Derry Girls: 'British ignorance about Northern Ireland upsets me' | Siobhán McSweeney
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 21 พ.ค. 2022
- "I'm very proud to be part of a show that shows that regardless of your gender, we're all eejits."
Derry Girls actress Siobhán McSweeney, known for playing Sister Michael, talks to Ayesha Hazarika on Times Radio about finishing the series.
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I am a Canadian man and found Derry Girls to be the best television I have watched in quite some time. It was the funniest show I have seen forever. I laughed out loud so much!! The writing was spectacular and I am so glad I took a chance on it! I would be amiss without mentioning the actors. Thank you.
Derry Girls is a spin-off of the British sitcom The Inbetweeners, which is about 4 equally tragic boys. If you like Derry Girls, give this one a shot also. There was 3 series of 6 episodes and two movies made.
Derry Girls educated me more about recent Irish history than anything I learnt from anything else on TV or newspapers. Regards from Australia.
I'm glad lad but but Australia has an Irish person or two did they never chat
@@garyhutton2654 The Australian media is very "London-centric". The Troubles were presented as some crazy religious war without a clear explanation. Expressions such as "Unionist", "Loyalist", "Nationalist" or "Republican" were never properly explained. I realised it was about historical feuds rather than any religious differences. There are thousands Australian who have some sort Irish heritage but a majority emmigrated to Australia in the 19th and early 20th centuries rather during the Troubles.
@@michaelhalsall5684
Its not just Ireland Australian's don't know about.
In spite of the amount of different nationality's are here a lot of Ozies have idea about other countries and they are Anglo centre and really London at that.
The amount of Alglos I have meet here who know nothing about the other nations of the UK is shocking and we get England shoved down our throats.
Soar Alba
So you studied history by binge watching a Netflix series? You're a buffoon.
Regards from America
@@Albanach-je1nk leave them alone and the English don't get worked up about nationalities which is why so many thousands of foreigners want to come and live here. My English father-in-law regarded the English people in the next town as almost foreigners and for him to marry a girl from a town 3 miles away was quite exotic.
I served in NI.
When I went there I was completely ignorant of our history of colonialism and apartheid in Ireland, and the line from the higher-ups was we were there to protect the protestant community.
What I saw shocked me.
Abuse of power by officials was a daily occurrence. Random violence perpetrated on members of the nationalist community was the subject of jokes, competitions and prizes at the end of a tour.
I returned to uni to study History and Politics when I finished.
Our ignorance is not accidental. It is well-considered, well-executed and absolutely necessary in order to keep control of the lower-orders in the UK. How can an A-Level History student get to the end of 16 odd years of school and know ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about the history of our own country?
The fact that we practiced how to be an Empire with our first colony in Ireland; that we carried out genocides, economic terrorism and ideological 'othering' for hundreds of years WHILE IT WAS PART OF THE UK.
Spin us a line about Glorious Revolutions, exceptionalism, Rule Britania, the beneficent Empire, Stiff upper-lip, Spitfires...
We'll eat it up and doff the cap to a billionaire family who, on gaining power, swear to uphold the protestant ascendancy.
Forced ignorance is a tool of control.
But we seem to be willing to go along...
Written with both eyes open well said
Excellent comment, agree wholeheartedly
Thank you for this well-written comment.
@@msmissy6888 😂🤣😂Idiot
@MsMissy And I suppose the international community should feel more sympathy for those poor, beleaguered Loyalists? What was that sign a Unionist student group had posted at Queens University? “Some Are More Equal Than Others”? Yeah, sorry, but most sane people know who deserves the sympathy in this equation - and it isn’t the cheerleaders for the Shankill Butchers.
I think Siobhan would be happy to know that my, buff, masculine history teacher tried to convince our entire class to watch derry girls because he loves the show so much
I watched Derry Girls for the first time this past weekend and blazed through the whole thing in 2 days and then went back to rewatch some bits. I LOVED it and as a person from the U.S. i was learning so much and googling terms and history like crazy. I was like "I didnt know this even existed a day ago, how am I crying about it now?" EXCELLENT storytelling and a brilliant way to approach important history.
And Sister Michael was my favorite character, hands down.
'I didn't even know this existed a day ago, how am I crying about it now?' is so beautifully put. It's very much how many of us are discovering the world this show opened up.
