Trump did not seem to realize that there is something called the Republic of Ireland. This level of ignorance was mirrored by Seth Myers who does not seem the realize that there is something Northern Ireland that is part of the UK.
Mano Singhamsays
I am pretty sure that Meyers is well aware that Northern Ireland is part of the UK. He was using the fact that when people speak of just ‘Ireland’, they usually mean the Republic.
OverlappingMagisteriasays
Also, he said “…Ireland, as you know I have property in Ireland…”
As far as I can tell according to https://www.trump.com/real-estate-portfolio/ , he has a hotel and golf course in the Republic of Ireland, but nothing in Northern Ireland. So I’d say he was clearly referring to the former.
cartomancersays
To further muddy the waters, the term “The British Isles” does include Ireland, though that is a purely geographical term and not a political one. But Trump was clearly talking about the nation state.
One has to wonder, though, who he thought he was talking to when he met Leo Varadkar a couple of months ago.
jrkrideausays
Sorry Mano but Meyers was wrong and the map was a deliberate lie.
when people speak of just ‘Ireland’, they usually mean the Republic.
Only in the USA, one assumes.
@ OverlappingMagisteria …. Republic of Ireland….So I’d say he was clearly referring to the former.
Quite likely considering we are talking about Trump. He likely has no idea that there are two countries on the Irish landmass. He may not realize that Ireland is an island.
That does not excuse Meyers and his writers making such a stupid mistake.
jazzletsays
jrkrideau ‘#5
Not just in the USA, in the UK if you said Ireland many people would be referring to Eire, they would add Northern if they were talking about Northern Ireland. It gets more confusing when talking about people or things that are Irish, but even there a lot of people would say Irish and Northern Irish unless they were talking about something that applied to the whole island like dancing, it would partly depend on the conversation as a lot of the time the context would tell you which was being talked about without needing to add the qualifier. It’s not as loaded as whether you say Derry or Londonderry, but it is somewhat loaded.
jrkrideausays
@ 6 jazzlet Irish and Northern Irish
Good point and probably the same around here (heavy Irish, Scots, and English influence in the area) but Meyers comments combined with the map?
I can just see some Orange man (for American readers this is not a reference to the Donald) agreeing with some of Meyers comments.
On the other hand, what should I expect? John Oliver had a great skit on our Senate Expense scandal a few years ago in Ottawa. Funny and seemed accurate. The picture behind him was a great shot of Gatineau, Québec. Duh, turn around if you want Ottawa.
Rob Grigjanissays
cartomancer @4: I prefer the term “Anglo-Celtic Isles”.
jrkrideausays
@ 8 Rob Grigjanis
Not a lager lout in Turkey would ever find his way home. Oh, wait a minute…
Holmssays
#2
I disagree, I think it much more likely that they are referring to the island, perhaps under the assumption that the island is only occupied by one entity known as ‘Ireland’ with no national divide.
Holmssays
Ah, now that I’ve watched the thing, it is clear Meyers was referring to the Republic, which contradicts the point OM #3 made: Trmp was certainly referring to North Ireland. Whether he knows that there is another, independant Ireland is moot.
Trump did not seem to realize that there is something called the Republic of Ireland. This level of ignorance was mirrored by Seth Myers who does not seem the realize that there is something Northern Ireland that is part of the UK.
I am pretty sure that Meyers is well aware that Northern Ireland is part of the UK. He was using the fact that when people speak of just ‘Ireland’, they usually mean the Republic.
Also, he said “…Ireland, as you know I have property in Ireland…”
As far as I can tell according to https://www.trump.com/real-estate-portfolio/ , he has a hotel and golf course in the Republic of Ireland, but nothing in Northern Ireland. So I’d say he was clearly referring to the former.
To further muddy the waters, the term “The British Isles” does include Ireland, though that is a purely geographical term and not a political one. But Trump was clearly talking about the nation state.
One has to wonder, though, who he thought he was talking to when he met Leo Varadkar a couple of months ago.
Sorry Mano but Meyers was wrong and the map was a deliberate lie.
when people speak of just ‘Ireland’, they usually mean the Republic.
Only in the USA, one assumes.
@ OverlappingMagisteria
…. Republic of Ireland….So I’d say he was clearly referring to the former.
Quite likely considering we are talking about Trump. He likely has no idea that there are two countries on the Irish landmass. He may not realize that Ireland is an island.
That does not excuse Meyers and his writers making such a stupid mistake.
jrkrideau ‘#5
Not just in the USA, in the UK if you said Ireland many people would be referring to Eire, they would add Northern if they were talking about Northern Ireland. It gets more confusing when talking about people or things that are Irish, but even there a lot of people would say Irish and Northern Irish unless they were talking about something that applied to the whole island like dancing, it would partly depend on the conversation as a lot of the time the context would tell you which was being talked about without needing to add the qualifier. It’s not as loaded as whether you say Derry or Londonderry, but it is somewhat loaded.
@ 6 jazzlet
Irish and Northern Irish
Good point and probably the same around here (heavy Irish, Scots, and English influence in the area) but Meyers comments combined with the map?
I can just see some Orange man (for American readers this is not a reference to the Donald) agreeing with some of Meyers comments.
On the other hand, what should I expect? John Oliver had a great skit on our Senate Expense scandal a few years ago in Ottawa. Funny and seemed accurate. The picture behind him was a great shot of Gatineau, Québec. Duh, turn around if you want Ottawa.
cartomancer @4: I prefer the term “Anglo-Celtic Isles”.
@ 8 Rob Grigjanis
Not a lager lout in Turkey would ever find his way home. Oh, wait a minute…
#2
I disagree, I think it much more likely that they are referring to the island, perhaps under the assumption that the island is only occupied by one entity known as ‘Ireland’ with no national divide.
Ah, now that I’ve watched the thing, it is clear Meyers was referring to the Republic, which contradicts the point OM #3 made: Trmp was certainly referring to North Ireland. Whether he knows that there is another, independant Ireland is moot.