Talk:Graeme McDowell

Nationality
McDowell is British - this is true of everyone from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. This could not be clearer. McDowell's "nationality", in a golfing sense, is clear cut - he represents Northern Ireland. His profile on the European Tour's site clearly identifies him with Northern Ireland -  (flag in upper left corner) and  (Country=NIR). And the Official World Golf Rankings also clearly associated him with Northern Ireland (Country=Nir). - Tewapack (talk) 04:00, 23 December 2009 (UTC)
 * I have shown a reliable source that disagrees with above he plays under the flag of Ireland. BigDunc  12:05, 23 December 2009 (UTC)


 * Yes he plays under the flag of Ireland in one team tournament. As was pointed out, he also has played for "Great Britain and Ireland" and "Europe" in other team events. But he plays all year under the Northern Ireland banner. - Tewapack (talk) 16:11, 23 December 2009 (UTC)
 * Your post above states my point one flag shouldn't get top billing. BigDunc  18:15, 23 December 2009 (UTC)

quite simple- He was born in the Island of Ireland and considers himself Irish


 * Anonymous Golf Fan- I agree with the above, when he received his US Open trophy he talked about how he loved the Irish support at the tournament and said "there's something about the Irish, they just seem to get everywhere, and it's great". I really think this is a man who would want to be called (Northern) Irish and not British.

I believe Graeme would prefer to be called Irish AND British.
 * He's just been awarded an MBE and will accept it so regardless of any other nationality he must still be considered a UK citizen. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 94.194.13.221 (talk) 02:05, 31 December 2010 (UTC)

—Preceding unsigned comment added by 80.169.140.66 (talk) 08:05, 22 June 2010 (UTC)

"I'm Irish"
McDowell in his own words: McDowell grew up with a Protestant father and Catholic mother, victims of some social fallout when they dated. Because golf is a 32-county sport, McDowell played for Ireland, proudly wearing the green blazer. He carries British and Irish passports. Little wonder then he’s apolitical. “I tell people around the world I’m Irish because people love the Irish,” he said. “The second you say ‘Northern Ireland,’ they kind of look at you funny. The people are exactly the same. I sit on the fence because I don’t see where else I can sit.”(Source: McDowell authors life-changing season in ’10) (28 Dec. 2010). 79.97.154.238 (talk) 17:35, 21 October 2012 (UTC)

Nationality vs ethnicity
I think what some of you may be missing is the idea that being Irish is not mutually exclusive with being British. One can be both British AND Irish. There is, for many people, no conflict in that assertion.

In fact, close to half of all people in Northern Ireland feel in some way British AND Irish. According to a well-respected academic poll, 28% of people in Northern Ireland consider themselves British but not Irish, while 26% consider themselves Irish but not British. That amounts to 54% of the population, leaving 46% of people feeling both British AND Irish. Or, rather, 40% as 6% use some other description.

Also, according to the same poll, the most acceptable term other than British or Irish is Northern Irish. It was welcomed, when given as a sole choice of four options, by more than a quarter Catholics, more than a quarter of those with no religion, and more than 1-in-5 of Protestants.

Further to that is the number of people who would be happy to be described as Northern Irish, if that was a second or third preference (instead of a single preference, as given by the poll). According to the 2011 UK census, well over half a million people described themselves as Northern Irish.

All together, according to the 2007 Life and Times Survey which asked how strongly people felt about each label, 84% of people of Northern Ireland felt at least in some way Northern Irish was a fitting description. Only 78% and 77% of people felt at least in some way British and Irish, respectively.

On top of this, given that 78% and 77% ads up to well over 100%, this means that many people feel some combination of British AND Irish.

When dealing with facts alone, all people born before 1980 in Northern Ireland are British automatically. Anyone born in Northern Ireland after that, who has a parent who was born in Northern Ireland before 1980, is also automatically British. Anyone born after 1980 in Northern Ireland, to parents living in Northern Ireland, is also automatically assigned British nationality and afforded British protection and rights unless disputed. The only way for a British person to not be British is to specifically petition the monarchy (presumably via a government department). A person can also become a citizen of the Republic of Ireland - but the 1998 Agreement didn't make that happen. It was already happening. The Agreement just recognised that fact. Becoming a citizen of the Republic does not automatically remove British citizenship. Even Gerry Adams, though he does not like the fact and would assert otherwise, is a British citizen (making the assumption that he has not petitioned for a change to his nationality).

These are the facts, and perhaps an encyclopaedia should report the facts. Just a suggestion! Certainly a note could be put into a section of the main body which describes the subject's personal loyalty (or loyalties), and that would obviously respect the spirit of the Agreement.

In response to the idea that anyone who represents the island in sports competitions considers themselves a citizen of the Republic of Ireland, is a different matter. That some 32-county bodies elect to display the flag of the 26-county sovereign state does not mean anything other than that said body is making a political statement which is offensive to some. It would be like.. I don't know.. calling Northern Ireland "Ulster". ;) --98.122.20.56 (talk) 07:31, 21 June 2016 (UTC)

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