I knew of Belfast and a bit about the Troubles within the scope of the British occupation of Ireland, but not of Derry. Now I want to take a pilgrimage there and happily weep a little bit!
Sister Michael was not a mad woman. She was completely logical and honest. Brilliant character
We need a sister Michael show. I am ready for this. Make it so.
Sister Michael was hilarious
Oh I'd love that! I bet she was a HOOT before she took her final vows!! Because she certainly was a hoot afterwards😂
YES! ❤❤❤
Ive only seen my (northern Ireland) father cry a few times in my life, but when we watched the finale of Derry Girls he was weeping. Such a brilliant show, and so accurate to the life experiences of those who lived through the troubles
In all my years at school we did not spend one minute on Irish history, but for that matter we did no Scottish or Welsh history.
Probably didn't cover how yall stole natives from America and used them as slaves either. Amazing how often brits forget how the dicked the world over, and how we still feel the effects
And that’s also not brilliant. No wonder we’re so divided if we make no effort to understand one another.
I get the feeling that was at least somewhat by design, to be honest. A sort of "cultural assimilation by omission". When you look at the historical stance on languages other than English in Scotland, Ireland, and Wales, it doesn't seem that far-fetched unfortunately
Nor do they teach you how bad England was with foreigners
So your American??
Derry Girls is the modern day Father Ted we needed.
To hear people within the UK excuse their ignorance about Northern Ireland and the Troubles with stuff like “I don’t know anything about Lithuania either” is just mind boggling. It’s not a foreign country. It’s the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland is literally what makes the UK still the UK!
It just goes to show how little people in Britain care about Northern Ireland
It’s embarrassing truly
I take it you will not be going to EIRE for your holidays!!!
No Scotland and England were the two kingdoms that were united, this is due to end in the next few years.
The northern Ireland statelette is what remains of the former colony of Ireland and that will also end in the near future.
@@SirAntoniousBlock Scotland and England were united in 1707 to form the Kingdom of Great Britain. The Acts of Union 1800 merged the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland into the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. In the 1920’s, most of Ireland seceded, and what was left was the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It IS Northern Ireland that makes the UK the UK. Without Northern Ireland it’s literally just the Kingdom of Great Britain again. Naturally, if Scotland secedes, the union will fall, but Scotland isn’t one part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland - Scotland is one part of the Kingdom of Great Britain which merged with Ireland back in 1801 to form the United Kingdom.
People don’t believe me sometimes when I say we don’t learn about Ireland at school. I went through 13 years of school in Scotland (2000-2013) and we did not mention Ireland even one time. And I took History as one of my subjects.
It wasn’t Irish history, I suppose?
@@Ye_Olde_Duke_of_Edinburgh No, just History in general, but you'd think we would mention the country next door at least one time. We did a lot of American history, English history, and mainland European history, but Ireland was mentioned as many times as Somalia and Suriname were.
Hey, sounds familiar. we were taught some local history, tudors, fire of london, plague Charles I &II ect then secondary got crop rotation , ww1 ww2 never got anything that showed us any bad bits.
They've white wash British history so hard.
it always left me wondered why they made english ppl the bad guys in movies... history.
@@MyratheDunmer wtf
They american history,who is not at all as relevant to you as irelands history...
What is it eith uk and their semi fascination with the us?!
Their history is not that exciting. At all
@@alex.profi27 wasn't me who designed the curriculum.
I’m shocked that children in England are not taught the history of all the countries in the UK. But perhaps it helps to explain a lot. For what it’s worth, I grew up in Cork, Ireland and we studied world history, European history and Irish history. Along the way we learnt a lot about British history. Because no man (or woman) is an island.
I'm sorry to be a bit lengthy but you ended that with my all time favorite poem, and I think it should be taught everywhere in all languages. And especially in America where we are taught that we won ALL the wars, because we're America, and the only history were taught before graduating high school is from 1600 America to maybe WW2 America. Which is not ok!! We are a small piece of the whole and at the risk of angering any Americans reading this, America is not number one. The sun does not rise and set because America exists.
" No man is an island entire to himself. Each man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main...... Any man's death diminishes me because I am a part of mankind...."
The education system of Britain doesn't teach the history of England to English children, so why would it teach the history of Ireland?
