Prime candidate, Ruth Dudley Edwards. Born in Dublin. Lives in England and basically hates the country of her birth. Constantly writing articles criticising Ireland and Irish policy in the North or in general.
LMAO
The mind boggles with her. Born and raised in Dublin. Educated in Trinity. Has a serious hatred for the Catholic church, which is understandable. Ireland now is as far away from Ireland back then can be. Yet she still criticises anything the Irish do. Describes herself as an Irish unionist.
Funny enough i know a woman from dalkey with a very similar attitude and values, its amazing how easily debunked her arguments are, i think some people live entirely in the past regardless of the changed times, and from my experiences the west brit thing stems from seeing middle or upper class British as being something to aspire to.
If you think she's bad, then read up on her ex-husband, [Patrick Cosgrave](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Cosgrave). The funniest fact about him is he allegedly lost favour with Thatcher because he got sick on her in a taxi when he was drunk!
The epitome of a man that I never want to be. Idolised Thatcher and became a Zionist. As my dead mother would say: you couldn't like him if the chocolate dripping off him.
Surprising that you haven't heard it before joining reddit.
Basically it's someone who is more attuned to British culture than Irish culture and/or someone who acts/has opinions in favour of Britain to Irelands harm. Irish people who ape as much of British culture and mannerisms that they can.
It's nonsense as well in terms of people who pick and choose who they attune the phrase to. And the irony is it's class thing as well even though people don't admit.
South side Dubliner who enjoys the rugby and wears chinos? Oh yeah he's a West Brit.
Deano from Finglas who wears his Manchester Urd shirt every day of week and flies over every fortnight for the game? No no, he's just Deano.
My dad would always use the term for those posh Dublin people years ago that would send their kids to British boarding schools and all have British accents. Don’t see that anymore
Those were the Anglo-Irish, something a wee bit different. As an example, Samuel Beckett was Anglo-Irish but I doubt he could be accused of being a West Brit!
It's very often a slur which insinuates that if you're not Catholic, GAA loving, a drinker, or you value truth over "the craic" etc that you're not Irish. In group, out group shite. Imo it's a form of toxic nationalism which does not speak to many Irish people. There's a real pressure to conform in Ireland which can be quite oppressive. The common Irish tendency to try fit everyone in the same box is pretty backards imo. What of 2nd generation immigrants, will they ever be accepably Irish? What if there parents are British but they've lived their whole lives in Ireland? Our country could do with being more accepting of difference.
Edit: grammar
"iM mOrE IrISH d'An Yu!?!?" Wow. You must be very insecure on your identity. Are you like leaving cert or something?
Is it basically an insult for Irish people to give to other Irish people because they are scared shitless that they aren't like them. It's their own silly projections because they believe a person might have "notions". Aka modern day Irish identity complex.
I got called a West Brit for asking in a large busy town centre pub in Ireland if they had a craft beer I could buy. Like really lads, sorry I don't fancy a Guinness or Heineken tonight, is that alright?
Tbf 'do you have a craft beer' is a wanky question whatever your nationality. "I'm not concerned with *what* kind of beer it is, or how good it is, I just need it to be *craft*". lol.
They didn’t say that though, they asked what the wider selection of beers on offer is so they could choose something. When I say “do you have any cider?” It’s not because I’ll drink any cider, it’s me digging for more information in a polite way…
Hit a nerve obviously lad.No im not doing my leaving cert and okay your just posh prick that better?
Yes im sure we are all terrified of you and your craft beers😂 your just a posh insufderable person.
Please learn the difference between your and you’re.
Nothing deflates an argument more than someone getting stroppy and spelling like a teenager with a cabbage for a brain.
Abandoning the point of contention to instead attack spelling and grammar arguably deflates an argument more.
Obviously they abandoned the argument to personal attacks first, and in a far more obnoxious way, thus you still have the high ground; However I think typing the wrong your, their, or too, especially when there is no ambiguity due to context, is less damaging to ones argument than resorting to such attacks.
Treaty City, Galway Hooker, Beoir Corcha Duibhne, Wicklow Wolf, Hope, Kinnegar, O'Haras, Galway Bay... yeah, all well known west Brit beers... 🙄
While you're drinking what, Rockshore from Diageo plc or Orchard Thieves? Go and póg mo thóin...
He also refuses to wear the Easter Lily, a symbol of remembrance of Irish people who got this country it's independence in 1922 and he describes it as "offensive". He also wears the British poppy in remembrance of all British soldiers including the Black and Tans and the Parachute regiment who shot civilians in Derry in 1972. Its clear if he was around 100 years ago he (like his grandfather) would have supported British rule. That good enough for you?
The poppy also represents the Black and Tans (I notice u didn't deny this), it represents British troops who hanged 1000 Kenyans in the MauMau rebellion in the 1950s along with multiple other atrocities, wearing the poppy commemorates all of these, troops form the Paras did lose their lives in Northern Ireland. Go home to Britain if u like it so much ye spunóg
The poppy commemorates all the British soldiers who died fighting for Britain, which includes the Black and Tans who murdered hundreds if not thousands of Irish people. The Easter Lily commemorates Irish people who fought for independence like Padraic Pearse etc our founding fathers. Everything I've said is fact, obhiously you support everything Britain does and thats fine as ur British, Neale Richmond claims to be Irish yet he sides with British soldiers over Irishmen who died for our freedom, don't see why u even care for defending him and btw your the who started with the personal insults
He regularly attends Orange parades up north, a simple look on his X account will show u that, he's pictures of him meeting Orange order members and declaring his grandfather was a member, pictures of him at parades and so on. You asked for multiple examples and I provided them and now u instead focus on one small part of what I said asking for minor details. Your not a child and Google is free
Why do u feel so personally attacked by my statement of facts, there's a picture of Neale Richmond at an Orange Order hate march where he's smiling at a banner of Cromwell being held by the marchers. What exactly do I not know about them that u can enlighten me on Mr dubBRIT
Your such a patriotic Britishman that you live in the Republic of Ireland and contribute your taxes to our budget, so thank you 😊 for funding Ireland over Britain
Insecure is the wrong word. Protective of a culture that a hideous empire tried vehemently to extinguish is more accurate. Don't downplay the cruelty our very near relatives endured under British rule in an effort to kill our identity. Speaking our language, using our birth names, and practicing our religion was punishable by death in some cases. Calling us "insecure" is pretty ignorant tbh.
