Spin-off: American and British/Irish culture Q&A thread.

[Buzz Rules]

That must depend on where you live. They are not a thing in my region and I don't know anyone who has ever been to anything like that.

The Northeastern USA has a variety of historical fairs/events. If you look at my renfair thread, there are links to where they are in the USA. 18th century re-enactments varies from region to region based on historical significance and if someone has a registered re-enactment group.

 

[Buzz Rules]

I do remember them in Wisconsin (not talking Medieval Times - we had those in Chicago), but I have not seen them around Georgia.

There is a renfair in Georgia.

 

[john7994]

There is a renfair in Georgia.

That could very well be - but I have no idea what they are doing. To be fair, if it's not Harry Potter themed and I can't bring my wand, I am likely not a good candidate for it

 

[Buzz Rules]

That could very well be - but I have no idea what they are doing. To be fair, if it's not Harry Potter themed and I can't bring my wand, I am likely not a good candidate for it

People dress up as wizards/Merlin all the time at renfairs.
https://www.garenfest.com/
My other thread has details about renfairs in the USA.

 

[john7994]

People dress up as wizards/Merlin all the time at renfairs.

You are just toying with me now ... right? *Muggles*

 

[Buzz Rules]

You are just toying with me now ... right? *Muggles*

Renfair thread:
https://www.disboards.com/threads/w...r-or-skip-it-due-to-covid-19-worries.3839623/

 

[Jangles]

Almost every city in the U.K. has a theatre, often more than one, and musicals, dramas, ballets, opera are well attended. In Cardiff we have the millennium centre, which is the home of the Welsh National Opera and you can buy tickets ‘in the Gods’ for about £5. Throughout the country there are art festivals, Edinburgh fringe, Cheltenham Literary etc., and they are well supported.
Is it the same in the U.S.?

This is a photograph of the Welsh Millennium Centre. The script reads ‘ “CREU GWIR GWYDR O FFWRNAIS AWEN,” which translated into English means “Truth is as clear as glass forged in the flames of inspiration.”

Really I am trying to convince you all to visit Wales.

Oh, and we have pantomime at Christmas time, which I think is a solely British form of theatre and entertainment.

 

[Buzz Rules]

Almost every city in the U.K. has a theatre, often more than one, and musicals, dramas, ballets, opera are well attended. In Cardiff we have the millennium centre, which is the home of the Welsh National Opera and you can buy tickets ‘in the Gods’ for about £5. Throughout the country there are art festivals, Edinburgh fringe, Cheltenham Literary etc., and they are well supported.
Is it the same in the U.S.?

This is a photograph of the Welsh Millennium Centre. The script reads ‘ “CREU GWIR GWYDR O FFWRNAIS AWEN,” which translated into English means “Truth is as clear as glass forged in the flames of inspiration.”

Really I am trying to convince you all to visit Wales.

Oh, and we have pantomime at Christmas time, which I think is a solely British form of theatre and entertainment.

View attachment 674673View attachment 674673

We have theaters and opera houses all over the USA (particularly in all our major cities). Suburbs vary depending on their financial history. Shakespeare festivals are also a thing for some areas during the summer.

 

[john7994]

Almost every city in the U.K. has a theatre, often more than one, and musicals, dramas, ballets, opera are well attended. In Cardiff we have the millennium centre, which is the home of the Welsh National Opera and you can buy tickets ‘in the Gods’ for about £5. Throughout the country there are art festivals, Edinburgh fringe, Cheltenham Literary etc., and they are well supported.
Is it the same in the U.S.?

This is a photograph of the Welsh Millennium Centre. The script reads ‘ “CREU GWIR GWYDR O FFWRNAIS AWEN,” which translated into English means “Truth is as clear as glass forged in the flames of inspiration.”

Really I am trying to convince you all to visit Wales.

Oh, and we have pantomime at Christmas time, which I think is a solely British form of theatre and entertainment.

View attachment 674673View attachment 674673

Well I had a trip planned in April 2020 - but the date probably seems familiar to some
It was a whole London/Paris thing with a side-trip to Dublin. So, I would have been generally in the area

 

[john7994]

I'm that odd Irish person who doesnt follow sport

Most Irish people have a UK soccer team follow, and before Covid, going to a game in England was a big thing.

For the GAA sports, people usually follow the team from the county of their birth. There is huge rivalry between some counties which gets interesting at the middle and end of the season as the National finals get closer. Often times members of the same household will support different counties which results in hilarious family arguments on match days.

The Wife's Father and family is from Galway County

 

[NotUrsula]

My Dad played GAA football for Donegal as a young man; he was a big guy for an Irishman but fast with a ball. (Naturally I'm a Donegal supporter, LOL.)

The Irish really like their homegrown sports; just like traditional music, they are ancient, and a source of national pride. In the years just after independence it was considered unpatriotic to play British sports instead, and though that prejudice is gone now, the GAA is still powerful, so a sporty kid is just as likely to have an opportunity to play Gaelic football as soccer, and many play both, along with hurling/camogie.

There is also a fairly large American Gaelic sports movement, mostly in cities that once had large immigrant populations during the diaspora: https://usgaa.org/gaelic-football/ (I can watch hurling and Gaelic football here in St. Louis; we have very active local GAA-affiliated clubs. Sadly, though, neither of my children were interested in playing.)