@@davetdowell that is quite true 60 years ago I was taught about the Romans, the Norman invasion, Middle Ages wars with France, English Civil War, Napoleonic wars, 19th century industrial revolution, empire and that was it. Without making any political issue of it that's quite unacceptable in a multicultural society and the syllabus seems to be very sketchy and aimed at not offending anyone.
I was shocked my son had never heard of the English Civil War one of the pivotal events in the history of Britain and the British Isles. When I asked why he said; I did the 18th century social module.
On the other hand as Britain representative to Ireland observed in 1949. the Irish people were taught by the church and state to see Britain or more specifically England as hereditary enemies.
@@freebeerfordworkers I too mourn the loss of a proper curriculum that taught such depth.
@@rosequartz4102 I took several world history courses growing up, I guess things have changed.
"not the most difficult role I have played"
Reminds me of how Jane Lynch said that "you don't have to dig too deep to find the Sue Sylvester in me".
My favorite show on Netflix I cannot get enough of it I don't know how many times I've rewatched it so happy to finally see the second season.
loved the scene when Sr. Mike appeared to be just praying, but then the TV comes into view and it is obvious that she is praying for her football team's victory.
One of the best shows I’ve ever seen. I’ve watched the first two seasons several times, the third only once. So far. New York Irish Catholic family. Went to Catholic school, even people without those experiences will love this show. I’ve lived in Massachusetts for most of my life now and there are many people with Irish heritage. Our former Boston Mayor, Martin Walsh grew up with immigrant parents who spoke Irish as their first language and he spoke it at home. Lots of respect for former Maine Sen George Mitchell who helped broker the Good Friday agreement in 1998
Thanks for sharing the actor's name. Putting a face and name to the tremendous talent and insight and humor.
We are from England , Bath , Bristol originally , went to Canada when we were 20 , worked and toured all over North America and ended up in Australia . We went back to the UK back in the 1980's via Japan . The trip was to meet a group of half sisters that I had never met , two of whom lived in Northern Ireland . The "troubles " were still ongoing . We had no idea having basically lived much of our lives away from Europe . Leaving Japan , which is very homogenous and flying into Belfast with its red, white and blue on one side of a road and green and orange one the other was a surprise to say the least. We were educated very quickly !! by my long lost relatives .
I'm from NZ and just love this show - my oldest brother at 65 also loves it and we chatted and giggled about it the last time we got together. Going to miss Sister Michael and the entire team
Sister Michael is definitely my favorite. Love this ridiculous yet pertinent show. I’m totally ignorant about Northern Ireland and appreciate the included historical aspect. 🇺🇸
We are sad to see it end as ot was a great wee show.
Good on you Siobhan we enjoyed your character.
I have watched this series 3 times and never tire of the humour, amazing characters and family unity in the story. I want to visit Derry now and hopefully will do in the net future. Love from Cape Town South Africa❤❤❤❤❤
Derry Girls is just the best ! great writing cast and real humor
@MsMissy Get a Grip "Karen"
The finale was perfect. And sad cause we didn’t want it to end.
I'm a Derry girl transplanted in NYC now (work). I'm also old enough to remember more of the whole sectarian conflicting carry on as Sister Michael called it, and if I get asked one more f*cking time if my family was in the IRA ... HONESTLY the lack of education on NI is just shocking stuff! It turns my head 100%!!!
Well you will be happy to know my question might have been "do Catholics outnumber Protestants in Northern Ireland yet?" Decades ago I read projections that it would be the case someday. Now I've seen the stats that Catholics became the majority last decade.
Why surprise l derry classed as hq
Siobhan presumably the people asking about the I R A are Americans
@@annewalden3795 you’d have thunk
@@Ye_Olde_Duke_of_Edinburgh I have some experience of the naieve attitude some Americans have toward the
I R A and am sorry if you do not understand my reference .
The British education system doesnt teach why the UK has a land boarder, why one day its longest river shrank and its biggest city shrank, that it had a civil war in contemporary times. Because that doesnt matter to daily life, but it has time to learn about every time henry the 8th got lucky.
How can people live through brexit and say they dont need to know this stuff. If your "island nation" actually has a landboarder shouldnt you know that.
They know very, very little which is amazing when you think of it. Given that Ireland was in the UK from 1801 to 1921. The end of the United Kingdom almost happened - hence Northern Ireland. Yet, nobody really knows what happened or why. Why there’s a massive land border.
Apparently doesn't teach people how to spell either!
