# Why are Brits ignorant of Ireland?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-brits-ignorant-of-ireland/95522>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [November 27, 2001, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-brits-ignorant-of-ireland/95522 "2001-11-27T16:01:33Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 5

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**Author:** ![London\_Calling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@London\_Calling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/London_Calling)\
**Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-brits-ignorant-of-ireland/95522/81 "2001-12-04T19:57:05Z")

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I’d like to be misquoted, please.

Certainly sir. Have you been here before?

No, I haven’t, this is my first time.

I see. Well, do you want to have just one misquote, or were you thinking of taking a course?

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**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\
**Post date:** [December 5, 2001, 9:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-brits-ignorant-of-ireland/95522/82 "2001-12-05T09:26:38Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by London\_Calling \*  
> **I’d like to be misquoted, and I am a gigantic badger.**

Glad to be of service. Now take back what you said about badgers.

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**Author:** ![London\_Calling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@London\_Calling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/London_Calling)\
**Post date:** [December 5, 2001, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-brits-ignorant-of-ireland/95522/83 "2001-12-05T17:55:05Z")

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Help Matron ! I’m being badgered !!!..

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**Author:** ![Nukeman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce7236/32.png) [@Nukeman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nukeman)\
**Post date:** [December 5, 2001, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-brits-ignorant-of-ireland/95522/84 "2001-12-05T20:07:13Z")

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“Look, if we built this large wooden badger…”

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**Author:** ![PeeQueue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8797f3/32.png) [@PeeQueue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PeeQueue)\
**Post date:** [December 6, 2001, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-brits-ignorant-of-ireland/95522/85 "2001-12-06T16:58:33Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> And again I fail to understand why people should be offended if people refer to Northern Ireland as being part of Britain, rather than part of the United Kingdom? What’s the big difference?

I think you’re missing a small point. It is not so much that people would get offended, it is just incorrect. Just as Cuba is not part of the USA. Britain, or Great Britain is an actual political and geographical place. The United Kingdom(UK) is the name of the nation.

This is not to say that people don’t refer to it as Britain, Great Britain, and many times, England. But in reality, those names do not include Northern Ireland. I don’t think most people would correct you in the real world, but hey, this is the SDMB.

PeeQueue

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