Ha, yeah. I can imagine.
I'm in England though, so I'm rosy.
All I have to worry about is the occasional request from my dear old grandmother to say a prayer for her, which can be an awkward one.
It's a funny one, what you identify with as an individual.
My grandparents on my father's side are from Cork, and my dad was born in England. My mum is English and Protestant. I was born in England.
I went to Catholic schools in England.
It's a funny one.
On the one hand you're English, and you're proud to be British, and on the other hand you have Irish heritage and a Celtic name, which you're proud of as well.
But Britain has been pretty shit to Ireland, to say the least. And then you have the IRA placing car bombs on British soil, in my lifetime.
It's a conflicting one which can be an odd one to get your head around at times.
In fact, I'd go as far as to say that I'm pretty indifferent about it all. 'Proud' is probably the wrong way of putting it, for a long time I've been of the opinion that's it's all unimportant shite. What my identity is even. I've heard all the daft poisonous shit, for example when my old man has been drunk and been banging on about the 'round heads', and 'prods' (of which my mum is of course one).
I don't believe in having a monarchy or any of that shite though for example, I think that's backwards nonsense in a modern 21st century country.
One of the biggest things which forced me to reflect on my identity was when I applied for the Royal Marines. 'Queen and country', and all that lark.
What you identified as on your forms for example. Irish? English? British?
I pipped for British in the end, still don't know if it was a cop out or not.
Was a funny one. I'd have been happy to serve, and wanted to, but I was failed medically during the application process after passing my interview.
Plenty of Irish lads actually come over from Ireland to serve in the British army as well for example, but I know a lot of people will frown on that.
A good mate of mine, born in England, English mum, Irish dad and name (much like myself), served in the Irish Guards in the British Army.
It's a funny one to get your head around really.
You could drive yourself mad dwelling on it too much.
Still don't know how to feel about it all really. I think it's pretty unimportant ultimately, maybe there'll come a time where I have to reflect on it again and I'll find myself even more confused. I don't know.