Too much time learning about how terrible the British empire was and other non-white history stories. Even History at A Level has very little space for the history of these fantastic Islands and our place in the wider world which is what history should be about.
@@LeMerch Irish people are universally loved in England particularly. Your average person doesn't know the history of many worthwhile things. How much do you know about Welsh history?
Almost nobody in the UK could name Henry 8th's wives.
Wow, amazing interview about an amazing show! I love Derry Girls!!! Siobhán McSweeney made some powerful statements. It is time to decolonize!
My wife and I live across the pond. We found Derry Girls on one of the cable channels and jumped at the chance to watch it was because it was filmed in Ireland (we had traveled there in 2018 and actually went to Derry although we did not get to see too much because the tail end of a hurricane was hitting while we were there....even Bushmills was closed down that day). We LOVED it. It was hysterical. We wish that Americans could produce a show as thoughtful and funny as this. We will watch it again and laugh again till we cry. Thank you so much for this treasure.
Of course people all over the world love this show. And growing up Catholic here in Canada and going to catholic schools full of nuns, Sister Michael rings SO true for me personally.
Here in Denmark - I also sometimes feel the ignorance, when it comes to the Faroe Islands and especially Greenland. They are both autonomous countries within the Danish Realm - "Rigsfællesskabet".
It’s totally different. Ireland was a constituent part of the U.K. until 1922 and NI is still a part of it. And there was thousands of deaths over a 30 year conflict with numerous bombs and shootings in England itself. It’s quite unlikely the Danish school system would not teach children about something like that happening. If Zealand seceded from Jutland after a war and then people in Funen spent 30 years killing each other over whether to join them or not, it would take a special effort to ignore it. Studious ignorance.
Blimey, i thought the Faroe Islands were off the coast of Scotland, how thick am I!
Sister Michael reminded me of a nun who taught at the school I went to, Sister Asumpter. She was 6 foot tall built like a brick privy, broad Irish accent and when she walked down the corridoor you got out of her way or she would walk right over you. Sister Asumpter was Sister Michael but without the milk of human kindness.
We learnt about northern Ireland in my school but it was very fleeting, I don't even think it was something that was meant to be covered at all. If I remember correctly I think our teacher just decided to talk to us a little bit about it due to their being a reference to bloody Sunday in a book we were going through and we at the time, didn't know anything about Bloody Sunday.
I loved this it was such a time capsule, so many things that made me feel nostalgic, even the tuck shop. I live in Scotland and grew up in the same time period so so much was familiar. But we were hyper-sheltered from what was going on in Northern Ireland. We weren't taught about it, maybe because there would have been more uproar maybe they didn't want to frighten us, maybe because Scottish children would have been inclined to side with the Irish since we share celtic heritage and a history of scrapping with the English (religion aside, we were busy falling out with it altogether anyway) XD. Yup, I was oblivious that this was happening growing up and yes I'm questioning why that was acceptable given Ireland is just next door :(
Caught first 4 episodes in Oz a week back on TH-cam - Sis Michael's welcome 2 the new girls was memorable!
I too teared up in the GFA episode - just very touching.
I love them all but...Sister Micheal and Colm 😮 keep me in stitches
Great interview!
Sister Michael is hands down my fave character from derry girls!
Sister Michael had all the best lines.
Cant talk about kids nowadays but when I studied history in the north of England it did include Ireland, north and south, not so much the Troubles but the causes of it.(from the late 19th century when it was still all part of UK and the partition) Saying that not every school did that, they concentrated on different periods of history. Romans, medieval etc. And also other countries history. Theres so much of it you cannot learn everything.
I like the Irish, those in the Republic and in Northern Ireland. I’d like to see the two united one day, speaking as an Englishman. I only hope it can be done peacefully.
@donpacifico6867 : I'd like to see England and Scotland united one day.
@@scented-leafpelargonium3366 Scotland is Gaelic! Not Saxon!
@@abraham2174 Who said Scotland is Saxon? 🤔
It wont be done peacefully.
@@thevillaaston7811 it can be done with “voluntary” repatriation for the unionists to Scotland.
Lovely person, brilliant actor. The show in amazing, truly in all respects.
I'm really sad that Derry Girls show will be ending and I'm so disappointed that,this show besides one of the funniest show I have seen,I am sad that,living in the US I can't watch Derry Girls when I want.