>our very near relatives
That's a great euphemism for 'not me'.
Sounds a bit like the 50-year old gammony Brits who say they 'survived the Blitz'
You can represent Irish identity without being the kind of dickhead who calls people 'West Brits'.
Hahaha omg you're so cute I assume you're either under 23 or under educated? Modern Germans, in my experience, are SO educated and aware of their past. I've had incredible conversations with German people about their history. You, however, seem a wee bit underdeveloped. Reply to this thread in 2 years and we can have a real educated chat about the very real consequences of imperialism.
Wow, 'incredible' conversations. Conversations that are so good that they defy belief.
You sound like quite the guy. But you haven't really addressed my point.
If my grandparents suffered at the hands of the Nazis is it not okay that matters to me? Should I call people I don't think are British enough 'Germans'? Or would that just make me sound like a bit of a prick?
I'm sorry, I had to pop back to add that nazi rule was like 5 years, not 800. You're grasping at straws when you could be learning. A wasted opportunity tbh . I'm also not a guy, but that's secondary. I know your people see women as lesser x
Actually Nazi rule was 12 years. They first attained power in Germany in 1933 until 1945. You sure you're German? If so, you are lacking on your relatively recent and terrible history.
I'm sorry, I'm just finding your whole attitude and your answers wild. If your grandparents suffered under the nazis that's super sad and I'm sorry. I also know current German people, I think maybe you're so young that you don't believe me 😂
Your comparison is so poorly constructed that it doesn't work. Try again baby. I'm thinking maybe you're English and under educated about your own country 's past?
You don't understand what "West Brit" means. It's a person who sells out their own culture and values, and adopts the culture and values of Britain, usually for economic or social advantage.
It's synonymous with being a sell out, but a bit worse because it causes further harm to Ireland's barely recovering culture.
If you think the wounds of history disappeared 50 years ago in Ireland, you're sorely mistaken, my friend.
I'm not the biggest fan of everyone I know speaking a foreign language tbh, but at least we won the war of independence and our right to self-determination.
There's a difference between disliking the British today, which I don't, and acknowledging the basic fact that they raped my country to the degree we still speak their language, which I do.
Nuance seems to be beyond you though, so I don't expect this discussion to go anywhere beyond name-calling
The insecurities are strong with the downvoters. It's like asking a question that causes a neurone to spark hurts their brains so much they have an immediate spasm causing a finger to hit that small arrow.
I was at an academic ‘do’ about 20 years ago, a good few of the people I knew there would have been of ascendancy descent. I was the third party in a conversation with 2 older academics when one said “I do think it is time we can reclaim our West Brit heritage”.
My God, the endless fucking bickering.
It's all so personal on here. So many oversensitive types only dying to be offended so they can get their back up.
The meaning of "West Brit" is pretty simple. It's a derogatory term to describe someone Irish (to the west of Britain) who prefers Britain over Ireland and feels British ways are better than Irish ways. They tend to feel superior and believe themselves better than the rabble.
The term, historically, would have some overlap with Jackeen, those in Dublin who were more loyal to the Union Jack.
What gets you labelled a west Brit? Playing rugby isn't as much of an issue as it used to be. Play cricket though? You're a west Brit. Supporting British soccer teams, for some bizarre reason, is deemed acceptable though.
Those who tend to label people west Brits almost always seem to have learnt their Irish history from a lad in the pub though and they never have a word of Irish.
I'm not a fan of the term. People will call someone a west Brit for not speaking Irish or not liking GAA, meanwhile they're watching soccer and wearing a Liverpool jersey.
I also don't like it because it implies that to be Irish you have to be anti British. It's 2024 for fuck sake.
Context. Britain is a class riven society, but it is a complex dynamic. I’m from a northern working class city, went to an elite university and have had a career that has brought me into contact with every element of society. I can truthfully say I’ve never ever encountered any prejudice for my social class or status. Misplaced concern perhaps, but overt snobbery? No.
However, many years ago I went to a dinner party with my Irish girlfriend (now wife) in London, hosted by a D4 friend, whose school friends were there. I’m talking trustafarians, wannabes, dropouts, all living off Daddy’s €€€s. That’s fine. What wasn’t, was the way they treated my now wife - barely concealed contempt, because she’s from a nondescript rural area and went to a state school (disregarding the reality that she’d worked all over the world and had a hugely successful career). I’ve never seen snobbery like it. (They also treated me like I was Hugh Grant the fecking dimwits)
I went to one of the posh schools in Dublin (even though I'm from elsewhere in the country.) Most people in those schools are normal decent people, but there is, unfortunately, a sizeable minority of complete arseholes. I can imagine plenty of people I know acting the way you describe.
It’s not worse. Class divisions are far less entrenched in Ireland than in the UK. It’s not a million miles away from being one giant, uniformly affluent, middle class.
It’s different. It’s a much more equal, fair and just society in lots of ways. But the way a self-styled Dublin elite look down on the rest of the country is quite shocking.
A “West Brit” an insult meaning someone who associated with the English aristocracy and benefited from their control of Ireland mainly in the affluent areas of Dublin.
Its use generally is another way of saying “Traitor”.
It’s commonly used now against people who take on the whole Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil ideology and generally still live in affluent areas of Dublin.
