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====Northern Ireland: British, Irish and dual citizenships==== ====Northern Ireland: British, Irish and dual citizenships====


People of ] are entitled to Irish citizenship by default (Irish citizenship being a fundamental "entitlement" that extends to all of the island). This automatically allows for ] British and Irish citizenship. Unequivocal "single citizenship" can be applied for from the UK and the ]. Consequently, Northern Irish people can be British only, Irish only, British while flexible on becoming Irish, or explicitly both British and Irish. People of ] are entitled to Irish citizenship by default (Irish citizenship being a fundamental "entitlement" that extends to all of the island). This automatically allows for ] British and Irish citizenship. Unequivocal "single citizenship" can be applied for from the UK and ]. Consequently, Northern Irish people can be British only, Irish only, British while flexible on becoming Irish, or explicitly both British and Irish.


====The Crown dependencies==== ====The Crown dependencies====
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</gallery> </gallery>


The ] include three ] that are not part of the United Kingdom. The Crown dependencies and the United Kingdom are collectively known as the "]". There are three ] that are not part of the United Kingdom. The Crown dependencies and the United Kingdom are collectively known as the "]".


The Crown dependencies are: The Crown dependencies are:


*''']''' (a self-governing dependency) *''']''' (a self-governing dependency)


The ''']''' comprising of: The ''']''' comprising of:
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*''']''' *''']'''


Citizens of the Crown dependencies are officially classed as “British citizens”, but as with citizens of the ], the accuracy of the appellation regarding each person should be verified. Citizens of the Crown dependencies are officially classed as “British citizens”.


====Celtic heritage within Britain and Ireland==== ====Celtic heritage within Britain and Ireland====


<gallery> <gallery>
Image:LocationBritishIsles.png|The British Isles
Image:Celtic Nations.svg|The "Celtic Nations" Image:Celtic Nations.svg|The "Celtic Nations"
</gallery> </gallery>


The United Kingdom is part of an ] of islands collectively known as the ] (which includes all of Ireland). The islands were once inhabited by ] tribes, the heritage of which lives on today. The United Kingdom was once inhabited by ] tribes, the heritage of which lives on today.
] are areas of modern ] inhabited by members of celtic cultures especially where the language is still spoken.


==Modern-age naming methods in use==
The remaining Celtic cultures are sometimes called the "]":


The ] describes the timelines of unification and conflict leading to the formation of the ]. This rich history has led to diverse methods of referring to a citizen's nationality.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Branch
! Area
! Name of Celtic people
! Language
! Celtic culture
! Example of use
|-
| rowspan = 3 |]
| ] and ]
| ''']'''
| ]
| ] is taught in the ] schools, (where 40% regard themselves as "competent") and in ] (where 10% "have some knowledge").
| ]
|-
| ]
| ''']'''
| ]
| ] has always had its own legal system. Around 60,000 ] citizens speak ] (1%), and around 1.5m (25%) speak ] (an ] hybrid). In 1989 it successfully voted for its own ], and a referendum for complete independence is currently scheduled for 2010.
| ]
|-
| ]
| ''']'''
| ]
| The ] is a self governing ] in the ], situated between northern England and Northern Ireland. Although the ] is no longer commonly spoken, a hybrid form of ] is widely used – which contains many original Manx words.
| ]
|-
| rowspan=2 |]
| ]
| ''']'''
| ]
| ] is spoken by 600,000 people (20% of the population), and ] is bilingually sign-posted. In 1998 ] successfully voted for its own ].
| ]
|-
| ]
| ''']'''
| ]
| The ] of ] is the South-western peninsula-tip of ]. The ] and culture has undergone a renaissance in recent years. It is spoken by 3,500 people.
| ]
|-
|}

(A sixth "nation", ], is a province in north-western France. Many ] also identify with their Celtic history and language.)

==Timeline (with historical examples)==

] did not come peacefully for the countries involved. It happened first in the 16C between England and Wales, during the Welsh-decended ] dynasty. In the 18C, after the Tudor-connected Scottish ] became king, the ] was formed. Unification happened with ] after it was eventually conquered by Great Britain: this lead to the first "United Kingdom" comprising of Great Britain and the island of Ireland. The second (and current) "United kingdom" comprises of Great Britain and ], after the ] achieved ].