It’s on Netflix in the USA
Back in 2016 I (I'm a Welshman, my surname arrived at Swansea Docks in 1820) I was genuinely horrified that NI was just swept to one side in all the Brexit debates when it was obvious that the Northern Ireland situation, shaped by the GFA was going to be a massive problem down the line. It seemed that not one single Brexiteer in the media gave a damn about the welfare and safety of the Northern Irish people.
This is incorrect. The NI Affairs Committee reported on the issues in 2016 before the referendum.
You’re right NI was swept to one side, or as some would say sold out!
@@jmccullough662 Sadly, It never made it into the mainstream media and never became a talking point in the plethora of televised debates in England. As Angela Eagle (Labour MP and remainer) pointed out, its hard to get your point across if no-one is going to report it.
I am from Florida, and have nothing but love for this series, it was a perfect ending but man was I sad about not seeing anymore episodes of these strong characters. What a perfect cast!
People barely learn any history full stop, but it’s very true if you’re British you have to educate yourself on Irish history.
Im a yank in Florida and I cried every season!!! I had no idea what went on there. I graduated school in 2001 so im around their age, the music, the crazy emotions, I remember it all. 🥰🥰😃😃
My time in England we only touched on the Troubles once, it was a brief PowerPoint because we were reading a book set then. This was when we were young too and then never again. This show taught me more than my classroom ever did
The word is Disinterest rather than Ignorance.
THIS SHOW HAS EARNED AN OSCAR!!!!
It’s because the English schools don’t teach about the history in Ireland. I remember with the show Victoria the English people themselves were shocked to hear about what happened to the Irish people during the potato famine. The schools don’t teach them about it. You have to blame the government for that. I only knew about it because my family is from Scotland ( and Ireland- but not my immediate family) and the potato famine affected them also but not in the horrific way it affected Ireland.
Laura Loft you do not have a famine if only one crop fails in this case the potato crop so let us call it what it was organised genocide by the English. While Irish men women and children lay dead or dying on the the streets and roads of Ireland the English continued to ship food and livestock to England this is maybe one of the reasons the English don’t teach their part in Irish history and or Indian history and or Palestinian etc etc
@@miakeogh6844 Exactly!! They aren't not just teaching about Ireland, they simply aren't teaching the truth about their colonial past.
They don’t teach it because it reflects very poorly on them and they don’t want future generations to know about the shameful past of their empire.
To make it worse the Irish were under British rule in 1845, so they let their own subjects starve, that’s how little they thought of Ireland. Do they even care about NI now? It’s like the DUP and co have a case of unrequited love. Boris didn’t give two hoots, promised everything just to get his Brexit done.
@@miakeogh6844 exactly!!!! Sick of perpetrators whitewashing history
If you think English schools are bad, American schools are even worse. I learned so much from Derry Girls. Laughed and cried, as well.
The old story about the US "If you want to see your country vanish of the planet, buy an American newspaper". Jeez they have a world series in baseball and they are the only ones who play it!!!!!
The educational system in the US is too broad to make that generalization. Plus, your comment is par for the course on these types of vid, always trying to make the US look bad.
@@raymonddixon7603 I'm an American and I never heard of that saying. Seems like the phrase is talking about the lack of integrity in journalism/print, not so much the quality of formal education.
As for the World Series, oddly enough the name has a history to it and wasn't born out of a vacuum of inane reasoning and ignorance. I suggest for you to learn the history behind it.
I mean, rather rich of a non-American talking about the ill-education of Americans while you spew your own ill-education.
@@TickleMeElmo55 Thank you for comments.
I don’t think it unreasonable for American schools to not teach Irish history. English schools failing to do it is very different. A 30 conflict resulting in thousands of deaths on “British” soil and no attempt to give any context or backstory. Even as it was happening every night on the news. It was studiously ignored. Not an oversight.
Northern Ireland is a jewel. It’s stunning and the people are wonderful.
Even in the US we went over what happened in Ireland, it wasn't super in depth I'll admit but we generally know what happened.
Really? Not me ,George 3rd was a Tyrant wanted to Tax us Americans that's all in school .
@@williamkinkade2538 I don't know when you went, but high school was about 5 years ago for me.
Same. I also learned about Republic of Ireland v NI while in grade school
I went to school in England and we were taught the history of Northern Ireland.
@MsMissy Well then, Britain sure is VERY GOOD at getting back at other countries and territories, and dominating them for a good amount of time.