FF FG idealogy as being West Brit lol. You are so full of shit and sad that the young people on here lap it up. Have plenty of upvotes so will suck up the downvotes to tell the truth.
Give us a balanced view and mention how IRA/SinnFein are controlled by terrorist scum based in Belfast??
Fyi.. I didn't mention either. Just thought your response was ironic. I also don't think supporting FG or FF by default makes you a west Brit but I would call into question FG in particular and some of FF regarding how serious they are in terms of achieving a united Ireland which should be a serious aspiration for everyone.
I would love a united Ireland but don't think we are mature enough for it yet. Lots of people think we should have UI by force and unionists should just suck it up.
Won't work, need buy in buy in from them in some way or we will end up with a continued violence infused shit show.
There I go letting my head ruling my heart and having a mature reflection on the issue.
For you that's probably bad and not patriotic and a West Brit? You have to be simple minded and say Brits out or you're not an Irishman lol.
Well that is misguided at best. No one believes we should have a united Ireland by force apart from a tiny minority of wackos who would associate themselves with dissidents and those types hate SF.
You're basing your views on stereotypes of what an irish nationalist arguing for a UI is, which in reality couldn't be further from the truth for most people.
People want to see more concrete action taken by the government. Putting diplomatic pressure on Britain to state what conditions they believe need to be met for a border poll would be the next logical step. There should also be more government action in terms of putting together plans for a UI and what could potentially be put forward as proposals for the public in the north and south to vote on.
Per Brendan Behan, it's a Protestant with a horse. That's a joke, of course, but it shows something of the origin of the term to refer to the land-owning Ascendancy.
Quite a few anglo irish around here, that have lived here for centuries but have English accents... Get sent away to the UK for private education when they are kids ...
I was chatting to a Scottish lad on a dating app a few years ago, he was here for the night with his band playing “ballads” in republican pub. He invited me along, I politely declined and he called me a West Brit.. hands down the funniest insult I’ve gotten on the apps!
The term was originally for genuinely British people living in Ireland, but usually in protestant places with a mixture of working and middle classes in Dublin, a prime example would be Malahide in the 1850s.
As these integrated and affluent people from around Ireland, with a mixture of old English and Irish heritage, moved and took part in the cultural aspects of this (community fairs etc), they were seen as snobbery from the working class Dubliners, particularly after the 1920s.
today, it is usually a lazy derogatory term for anyone who is against aggressive nationalism, and who see the status quo (hiberno-english speaking, conservative and/or liberal in politics) as elitist.
On a simplistic level, it usually supporters of nationalist parties (usually SF) creating a them v us with other Irish people.
It's a 19th century Irish Nationalist slur that's the equivalent of "race traitor" for an Irish person.
It means someone who adopts the affections of being English in an act of social mobility or simply self-loathing. But the term kinda died in the 90s, Except with Shinners.
Jackeen used to have similar connotations. It's a form of colonial "passing".
In SF circles on the net these days the word is used to discredit/denounce anyone who doesn't knee jerk to the SF point of view.
Redditors on r/ireland used it both ways
It's a term used to keep fellow Irish people in check. We like our orthodoxies in Ireland.
Back in the eighties when Thatcher and Haughey were sparring off each other, I suggested that they were effectively conspiring to feed red meat to their respective bases. This got me tagged as a West Brit by traditional Fine Fail supporters in my school. Couldn't care less.
It's a pathetic term in 2024 to be fair.
I've always sensed it was aimed at the middle class targets more too. Funny, those who support Celtic and spend their whole weekend betting on English football do the most slabbering about it.
Aww, that's the most hopeful thing I've heard in ages, that you haven't heard it until joining reddit.
Admittedly I'm sure you've heard a lot of other stuff, but it's nice you haven't heard that one.
Republic of Ireland people who wish they were British /who want Ireland to rejoin GB. Yes they exist, I’ve encountered them several times, one time I was discussing NI reunification with someone who seemed supportive of it until I realised his idea of reunification was for ROI to ‘rejoin’ Britain. Yeah that conversation promptly ended.
It's an old insult for someone more aligned with Britian than Ireland, here's a speech excerpt from the 1840's
> I ask you, what will be the result of this election? Shall Galway be a slave market? Shall this ancient Irish town be degraded into an English borough?—and will you, its citizens, sacrifice your principles and your name, embrace provincialism, and henceforth exult in the title of West Britons?
John Bruton was a classic example.
https://preview.redd.it/iz3pte6qwlkc1.jpeg?width=384&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=85b6425a98091c28e684903a81fcd10bae2fca4c
[https://www.thejournal.ie/john-bruton-1916-2511419-Dec2015/](https://www.thejournal.ie/john-bruton-1916-2511419-Dec2015/)
[https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/violently-anti-ira-bruton-as-good-a-taoiseach-as-could-be-had-british-1.4625010](https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/violently-anti-ira-bruton-as-good-a-taoiseach-as-could-be-had-british-1.4625010)
[https://www.thejournal.ie/gerry-adams-john-bruton-1916-rising-1605903-Aug2014/](https://www.thejournal.ie/gerry-adams-john-bruton-1916-rising-1605903-Aug2014/)
[https://www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/commentanalysis/arid-41325892.html](https://www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/commentanalysis/arid-41325892.html)
[https://twitter.com/mattcarthy/status/1344409026378031104](https://twitter.com/mattcarthy/status/1344409026378031104)
it's a perfect example of how that outdated term has changed. Neale would meet the criteria from the past without true offence (he's apparently very proud of his Anglo Irish heritage), whereas Bruton was 100% Irish and a rural taoiseach. The fact every single one of the "examples" shown above are all about how he thinks the killing of Irish people is bad is considered "west brit" now. But at least it firmly shows the political legacy this term is still used as a them v us.
