Norn Iron
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Norn Iron is an informal and affectionate local nickname for Northern Ireland, derived from the pronunciation of the words "Northern Ireland" in an exaggerated Ulster accent (particularly one from the Greater Belfast area). The phrase is seen as a light-hearted politically neutral way to refer to the country, based as it is on a commonly shared regional accent.
This is in contrast to names such as the official Northern Ireland - which is unpopular with many Republicans, who object to its inherent notion of Ireland being more than one country, Ulster, which again is objected to by Republicans on the grounds that the state of Northern Ireland does not constitute the entire ancient Irish province of Ulster - or, on the opposite side of the sectarian divide, names such as "the six counties", or the slightly less politically charged "North of Ireland", which are used by Republicans and objected to by Unionists, as they define Northern Ireland in geographical rather than political terms.
"Norn Iron" is also used as a tongue-in-cheek nickname for the Northern Ireland national football team and appears on football memorabilia such as scarves and banners.
[edit] External links
- Speak Norn Iron - Comical website about Northern Irish language and culture
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