For feks sake! Sister Michael is definitely the most hilarious character. Siobhan is awesome. I really enjoyed hearing from her. Well done, so it was
All we used to hear about NI was bombs. So I was surprised as a child to hear that a Pakistani friend of ours regularly went to Belfast Market to open his stall selling knitwear. Made me realise that life goes on and it was not much different from the north west. We missed out on a lot.
Hahaha the legendary Pakistani market stall holders, l grew up in an all white town, and then suddenly stallholders were heloed in? it seems, (saved me a Bob or 2 on clothes as a teen at college)
Even in war zones life goes on. The point is understanding what happened and what was the bombing caused by. I can't see how you can feel about the UK as something so vital which needs to keep on existing after centuries when you don't know anything about the countries which are part of it.
I love Sr. Michael!!!!
The finale re the Good Friday agreement made me cry and to the beautiful voice of Dolores OR
I’m in the States and I make sure my children know about Irish history, not because we are of Irish heritage, but because it is a past, and current and ongoing, injustice of a powerful country occupying another country. I will never understand why the world does not stand up and tell England that they can no longer occupy Ireland.
I will never understand why the world does not stand up and tell the USA they can no longer occupy Native American lands
Well if you had even the tiniest amount of knowledge of actual history and not just blind nationalist nonsense, then you’d know the park NI is part of the UK by consent of the majority of people there. It isn’t a occupation, and is great disrespect to countries facing actual occupation.
@@cazmac6978 Im not sure why people think that it is only the US that is guilty of that like NZ, Australia, and Canada arent doing the same exact thing or when Europeans get judgmental on that point like it wasn't European colonization that caused the whole damn mess.
@@SilvaEagle1998 By a majority of English/ Scottish Protestants who settled in Northern Ireland....hardly a fair vote.
I have to be honest, having being born in 1997 and growing up in England, the complete absence of education and awareness on the conflict in Ireland throughout both public education and the wider cultural zeitgeist, in hindsight I find absolutely shocking and frankly disgusting. I feel an imense amount of guilt over my own ignorance of not only the conflict but Irish history as a whole. It's insane to me it has taken this long for a popular show to actually engage and focus on the troubles in such an authentic and real way. I feel absolutely obligated to fix my own ignorance around it and its because of Derry Girls I've had that realisation. It's a really amazing show and I hope other people will have a similar revelation. Also, if anyone can recommend any particular voices, authors or media that can provide greater insight into this, I would greatly appreciate any recommendations.
On holiday in tenerriffe 6 years ago, some Spanish guy was picking teams to play pool ball. He says anyone from England here to which most of the young lads shout out yeah. Then he said anyone from Ireland to which I shout out yeah. Then the Spanish guy said now are you Irish or Irish Irish. I thought to myself ffs? and said I guess I'm Irish Irish then 🤔. Then one of the very young English lads with clearly no understanding of Ireland and a disaproved look on his face said 'same fing' 😑. It annoyed me at the time, but realise its simply a lack of education about Irelands history is to blame here in Britain, not that young English lads ignorance.
Irish Scottish and Welsh history should be taught in Engglish schools. It's a disgrace it isn't.
And vice-versa
What would be the point? Only half the people in the schools are english at this point. The same will happen everhwhere else.
Met Siobhan at 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday. We well she took a pic of us. Lovely woman. And Bono was nowhere to be found. Funny that.
When talking about modern Ireland one thing that needs to be mentioned was how a Protestant Irish Parliament successfully gained independence for Ireland between 1782 and 1800, during which time Catholics got most of their rights back, with most Irish people of different faiths uniting under the ideologies of either constitutionalism or Republicanism, with both in favour of varying degrees of Irish sovereignty/autonomy and increased personal rights.
This independence ended when a failed Republican Revolution in 1798 led British prime minister William Pitt to intimidate and bribe the Irish Parliament into merging the Kingdom Ireland into the UK after an initial Union vote failed. Ireland’s Parliament was forced to merge with The British one (though the courts and civil service of Ireland remained separate, but nominally subject to Westminster from now on).
People on both sides seem to have completely forgotten this chapter in Irish history, because Protestants and Catholics fighting together for an independent Irish Kingdom doesn’t fit anyone’s narrative, and yet it had a major impact on the island. Unionism, Republicanism and Constitutionalism all originate from the original Irish volunteers that used the opportunity of the American Revolution distracting Britain to revolt in 1782. This heralded the independence and has shaped all aspects of Irish politics, ever since..