 

[Buzz Rules]

Speaking of history taught in the UK/Ireland, are you guys taught about your countries’ role in the US Civil War? Many Welsh, Scottish, and Irish immigrants helped the USA win the war. England was divided on the war as many who relied on slave picked cotton for their businesses actually wanted the US to lose to the confederacy. So if you have any relatives that immigrated to the US at the time of the war and fought for the Union, I just want to say thank you for their service and thank you for your countries being there to help during our country’s time of need. With Flag Day and Juneteenth coming up, I was thinking of a positive impact your countries provided ours in some shared history.

 

[Buzz Rules]

To the Brits, are you taught that the British invented the “turtle” submarine or us Americans? I’ve heard that you guys try to take credit for it while it is clearly an American invention.

 

[BadPinkTink]

Speaking of history taught in the UK/Ireland, are you guys taught about your countries’ role in the US Civil War? Many Welsh, Scottish, and Irish immigrants helped the USA win the war. England was divided on the war as many who relied on slave picked cotton for their businesses actually wanted the US to lose to the confederacy. So if you have any relatives that immigrated to the US at the time of the war and fought for the Union, I just want to say thank you for their service and thank you for your countries being there to help during our country’s time of need. With Flag Day and Juneteenth coming up, I was thinking of a positive impact your countries provided ours in some shared history.

I don't really remember being taught about the Irish immigrants in the US Civil War but its something I just kinda knew / assumed due to knowing / being taught about The Famine and the huge amount of Irish who went to America.

 

[Jangles]

To the Brits, are you taught that the British invented the “turtle” submarine or us Americans? I’ve heard that you guys try to take credit for it while it is clearly an American invention.

William Bourne and Drebbel of course. We give you credit for weaponising our invention.

 

[Buzz Rules]

I don't really remember being taught about the Irish immigrants in the US Civil War but its something I just kinda knew / assumed due to knowing / being taught about The Famine and the huge amount of Irish who went to America.

There are a couple famous US Civil War Union army songs written specifically from an Irish perspective. You can find them on YouTube.

 

[BadPinkTink]

There are a couple famous US Civil War Union army songs written specifically from an Irish perspective. You can find them on YouTube.

correction written from an American Irish perspective. Back then and kinda up to the 1950's 1960's when people left Ireland and went to America they never came back and basically lost contact with their Irish families. When they left Ireland a big party was held for them, called an American Wake. Most Irish people know they have family somewhere in America but unless they went recently to America as in the last 20 years, they are unknown.

Its only if or when the American Irish trace their family in Ireland is contact made and family known. This happened in my family. One of my dads ancestors went to America about 150 years ago and was just a name on a family tree to us. About 20 years ago his descents in America went looking for their Irish family and connected with my mom on an Ancestry website. I met up with them a few years ago on one of my trips to California.

 

[Buzz Rules]

correction written from an American Irish perspective. Back then and kinda up to the 1950's 1960's when people left Ireland and went to America they never came back and basically lost contact with their Irish families. When they left Ireland a big party was held for them, called an American Wake. Most Irish people know they have family somewhere in America but unless they went recently to America as in the last 20 years, they are unknown.

Its only if or when the American Irish trace their family in Ireland is contact made and family known. This happened in my family. One of my dads ancestors went to America about 150 years ago and was just a name on a family tree to us. About 20 years ago his descents in America went looking for their Irish family and connected with my mom on an Ancestry website. I met up with them a few years ago on one of my trips to California.

Well, I meant some Irish immigrants immediately were recruited off the boat and sent to fight in the Union army as demonstrated in this clip:

 

[BadPinkTink]

Well, I meant some Irish immigrants immediately were recruited off the boat and sent to fight in the Union army as demonstrated in this clip:

again, that would not be known about and is not something Irish people really care about. Back in those times, the people who left Ireland were essentially dead.

See this is just what I mentioned in previous posts, the disconnect between the Americans who have Irish heritage and modern day Ireland.

Other than having a personal interest in American history, the average modern day Irish person has no knowledge of and no real interest in the American Irish culture and community.

To be really honest Americans who have Irish heritage are ridiculed and something to laugh at in Ireland. We see them as good for the economy as they come here and spend lots of money, so the Irish Tourist Authority specifically target them, and market Ireland as the land of shamrocks and rainbows and Guinness. But outside of the tourist industry, this whole American Irish thing, the way Americans come here and think time stood still and the country and people are like how it was in 1845, modern day Irish people have no time for.

 

[Jangles]

again, that would not be known about and is not something Irish people really care about. Back in those times, the people who left Ireland were essentially dead.

See this is just what I mentioned in previous posts, the disconnect between the Americans who have Irish heritage and modern day Ireland.

Other than having a personal interest in American history, the average modern day Irish person has no knowledge of and no real interest in the American Irish culture and community.

To be really honest Americans who have Irish heritage are ridiculed and something to laugh at in Ireland. We see them as good for the economy as they come here and spend lots of money, so the Irish Tourist Authority specifically target them, and market Ireland as the land of shamrocks and rainbows and Guinness. But outside of the tourist industry, this whole American Irish thing, the way Americans come here and think time stood still and the country and people are like how it was in 1845, modern day Irish people have no time for.

That’s interesting, but you can you discount the political influence ( interference)? Apparently the Welsh were happy in Wales and didn’t emigrate to the U.S., and those that did lost their way and ended up in Patagonia.