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Date (CE)
! Event
!
! Event-related nationality
! Example of use
|-
| ]-]
| ] of the ] tribes of ]
| ], or ] is often used for ]. The terms ] or "]" can be used for its people
| ]
| ]
|-
| ]-]
| emergence of ''']'''
| Pictish or Gaelic
| ], ]
| ] or ]; but remember characters such as ], ], and ], who may be either.
|-
| ]-] (excluding Galloway c. 900-1230s )
| south of Forth before 1200s
| British or English/Anglo-Saxon/etc (depending on culture)
| British or English (depending on culture)
| ], ], or, ], ]
|-
| ]-]
| consolidation of ''']'''
| ] is often used for the ] of kingdoms that came to be known as "England" sometime in the 10C.
| ]
| ]
|-
| ]-]
| consolidation of ''']'''
| ] is generally used; "British" and "Briton" used in contexts into the later middle ages
| ] (or British, Briton, per above)
| ]
|-
| ]-]
| consolidation of ''']'''
| Both ], and ] (though as with England (1066), avoid calling first or second generation Norman incomers "Scottish")
| ], ]
| ]
|-
| ]
| ]
| The ] significantly changed the course of English history. The ] gradually became naturalised, as did ] itself with France.
| ]
| ], ]
|-
| ]
| ]
| Following the invasion, a series of unexpected events causes central authority in Ireland to fall into union with the English Crown. However, despite Gaelic Ireland loosing central authority, the English Crown but is unable to consolidate authority effectively leading to a centuries-long power struggle.
| ]
|-
| ]
| unification of ]
| Wales officially became a "]".
| ], ]
| ], ]
|-
| ] - mid-1600s
| ], ]
| The Gaelic order in Ireland collapses following protracted war with England and central English authority is consolidated in Ireland. A hundred thousand English and Scottish settlers are "planted" in ] to ensure a quash resistance in the province, sowing communal differences that underly the modern conflict in Northern Ireland.
| ], ]
| ]
|-
| ]
| unification with ]
| The "]" was created. The term "''']'''" came into common usage.
| ] becomes an option
| ], ], ]
|-
| ]
| unification with ]
| The ] was created.
| ], ]
| ], ]
|-
| ]-]
| creation of ''']''' and ].
| The ] was created. ''
*(See ''] above)''
| ], ]
| ], ]
|-
| present-day
| ''']'''
| All uses for present-day citizens:
| ], ], ], ], ], ]
|
*(See '']'' below)
|}

==Present-day UK nationality (examples of use)==


Editors have strongly opposing ideas on the relative importance of the appellations "British", "English", "Northern Irish", "Scottish" and "Welsh". All are proud and highly individual countries, and each contain people that cherish their independence as much as their union (and in many cases, more so). Editors have strongly opposing ideas on the relative importance of the appellations "British", "English", "Northern Irish", "Scottish" and "Welsh". All are proud and highly individual countries, and each contain people that cherish their independence as much as their union (and in many cases, more so).
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Various different methods of referring to a UK citizen's nationality have been adopted, including: Various different methods of referring to a UK citizen's nationality have been adopted, including:


*"'''Jane Smith... is a ] chef.'''" &ndash; who happens to be English.
{| class="wikitable"
*"'''John Brown... is an ] lyricist.'''" &ndash; who writes about English life.
|-
*"'''Liam O'Connor... was a ]-born footballer.'''" &ndash; an "]" from Northern Ireland, perhaps.
! Name and title
*"'''Muira McClair... is a ] politician from ].'''" &ndash; who is part of the ].
! Nationality
*"'''Dafydd Gruffudd... was a ] author.'''" &ndash; even though he wrote in English, rather than ].
! Note
*"'''David Tanner (born on ] ] in ], ], ]) is a football pundit'''" &ndash; who has only his birth country mentioned.
|-
| '''Jane Smith'''
| is a ] chef...
| who happens to be English.
|-
| '''John Brown'''
| is an ] lyricist...
| who writes about English life.
|-
| '''Liam O'Connor'''
| was a ]-born footballer...
| who is an "]" from Northern Ireland, perhaps.
|-
| '''Muira McClair'''
| is a ] politician from ]...
| who is part of the ].
|-
| '''Dafydd Gruffudd'''
| was a ] author...
| who happened to write in English, rather than ].
|-
| '''David Tanner'''
| (born on ] ] in ], ], ]) is a football pundit...
| who has only his birth country mentioned.
|-
| '''Tommy Arrow'''
| is a ] comedian...
| ''Occurs occasionally, but is considered by many to be a lazy option.''
|}


No variation is particular to any one nationality. No variation is particular to any one nationality.

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Misplaced Pages: Manual of Style (biographies) provides that the opening paragraph of a biographical article should state the person's "nationality". However, there is no consensus on how this guideline should be applied to people from the United Kingdom.

This essay provides a brief breakdown of the United Kingdom, giving examples of how the constituent nationalities have been described, and offers a guide on finding the best "opening paragraph" nationality for a UK citizen. This essay includes examples of nationalities of those from the UK's predecessor states.

Constituent countries of the UK

The United Kingdom

  • The United Kingdom The United Kingdom

The United Kingdom (in full, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) is made up of four constituent countries (known in the UK as the "home nations"):

Under British law, these four countries are an equal union, sharing a common British nationality (see British nationality law). The terms "Britain" and "Great Britain" are often used to mean "the United Kingdom". A UK passport describes its holder as a "British citizen".