I loved history in school and spent lots of my time outside of school studying it because I've always passionate about it. My dad is from Belfast, though I was born in the UK, I've always had a very keen interest in the history of the North. However, I choose not to do A-level history because for the first time in my life, it was going to cover the Troubles and the teacher taking the class was the son of a solider who died in Northern Ireland before he ever got to meet his son. This class was the first time any of my classmates had ever heard anything about Northern Ireland and they were taught by a teacher who ended up being very biased, though I can't blame the teacher for this bias as he is only human, but he shouldn't have been teaching that module.
I had always been made fun of at school for being half Irish, as my name clearly marked me out as being different so I couldn't just blend in. After people had started taking the class I got extra abuse from others, more than I did when I was younger, because now they had extra ammunition, and a teacher who encouraged a warped view of history.
It was an opportunity for them to understand other people who live in the same country as them but the actual take away they got was a caricature of the people of Northern Ireland. What should be taught is the humanity of people on all sides of the conflict, how everyone suffered and lost something as a result of the conflict.
What Siobhán said just bought all the above back, which I had forgotten, but felt like sharing.
I vaguely remember in the 60's (yes I know it's going back awhile, but anyway) when the Troubles really began be noticed in England - we were completely ignorant of what had been going on there. And of course it got worse, as time went by. To give you an idea of what I mean - in London for example at that time you never ever saw armed police walking the streets. If there were armed police needed for something completely out of the ordinary, it would be very punctual and obviously their arms would be kept in a secure place at a police station. Suddenly in the newspapers, they announced that the 'B Specials' were going to be disbanded. We had absolutely no idea that they existed, who they were, what they were supposed to do, nothing at all. They were protestant armed police, who kept their arms at home with them. When Heath sent in the army, the front page of 'Private Eye' was 'Tanks for the Memory'. I remember an interview with the then Prime Minister of Northern Ireland - O'Niall I think his name was - he unashamedly said the most disparaging things about the Catholics on national radio. I was brought up as a Catholic in England, we were part of main-stream society, I had never never heard anything like that before. Later on when I was working in London, I kept coming across young men of my age or older men who had come to London because their lives were under threat. I could go on......
Franc not troubles a civil war
@@miakeogh6844 Well that's what the people coming over from NI called them. When the Irish people that I knew mentioned the Civil War, they meant the war that broke out after Independence between Dev and Collins, when very sadly they fired cannons at the Four Courts and destroyed the National Archives that were being held there at that time.
the DeLorean was amazing.
Spoken like a true West of Ireland woman, lol fair play to her.
Go on Sionbhan!
"OK, Colom" is now a phrase in our house for when someone is rambling. Excellent show.
Love!
Siobhan McSweeney is a genius.
I really enjoy Irish wit, being 48% Irish. Loved this show.
48 per cent lol, that's a good one tbf
@@jdfiend I'm an American mutt, what can I say ;)
Having attended a parochial school in the US, Sister Michael's character his a little too close to home for me. Nonetheless, I would love to see you in other roles, as I respect you as a brilliant actor.
Orla’s character was my favorite character but I think it is because I am attracted to women like Orla’s character in real life. You know, like, random, off the cuff artsie independent types or whatever. And Sister Michael is my second favorite character on the show. But again that’s just me. The whole show is obviously brilliant.
I liked it too! Is there going to be anymore - or is it over?
over sadly
That’s it, no more
Everything I learned about the history of the whole of the uk came after school. Otherwise in England there’s glory in the imperial history, which as someone from Indian descent, lacked a certain something. That is, the other side of the story. It’s the same with Scotland, Ireland and Wales: histories that are essential when looking at the whole picture.
If England shafted you all, and STILL cannot admit to the truth, us ex-colonies have no chance.
For anyone with eyes to see, in London in the early 1960s, a racist imperialist history lesson was readily available for inspection at every newsagent or tobacconist shop that had a 'for rent' board outside. It was eventually made illegal, but as a young student I lost count of the numerous adverts back in those days that flatly stated: 'No coloured. No Irish'.
