny/comments/1bwrny/the_americas_might_look_like_a_mallard_but_the_uk/)) ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/map-of-ireland-what-animal-would-you-say-it-resembles/670801/10 "2013-10-09T20:22:42Z")
My first thought was amoeba but then I turned my head and decided a sheep (ram). Although I can see koala now, I think my mind went to sheep because there’s more sheep there than koalas. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/map-of-ireland-what-animal-would-you-say-it-resembles/670801/11 "2013-10-09T20:30:25Z")
Vaguely resembles some kind of diseased manatee. ---
**Author:** ![Rollo\_Tomasi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/58956e/32.png) [@Rollo\_Tomasi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rollo_Tomasi)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/map-of-ireland-what-animal-would-you-say-it-resembles/670801/12 "2013-10-09T20:30:53Z")
I first saw an elephant (with a slightly deformed trunk) standing on its hind legs. I can kind of see the koala, but I’m not really seeing the cockatoo. ---
**Author:** ![Sudden\_Kestrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Sudden\_Kestrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sudden_Kestrel)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/map-of-ireland-what-animal-would-you-say-it-resembles/670801/13 "2013-10-09T20:32:08Z")
A puffin. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/map-of-ireland-what-animal-would-you-say-it-resembles/670801/14 "2013-10-09T20:33:05Z")
It doesn’t look like much of anything, but if you stare at it long enough it slightly resembles a troll under a bridge. Or a bunch of doctors on strike. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Dervorin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Dervorin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dervorin)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/map-of-ireland-what-animal-would-you-say-it-resembles/670801/15 "2013-10-09T20:36:26Z")
All I see is a sort of generic fetus. A bit like this: [http://selmapreghelp.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/phototake\_photo\_of\_8\_week\_fetus.jpg](http://selmapreghelp.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/phototake_photo_of_8_week_fetus.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/map-of-ireland-what-animal-would-you-say-it-resembles/670801/16 "2013-10-09T20:43:31Z")
A Hanna-Barbara cartoon character called “Gleep”. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/map-of-ireland-what-animal-would-you-say-it-resembles/670801/17 "2013-10-09T20:46:04Z")
A tardigrade standing on its back feet. ---
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Alex](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atomic_alex/32/175_2.png) [@Atomic\_Alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Alex)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/map-of-ireland-what-animal-would-you-say-it-resembles/670801/18 "2013-10-09T20:51:35Z")
Oh thank god, its not just me. I always thought it resembled a bird flying to the right but nobody else seemed to be able to see it. Most people seem to picture Ireland as a bear, something I could never quite perceive although this pic helps: [![](https://64.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mb4iq46moT1qalrffo1_500.jpg) ](https://64.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mb4iq46moT1qalrffo1_500.jpg) There’s even a rebel song about it, ‘Teddy Bears Head’ _(I haven’t heard that song for a very long time, so don’t get bent out of shape if you google it and there’s offensive lyrics, I don’t condone the politics therein)_ ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/map-of-ireland-what-animal-would-you-say-it-resembles/670801/19 "2013-10-09T21:39:39Z")
Look at it upside down. I see a chamelon. (Old World, not like the anole my brother had when he was a kid.) ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/map-of-ireland-what-animal-would-you-say-it-resembles/670801/20 "2013-10-09T21:46:04Z")
It looks like a flipper of a prehistoric sea turtle to me. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/map-of-ireland-what-animal-would-you-say-it-resembles/670801.md?page=2)