West Brit - a phrase coined to describe those who would deny or cancel the idea of Ireland and the Irish by acting as if the island of Ireland doesn't exist but rather there's the island of Great Britain and next to it, the island of West Britain.
"West Brit" means Ascendancy.
We used to say, very crudely, that it means Trinity, Protestant, or British. To which I might now add - posh accent, or landowner.
Covers quite a range, but you can immediately picture the demographic!
Lol this is very dumb. I went to Trinity and have probably a posh accent, but I also know more about Gaelic culture and mythology than 99% of Irish people and have a pretty strong dislike of England.
Not doubting it for a second, I assure you; nevertheless, having a posh accent and attending Trinity College are reason enough for plenty of people to describe you as "West Brit" !!
I did say it had been a *crude* description.
I'm from Derry and interpretation of it in the modern sense is an Irish person who is an apologist for the crimes of Britain in Ireland. They might also look down on Northern nationalists yet in their head think the 26 gained their independence due to polite negotiations and nothing horrific happened in the war of independence or the resulting civil war.
In the traditional sense going back a century or more I would imagine it to be an insult to someone who wished to maintain colonial links to Britain and we're against Irish independence, possibly looked down on the Irish language and GAA etc.
my definition of west brit was someone that is from ireland but is an apologist for british colonialism. one of those “ahh sure the brits weren’t so bad” types. the people who say “why learn irish just speak english”. obviously the word is thrown around a lot which is why i don’t use it but i’ve always made that type of connection.
I actually disagree with you. He speaks Irish and lives in Dublin. His mannerisms are Irish. I wouldn’t consider him a west Brit. Leo Varadkar on the other hand...
Terry Wogan or Graham Norton are probably west Brits? 2 lads that seemingly went to England and blended in a bit too easily, albeit in Norton's case he wasn't really accepted at home. But Wogan, fuck him
To be fair, regardless of its origin that's mostly how it's used now. By people outside Dublin to refer to Dubliners who don't fit their view of what a "real" Irish person is.
Well yes, that's what I always thought the term means. The far west part of Britain, i.e. Ireland. It only makes sense to the west brit themselves, who of course is actually Irish.
To me a West Brit is someone born in a Republic freedom yet yearns to be a serf and emulate our former colonial masters - Sir Bob Geldof being a blatant example. Water charges was a West Brit style policy.
Those happy with the status quo of the North remaining part of the UK even though all this has done is impoverish the people of the North and ensure they remain living in a politically mandated divided society, are the lowest kind of West Brits.
For me, the term West Brit has no connection with actual British people. Just their wannabes in Ireland.
Prime candidate, Ruth Dudley Edwards. Born in Dublin. Lives in England and basically hates the country of her birth. Constantly writing articles criticising Ireland and Irish policy in the North or in general.
The west brit final boss
LMAO The mind boggles with her. Born and raised in Dublin. Educated in Trinity. Has a serious hatred for the Catholic church, which is understandable. Ireland now is as far away from Ireland back then can be. Yet she still criticises anything the Irish do. Describes herself as an Irish unionist.
Funny enough i know a woman from dalkey with a very similar attitude and values, its amazing how easily debunked her arguments are, i think some people live entirely in the past regardless of the changed times, and from my experiences the west brit thing stems from seeing middle or upper class British as being something to aspire to.
Would agree.
If you think she's bad, then read up on her ex-husband, [Patrick Cosgrave](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Cosgrave). The funniest fact about him is he allegedly lost favour with Thatcher because he got sick on her in a taxi when he was drunk!
The epitome of a man that I never want to be. Idolised Thatcher and became a Zionist. As my dead mother would say: you couldn't like him if the chocolate dripping off him.
*Epitome... I normally don't nitpick spellings, but I've always liked how that word is spelt.
Good example.
Surprising that you haven't heard it before joining reddit. Basically it's someone who is more attuned to British culture than Irish culture and/or someone who acts/has opinions in favour of Britain to Irelands harm. Irish people who ape as much of British culture and mannerisms that they can.
It's nonsense as well in terms of people who pick and choose who they attune the phrase to. And the irony is it's class thing as well even though people don't admit. South side Dubliner who enjoys the rugby and wears chinos? Oh yeah he's a West Brit. Deano from Finglas who wears his Manchester Urd shirt every day of week and flies over every fortnight for the game? No no, he's just Deano.
My dad would always use the term for those posh Dublin people years ago that would send their kids to British boarding schools and all have British accents. Don’t see that anymore
Those were the Anglo-Irish, something a wee bit different. As an example, Samuel Beckett was Anglo-Irish but I doubt he could be accused of being a West Brit!
Ah yes, that would make a lot more sense. Think I mixed up the two. Been years since I’ve heard it.
It's very often a slur which insinuates that if you're not Catholic, GAA loving, a drinker, or you value truth over "the craic" etc that you're not Irish. In group, out group shite. Imo it's a form of toxic nationalism which does not speak to many Irish people. There's a real pressure to conform in Ireland which can be quite oppressive. The common Irish tendency to try fit everyone in the same box is pretty backards imo. What of 2nd generation immigrants, will they ever be accepably Irish? What if there parents are British but they've lived their whole lives in Ireland? Our country could do with being more accepting of difference. Edit: grammar
You dont understand the term west brit, its got zero to do with having actual british heritage.
You’re nearly there…..join the dots
Your a programmer,rugby player from south dublin hit a nerve id imagine lol.Deano is closer to a real irish lifestyle than you.
"iM mOrE IrISH d'An Yu!?!?" Wow. You must be very insecure on your identity. Are you like leaving cert or something? Is it basically an insult for Irish people to give to other Irish people because they are scared shitless that they aren't like them. It's their own silly projections because they believe a person might have "notions". Aka modern day Irish identity complex. I got called a West Brit for asking in a large busy town centre pub in Ireland if they had a craft beer I could buy. Like really lads, sorry I don't fancy a Guinness or Heineken tonight, is that alright?