@@davidbouvier8895 In the forties and fifties it was For rent: no blacks no dogs no Irish need apply
@@eleanorchapple8772 I was just a kid growing up in the suburbs back then. Several decades later, an older Chinese colleague of mine in Vancouver BC told me that in Hong Kong, in those imperialist times, the lawns in front of British government buildings all sported signs that read 'No dogs. No Chinese'.
Me encantó ese “olé” cuando marcó la selección irlandesa de fútbol 😂
I had a nun much like Sister Michael in 6th grade in California. She made me laugh so hard, although in 6th grade I did not laugh. Maybe Sister Michael had more heart and soul than my teacher. So funny. Thank you Sister Michael.
I'm English and I feel like every country wants us to learn and understand about them but I don't have the time or the energy
I like Ireland but I don't want to learn as much as she'd like me to, I doubt she's Interested in what's happening where I live
Sister George Michael, to give her her full title!
It's not so much 'ignorance' concerning Northern Ireland that upsets me so much (as I used to live in Israel and I came across a lot of ignorance about there), but it is the ONE-SIDEDNESS from within and without that upsets me more, and it can be in support of either side, but it exists.
I'm American never taught that much about British history,self-taught.
The late Nobel Peace Prize winner John Hume, used to say that “the eyes of the world were upon us”, since moving to Canada from Derry, and speaking to people here, John was wrong, most people looked away.
James was hands down my favourite character. I can relate to him being an English kid growing up in a Celtic country (Wales in my case) as not being a whole lot of fun.
You do get blamed for pretty much everything. I was told at 5 by other kids in my school, that Thatcher was my fault.
I'm English and went to Cardiff uni and was told by a couple of Welsh students that I had drowned Capel Celyn to make the reservoir supplying water to Liverpool 🤡
@@lizzyhaddrell9018 Should have reminded them that Wales is subsidised with English money.
@@maxisussex Yup, my tuition fees were triple theirs and as a result so is my debt.
Just came back from a trip to Ireland and Northern Ireland including Derry. Have also watched DG and seen the mural. Derry made a strong impression on me with its murals and troubled history. Still they do all they can to make the city a nice and welcoming place today. I can strongly recommend it.
As a Danish history buff, I have never understood why the British havent handed over Northern Ireland to the Irish a long time ago. It has given them nothing but problems in recent times and it is the decent thing to do in this day and age. I guess it´s a matter of pride for the English - otherwise I don´t understand...
After WW1 Denmark was offered to get back all of Slesvig from Germany, which we had lost in 1864. We said no thanks, since we did not want to rule over people who didn´t want to be Danish. Instead we held a referendum. Northern Slesvig voted to come back to Denmark and Southern Slevig to stay in Germany and that solution has lasted since 1920.
I wonder what the result would be in Northern Ireland today if they took a vote ?
As a teacher I can't understand why it's not in the curriculum but a host of long dead Kings are.
That being said, thank heavens as no matter what sentence was the first line of the module there'd be utterly endless arguments from all sides about how outrageous it was.
And greedy murderous kings ugh
Since I moved to England: these people haven't heard of the UVF and think the IRA did more in England than NI.
These people?
In the US most people (including a lot of Irish-descendants) think Ireland is an island next to "the UK and Scotland" where everyone drinks, fights then does their hail marys at church. Also leprechauns. They also think the IRA is the "Irish mafia" 🤣
I once met a girl from the UK who didn't know Northern Ireland was a part of the UK. Literally had no idea that Ireland was a divided island.
And Helen Mirren didn’t know anything about the troubles in Ireland until Liam Neeson explained it to her. Not a criticism just a radio interview I listened to that she gave to the World Service in 1986
The DeLorean comes from Detroit, Michigan lol
The best ever
Never seen it I live in the UK
I didn't watch Derry girls because the girls weren't from Derry so my Dad, who is from Derry, didn't watch it. So neither did I.
All the characters on the show were so great. But I liked Sister George Michael the best.
Just taught about British history King George 3rd was a truant in school. I learned later he was one of the better British Kings,once again learned on my own.
Tyrant, excuse me.
Best show in yonks
I dont focus too much on the goings on in Ireland as I'm not a politician and cannot change them or allow them freedom from westminister. Its wild to me that the protestants want anything to do with the UK.
Most brits don’t know or care much about NI, which isn’t really fair on NI, but we aren’t taught it, so we’d have to find it out for ourselves. NI should just unite with the south, imho..
who are 'brits'?