Northern Ireland: British, Irish and dual citizenships

People of Northern Ireland are entitled to Irish citizenship by default (Irish citizenship being a fundamental "entitlement" that extends to all of the island). This automatically allows for dual British and Irish citizenship. Unequivocal "single citizenship" can be applied for from the UK and Ireland. Consequently, Northern Irish people can be British only, Irish only, British while flexible on becoming Irish, or explicitly both British and Irish.

The Crown dependencies

  • Guernsey and Jersey Guernsey and Jersey

There are three Crown dependencies that are not part of the United Kingdom. The Crown dependencies and the United Kingdom are collectively known as the "British Islands".

The Crown dependencies are:

The Channel Islands comprising of:

Citizens of the Crown dependencies are officially classed as “British citizens”.

Celtic heritage within Britain and Ireland

  • The "Celtic Nations" The "Celtic Nations"

The United Kingdom was once inhabited by Celtic tribes, the heritage of which lives on today. Celtic nations are areas of modern Europe inhabited by members of celtic cultures especially where the language is still spoken.

Modern-age naming methods in use

The History of the United Kingdom describes the timelines of unification and conflict leading to the formation of the United Kingdom. This rich history has led to diverse methods of referring to a citizen's nationality.

Editors have strongly opposing ideas on the relative importance of the appellations "British", "English", "Northern Irish", "Scottish" and "Welsh". All are proud and highly individual countries, and each contain people that cherish their independence as much as their union (and in many cases, more so).

Various different methods of referring to a UK citizen's nationality have been adopted, including:

No variation is particular to any one nationality.

Guide to finding UK nationality

The following guide is designed to help find the right "opening paragraph" nationality for a UK citizen's biography.

  • When looking for available evidence (perhaps through biographies, encyclopedias and news articles), bear in mind that there is often no consensus across the UK, and many conflicting examples can exist for any one person. Often, however, a clear national preference can arise (e.g., Sean Connery is widely referred to as a Scottish actor).
  • Bear in mind too that non-UK media can make simplistic (and erroneous) assumptions about UK citizens: some use only British or English to describe them.
  • Look specifically for evidence that the person has a preferred nationality. You may wish to refer to the evidence in a footnote. The writer Iris Murdoch considered herself to be Irish, though some feel she was perhaps wrong to do so: the current consensus on Misplaced Pages is to call her "Dublin-born".
  • Each UK home nation has its various national sporting teams, which are often are allowed to recruit new team members based on the nationality of their parents or grandparents. These players are sometimes described as a nationals of their team's nation, and often become proud to be a representative of the two different nations. The original nationality of the player is usually used in these cases – though some players may choose to adopt the nationality of the country they played for.

Changing an exisiting UK nationality

It cannot be called "wrong" to change an existing nationality (e.g., Welsh to British, or British to Irish) provided a sufficient connection exists.

Before making a change:

  1. Consider why the existing nationality was chosen.
  2. Examine the article for details that support the existing label.
  3. Look for existing consensus on the discussion page, and in any archives that may be present.
  4. Conduct research to be certain your choice is preferable (you can consult the guide above).

Sometimes no single "correct" choice exists. Is your change actually for the better? An editor may query you, or revert your choice – so be prepared to explain your decision.

Above all, be civil, assume good faith and respect other people's points of view. It is of course OK to "be bold" and apply your choice, but remember that strong feelings surround UK identity, and firm disagreement may arise!

Do NOT enforce uniformity

It is not possible to create a uniforming guideline, when such strong disagreement exists on the relative importance of the labels.

Re-labelling nationalities on grounds of consistency – making every UK citizen "British", or converting each of those labelled "British" into their constituent nationalities – is strongly discouraged. Such imposed uniformity cannot, in any case, be sustained.

Do NOT "edit war"!

Be aware that "edit warring" with other editors by repeatedly changing the text of an article to suit your views is against Misplaced Pages policy, and may lead to action being taken against you by Misplaced Pages administrators.

Cannot decide?

If you are still uncertain how your UK citizen's nationality is best labelled, you may wish to follow this course of action:

  1. Look at what others have done in comparable articles.
  2. Post a message asking for advice or assistance on the talk page, and/or on relevant WikiProjects and notice boards.
  3. Consider simply leaving the matter to someone who has a better feeling for it.
  4. When an idea of nationality exists, consider deferring to that view.

WikiProjects and notice boards

See also

Notes

  1. See the archived discussion that took place in late 2007 at British, or English, Scottish, Welsh, (Northern) Irish?, and the 2008 discussion on this essay at Discussion on draft essay "Misplaced Pages:Nationality of people from the United Kingdom".
  2. Conradi, Peter J. (2001-09-08). "Iris Murdoch: A Life by Peter J Conradi: Iris Murdoch always claimed she was Irish. But was she mythologising herself?". The Guardian (Saturday Review). {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
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