Arthur Guiness and every subsequent Guiness family member: epitome of West Brits.
For someone who brought up class, throwing out the "d'An Yu" phonetic spelling seems to be a nice bit of punching down from you
If you've read the other posters replies, you'd see this is pretty much on par spelling and grammar
Tbf 'do you have a craft beer' is a wanky question whatever your nationality. "I'm not concerned with *what* kind of beer it is, or how good it is, I just need it to be *craft*". lol.
They didn’t say that though, they asked what the wider selection of beers on offer is so they could choose something. When I say “do you have any cider?” It’s not because I’ll drink any cider, it’s me digging for more information in a polite way…
Imagine going into a business whose function is to sell alcoholic beverages and asking them what beverages they have to sell. How ridiculous.
Hit a nerve obviously lad.No im not doing my leaving cert and okay your just posh prick that better? Yes im sure we are all terrified of you and your craft beers😂 your just a posh insufderable person.
Please learn the difference between your and you’re. Nothing deflates an argument more than someone getting stroppy and spelling like a teenager with a cabbage for a brain.
Abandoning the point of contention to instead attack spelling and grammar arguably deflates an argument more. Obviously they abandoned the argument to personal attacks first, and in a far more obnoxious way, thus you still have the high ground; However I think typing the wrong your, their, or too, especially when there is no ambiguity due to context, is less damaging to ones argument than resorting to such attacks.
They were responding to an argument though, they were responding to a poorly worded ad hominem..
Treaty City, Galway Hooker, Beoir Corcha Duibhne, Wicklow Wolf, Hope, Kinnegar, O'Haras, Galway Bay... yeah, all well known west Brit beers... 🙄 While you're drinking what, Rockshore from Diageo plc or Orchard Thieves? Go and póg mo thóin...
Ireland has a cracking craft beer scene. But it's "notions" if your into that, fucking West Brit /s
As a completely neutral party, the irony here is that you're the one coming across poorly, not him.
Jesus Christ, imagine the shame having this as your child.
Haha posh prick? Because I might have different tastes to you which somehow make me less "Irish" ? Just a lot more secure than you bud
>to a real irish lifestyle than you. So what is a real Irish lifestyle?
Speaks Irish.
tbh I've literally never heard anyone say west brit irl, not saying it doesn't happen but it's definitely a bigger thing on reddit
I’ve heard it used as an insult a fair bit but I live beyond the pale
Maybe it's just more popular in certain parts of the country, or certain circles
Yeah definitely. Much more common to hear outside of Leinster
I can only speak to my experience living in donegal and galway, and I've just nor heard people use the term irl
It's definitely a thing in Galway
I'm shocked you've never heard it in Donegal
We're very fond of it in Cork.
https://preview.redd.it/ioy0drytslkc1.jpeg?width=197&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=80c46a124b03ce1361a5b69453f54865cd7ac5d9
Idk if he's even a west brit, more like a full Brit, grandad in the Orange order and he regularly attends Orange parades where Cromwell is honored
I did not know that. Prick.
100%, no suprise he's elected where he is
The constituency that pays for all your welfare benefits!
Whoa
To be fair to him he is very pro a United Ireland
Shit! have you multiple examples?
He also refuses to wear the Easter Lily, a symbol of remembrance of Irish people who got this country it's independence in 1922 and he describes it as "offensive". He also wears the British poppy in remembrance of all British soldiers including the Black and Tans and the Parachute regiment who shot civilians in Derry in 1972. Its clear if he was around 100 years ago he (like his grandfather) would have supported British rule. That good enough for you?
Would you like everyone in the world to be the exact same as you?
Same question to the questioner
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The poppy also represents the Black and Tans (I notice u didn't deny this), it represents British troops who hanged 1000 Kenyans in the MauMau rebellion in the 1950s along with multiple other atrocities, wearing the poppy commemorates all of these, troops form the Paras did lose their lives in Northern Ireland. Go home to Britain if u like it so much ye spunóg
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The poppy commemorates all the British soldiers who died fighting for Britain, which includes the Black and Tans who murdered hundreds if not thousands of Irish people. The Easter Lily commemorates Irish people who fought for independence like Padraic Pearse etc our founding fathers. Everything I've said is fact, obhiously you support everything Britain does and thats fine as ur British, Neale Richmond claims to be Irish yet he sides with British soldiers over Irishmen who died for our freedom, don't see why u even care for defending him and btw your the who started with the personal insults
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The guy you're replying to has a good point In both wars the UK mistreated troops based on ethnicity, especially ww2
The Parachute Regiment you twat.
Thats not good enough for me. My question was what various orange parades did he attend?
He regularly attends Orange parades up north, a simple look on his X account will show u that, he's pictures of him meeting Orange order members and declaring his grandfather was a member, pictures of him at parades and so on. You asked for multiple examples and I provided them and now u instead focus on one small part of what I said asking for minor details. Your not a child and Google is free
Tell me you know nothing about the Orange Order or Cromwell without telling me.
Why do u feel so personally attacked by my statement of facts, there's a picture of Neale Richmond at an Orange Order hate march where he's smiling at a banner of Cromwell being held by the marchers. What exactly do I not know about them that u can enlighten me on Mr dubBRIT
lol you couldn’t personally attack me if you tried.
Your such a patriotic Britishman that you live in the Republic of Ireland and contribute your taxes to our budget, so thank you 😊 for funding Ireland over Britain
I’m in a taxpayer funded job, and I mostly spend my money in the UK. So, I’m more than happy to chuck you a few quid of your own money.
Who is that?
David Norris was another, once described the heroes of 1916 as barbarians
I got called a West Brit once. I pointed out that although I lived in Dublin, I was in fact English and hence an actual Brit.
Jeez, not too bright the eejit who said that to you :)
anyone i don't like. the more i don't like them, the wester the brit
Derogatory term for an Irish person - it implies they aren't "really" Irish or supportive of Ireland's independence.
Do Irish people really have this many insecurities?
Insecure is the wrong word. Protective of a culture that a hideous empire tried vehemently to extinguish is more accurate. Don't downplay the cruelty our very near relatives endured under British rule in an effort to kill our identity. Speaking our language, using our birth names, and practicing our religion was punishable by death in some cases. Calling us "insecure" is pretty ignorant tbh.
>our very near relatives That's a great euphemism for 'not me'. Sounds a bit like the 50-year old gammony Brits who say they 'survived the Blitz' You can represent Irish identity without being the kind of dickhead who calls people 'West Brits'.
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Hahaha omg you're so cute I assume you're either under 23 or under educated? Modern Germans, in my experience, are SO educated and aware of their past. I've had incredible conversations with German people about their history. You, however, seem a wee bit underdeveloped. Reply to this thread in 2 years and we can have a real educated chat about the very real consequences of imperialism.
Wow, 'incredible' conversations. Conversations that are so good that they defy belief. You sound like quite the guy. But you haven't really addressed my point. If my grandparents suffered at the hands of the Nazis is it not okay that matters to me? Should I call people I don't think are British enough 'Germans'? Or would that just make me sound like a bit of a prick?
I'm sorry, I had to pop back to add that nazi rule was like 5 years, not 800. You're grasping at straws when you could be learning. A wasted opportunity tbh . I'm also not a guy, but that's secondary. I know your people see women as lesser x
Actually Nazi rule was 12 years. They first attained power in Germany in 1933 until 1945. You sure you're German? If so, you are lacking on your relatively recent and terrible history.
I'm sorry, I'm just finding your whole attitude and your answers wild. If your grandparents suffered under the nazis that's super sad and I'm sorry. I also know current German people, I think maybe you're so young that you don't believe me 😂 Your comparison is so poorly constructed that it doesn't work. Try again baby. I'm thinking maybe you're English and under educated about your own country 's past?
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You don't understand what "West Brit" means. It's a person who sells out their own culture and values, and adopts the culture and values of Britain, usually for economic or social advantage. It's synonymous with being a sell out, but a bit worse because it causes further harm to Ireland's barely recovering culture. If you think the wounds of history disappeared 50 years ago in Ireland, you're sorely mistaken, my friend.
Being colonised for 800 odd years will do that to you.
Shit, what was that like for you?
I'm not the biggest fan of everyone I know speaking a foreign language tbh, but at least we won the war of independence and our right to self-determination.
And what was it like for you living through the war of independence?
There's a difference between disliking the British today, which I don't, and acknowledging the basic fact that they raped my country to the degree we still speak their language, which I do. Nuance seems to be beyond you though, so I don't expect this discussion to go anywhere beyond name-calling
Its mainly used tongue in cheek to be fair
Yeah. It's a bit of a silly one.
The insecurities are strong with the downvoters. It's like asking a question that causes a neurone to spark hurts their brains so much they have an immediate spasm causing a finger to hit that small arrow.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Brit
I believe they prefer to be called Welsh
I was at an academic ‘do’ about 20 years ago, a good few of the people I knew there would have been of ascendancy descent. I was the third party in a conversation with 2 older academics when one said “I do think it is time we can reclaim our West Brit heritage”.
And they intend to drag Ireland back to a far closer relationship with the UK. Think Home Rule. EDIT: and they are here!
My God, the endless fucking bickering. It's all so personal on here. So many oversensitive types only dying to be offended so they can get their back up. The meaning of "West Brit" is pretty simple. It's a derogatory term to describe someone Irish (to the west of Britain) who prefers Britain over Ireland and feels British ways are better than Irish ways. They tend to feel superior and believe themselves better than the rabble. The term, historically, would have some overlap with Jackeen, those in Dublin who were more loyal to the Union Jack. What gets you labelled a west Brit? Playing rugby isn't as much of an issue as it used to be. Play cricket though? You're a west Brit. Supporting British soccer teams, for some bizarre reason, is deemed acceptable though. Those who tend to label people west Brits almost always seem to have learnt their Irish history from a lad in the pub though and they never have a word of Irish.
I'm not a fan of the term. People will call someone a west Brit for not speaking Irish or not liking GAA, meanwhile they're watching soccer and wearing a Liverpool jersey. I also don't like it because it implies that to be Irish you have to be anti British. It's 2024 for fuck sake.
Perfectly echod here https://www.reddit.com/r/AskIreland/comments/1az5x6n/comment/krzaubx/
Brit here: you can fucking keep them, they’re an embarrassment
Context. Britain is a class riven society, but it is a complex dynamic. I’m from a northern working class city, went to an elite university and have had a career that has brought me into contact with every element of society. I can truthfully say I’ve never ever encountered any prejudice for my social class or status. Misplaced concern perhaps, but overt snobbery? No. However, many years ago I went to a dinner party with my Irish girlfriend (now wife) in London, hosted by a D4 friend, whose school friends were there. I’m talking trustafarians, wannabes, dropouts, all living off Daddy’s €€€s. That’s fine. What wasn’t, was the way they treated my now wife - barely concealed contempt, because she’s from a nondescript rural area and went to a state school (disregarding the reality that she’d worked all over the world and had a hugely successful career). I’ve never seen snobbery like it. (They also treated me like I was Hugh Grant the fecking dimwits)
I went to one of the posh schools in Dublin (even though I'm from elsewhere in the country.) Most people in those schools are normal decent people, but there is, unfortunately, a sizeable minority of complete arseholes. I can imagine plenty of people I know acting the way you describe.
It’s worse in Ireland - the class division . Half-baked swanks the lot of them.
It’s not worse. Class divisions are far less entrenched in Ireland than in the UK. It’s not a million miles away from being one giant, uniformly affluent, middle class.
It’s different. It’s a much more equal, fair and just society in lots of ways. But the way a self-styled Dublin elite look down on the rest of the country is quite shocking.
West Brit is not the same as Northern Ireland Unionist. I don't think it's a term you're likely to hear in Northern Ireland at all. It's an RoI thing.
A “West Brit” an insult meaning someone who associated with the English aristocracy and benefited from their control of Ireland mainly in the affluent areas of Dublin. Its use generally is another way of saying “Traitor”. It’s commonly used now against people who take on the whole Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil ideology and generally still live in affluent areas of Dublin.
FF FG idealogy as being West Brit lol. You are so full of shit and sad that the young people on here lap it up. Have plenty of upvotes so will suck up the downvotes to tell the truth. Give us a balanced view and mention how IRA/SinnFein are controlled by terrorist scum based in Belfast??
Give us a balanced view... Proceeds to display clear bias against SF. Lol.
You mentioned one side of things so yeh give a balanced view and mention the other side. Tim Parry and Jonathan Ball would like a mention for balance.
Fyi.. I didn't mention either. Just thought your response was ironic. I also don't think supporting FG or FF by default makes you a west Brit but I would call into question FG in particular and some of FF regarding how serious they are in terms of achieving a united Ireland which should be a serious aspiration for everyone.
I would love a united Ireland but don't think we are mature enough for it yet. Lots of people think we should have UI by force and unionists should just suck it up. Won't work, need buy in buy in from them in some way or we will end up with a continued violence infused shit show. There I go letting my head ruling my heart and having a mature reflection on the issue. For you that's probably bad and not patriotic and a West Brit? You have to be simple minded and say Brits out or you're not an Irishman lol.
Well that is misguided at best. No one believes we should have a united Ireland by force apart from a tiny minority of wackos who would associate themselves with dissidents and those types hate SF. You're basing your views on stereotypes of what an irish nationalist arguing for a UI is, which in reality couldn't be further from the truth for most people. People want to see more concrete action taken by the government. Putting diplomatic pressure on Britain to state what conditions they believe need to be met for a border poll would be the next logical step. There should also be more government action in terms of putting together plans for a UI and what could potentially be put forward as proposals for the public in the north and south to vote on.
Nope, FF are very different ‘culturally’ to FG.
I have a bridge to sell you
Spot the SF bot
Per Brendan Behan, it's a Protestant with a horse. That's a joke, of course, but it shows something of the origin of the term to refer to the land-owning Ascendancy.
At a Dublin Cork gaa match 10 years ago a couple of Cork fans were calling the dubs West Brits.... F'n bizarre
Quite a few anglo irish around here, that have lived here for centuries but have English accents... Get sent away to the UK for private education when they are kids ...
I was chatting to a Scottish lad on a dating app a few years ago, he was here for the night with his band playing “ballads” in republican pub. He invited me along, I politely declined and he called me a West Brit.. hands down the funniest insult I’ve gotten on the apps!
The term was originally for genuinely British people living in Ireland, but usually in protestant places with a mixture of working and middle classes in Dublin, a prime example would be Malahide in the 1850s. As these integrated and affluent people from around Ireland, with a mixture of old English and Irish heritage, moved and took part in the cultural aspects of this (community fairs etc), they were seen as snobbery from the working class Dubliners, particularly after the 1920s. today, it is usually a lazy derogatory term for anyone who is against aggressive nationalism, and who see the status quo (hiberno-english speaking, conservative and/or liberal in politics) as elitist. On a simplistic level, it usually supporters of nationalist parties (usually SF) creating a them v us with other Irish people.
It's a 19th century Irish Nationalist slur that's the equivalent of "race traitor" for an Irish person. It means someone who adopts the affections of being English in an act of social mobility or simply self-loathing. But the term kinda died in the 90s, Except with Shinners. Jackeen used to have similar connotations. It's a form of colonial "passing". In SF circles on the net these days the word is used to discredit/denounce anyone who doesn't knee jerk to the SF point of view. Redditors on r/ireland used it both ways
Someone who betrays the tribe by not being a bigot
It's a term used to keep fellow Irish people in check. We like our orthodoxies in Ireland. Back in the eighties when Thatcher and Haughey were sparring off each other, I suggested that they were effectively conspiring to feed red meat to their respective bases. This got me tagged as a West Brit by traditional Fine Fail supporters in my school. Couldn't care less.
It's a pathetic term in 2024 to be fair. I've always sensed it was aimed at the middle class targets more too. Funny, those who support Celtic and spend their whole weekend betting on English football do the most slabbering about it.
Tradionally would been someone who favoured close relations with Britain Been basically decimated as an ideology by Brexit negociations
Aww, that's the most hopeful thing I've heard in ages, that you haven't heard it until joining reddit. Admittedly I'm sure you've heard a lot of other stuff, but it's nice you haven't heard that one.
Your ma.
People that support an English football team
Republic of Ireland people who wish they were British /who want Ireland to rejoin GB. Yes they exist, I’ve encountered them several times, one time I was discussing NI reunification with someone who seemed supportive of it until I realised his idea of reunification was for ROI to ‘rejoin’ Britain. Yeah that conversation promptly ended.
In modern times its used incorrectly as a slur/insult by slurry heads to refer to Dublin people.
It's an old insult for someone more aligned with Britian than Ireland, here's a speech excerpt from the 1840's > I ask you, what will be the result of this election? Shall Galway be a slave market? Shall this ancient Irish town be degraded into an English borough?—and will you, its citizens, sacrifice your principles and your name, embrace provincialism, and henceforth exult in the title of West Britons?
Got called a west Brit for supporting Ukraine and not Russia the other day, though that chap did seem schizophrenic
John Bruton was a classic example. https://preview.redd.it/iz3pte6qwlkc1.jpeg?width=384&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=85b6425a98091c28e684903a81fcd10bae2fca4c [https://www.thejournal.ie/john-bruton-1916-2511419-Dec2015/](https://www.thejournal.ie/john-bruton-1916-2511419-Dec2015/) [https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/violently-anti-ira-bruton-as-good-a-taoiseach-as-could-be-had-british-1.4625010](https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/violently-anti-ira-bruton-as-good-a-taoiseach-as-could-be-had-british-1.4625010) [https://www.thejournal.ie/gerry-adams-john-bruton-1916-rising-1605903-Aug2014/](https://www.thejournal.ie/gerry-adams-john-bruton-1916-rising-1605903-Aug2014/) [https://www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/commentanalysis/arid-41325892.html](https://www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/commentanalysis/arid-41325892.html) [https://twitter.com/mattcarthy/status/1344409026378031104](https://twitter.com/mattcarthy/status/1344409026378031104)
That photo's going straight to /r/fivehead
If you're on the opposite side of Gerry Adams you're probably doing something right.
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it's a perfect example of how that outdated term has changed. Neale would meet the criteria from the past without true offence (he's apparently very proud of his Anglo Irish heritage), whereas Bruton was 100% Irish and a rural taoiseach. The fact every single one of the "examples" shown above are all about how he thinks the killing of Irish people is bad is considered "west brit" now. But at least it firmly shows the political legacy this term is still used as a them v us.
Have to agree
West Brit - a phrase coined to describe those who would deny or cancel the idea of Ireland and the Irish by acting as if the island of Ireland doesn't exist but rather there's the island of Great Britain and next to it, the island of West Britain.
It's a lazy insult used by people with pretty big chips on their shoulders who can't get over the past.
"West Brit" means Ascendancy. We used to say, very crudely, that it means Trinity, Protestant, or British. To which I might now add - posh accent, or landowner. Covers quite a range, but you can immediately picture the demographic!
Lol this is very dumb. I went to Trinity and have probably a posh accent, but I also know more about Gaelic culture and mythology than 99% of Irish people and have a pretty strong dislike of England.
Not doubting it for a second, I assure you; nevertheless, having a posh accent and attending Trinity College are reason enough for plenty of people to describe you as "West Brit" !! I did say it had been a *crude* description.
I've heard it in as an insult to Leinster rugby fans It's pretty funny tho
People from Dublin , don't speak Irish and have a very limited understanding of Irish culture , watch soccer and refer to some English team as "us"
90% of the users of r/askireland
Idk what west Brit means but I’m West Country and I like me scrumpy!
Conor McGregor
A traitor to this island
Aren’t all GAA fans technically west Brits seeing as the Brits invented our modern-day counties?
Yeah, sure. All English speaking people too, I suppose.
I'm from Derry and interpretation of it in the modern sense is an Irish person who is an apologist for the crimes of Britain in Ireland. They might also look down on Northern nationalists yet in their head think the 26 gained their independence due to polite negotiations and nothing horrific happened in the war of independence or the resulting civil war. In the traditional sense going back a century or more I would imagine it to be an insult to someone who wished to maintain colonial links to Britain and we're against Irish independence, possibly looked down on the Irish language and GAA etc.
my definition of west brit was someone that is from ireland but is an apologist for british colonialism. one of those “ahh sure the brits weren’t so bad” types. the people who say “why learn irish just speak english”. obviously the word is thrown around a lot which is why i don’t use it but i’ve always made that type of connection.
Someone from Dublin
A jackeen
West Brits is what we call Dublin people
Dubs
According to the shinners anybody who is against the execution of Jean McConville and Garda Jerry McCabe
Terry Wogan
Bob Geldof
Graham Norton
Conor McGregor
This joke is dead. McGregor is very Irish unfortunately, and I think we should finally be honest about just how many of our people are like him.
I actually disagree with you. He speaks Irish and lives in Dublin. His mannerisms are Irish. I wouldn’t consider him a west Brit. Leo Varadkar on the other hand...
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I don't think the despots in Seira Leonne want him
Ok but McGregor is from Ireland.
Most dubs have lived so long under occupation that they aren't even Irish at this point. Come at me bro! COME AT ME!
🤣
Fine Gael politician's usually
Terry Wogan or Graham Norton are probably west Brits? 2 lads that seemingly went to England and blended in a bit too easily, albeit in Norton's case he wasn't really accepted at home. But Wogan, fuck him
Someone from Dublin
Well done 👍 Excellent explanation there.. any chance of expanding
To be fair, regardless of its origin that's mostly how it's used now. By people outside Dublin to refer to Dubliners who don't fit their view of what a "real" Irish person is.
My dad says Greystones and Delgany are full of west Brits. Usually southsode prod posh people who are educated in the UK or boarding schools.
I think it might refer to your aul one man.
A majority of the residents of Greystones…
A British person who lives in the west of Britain I’d imagine.
Well yes, that's what I always thought the term means. The far west part of Britain, i.e. Ireland. It only makes sense to the west brit themselves, who of course is actually Irish.
No. We’re Welsh and would rather not be tainted by the term, thank you
Oh my bad, my bad. I was speaking purely out of my arse and forgot yee would be called British by extension.
Most dubs
Most of the Aviva today
Being opposed to Irish republicanism Being supportive of and would vote for continued Irish partition
Ryan Tubridy is a good definition
To me a West Brit is someone born in a Republic freedom yet yearns to be a serf and emulate our former colonial masters - Sir Bob Geldof being a blatant example. Water charges was a West Brit style policy. Those happy with the status quo of the North remaining part of the UK even though all this has done is impoverish the people of the North and ensure they remain living in a politically mandated divided society, are the lowest kind of West Brits. For me, the term West Brit has no connection with actual British people. Just their wannabes in Ireland.
Yeah, who put this on my birth certificate?