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Remember Mary Davis's slogan in last year's presidential election? Do we overegg our national pride, asks Mark Boyle? Photocall Ireland archive

Column Yes, Ireland is special but fewer care than we think

We’ve done well for a small island nation, writes Mark Boyle from Japan, but we shouldn’t overstate our sense of exceptionalism: it doesn’t serve us well abroad.

“YOU’LL NEVER BEAT the Irish” sang the full-throated fans in Poland as they watched the Boys in Green getting soundly thrashed by three obviously superior teams. The euphoria and tear-blinking pride in these words distracts one from the fact that we have been beaten many times, are currently being beaten by economics and assuredly will be beaten again. But that’s not a comment on us: it’s the truth for any and all nations.

Exceptionalism is the belief that whereas others may fall within the same bell curve of virtues and failings that everybody else does, you are different, you are the exception and the Irish are divils for it.

This tendency to some degree is a normal human trait so is nothing to feel too guilty about. A majority of people believe themselves to be of above average intelligence even if you point out how statistically unlikely it might be. In effect this translates to everybody saying to themselves “there sure are a lot of stupid people in the world. I’m glad I’m not one of them.” Statistically speaking, some of us have to be below average so that others may be above.

But the Irish have always known ourselves to be special. We are a small, resource-shy island that historically had the misfortune of being placed between the cold wall of the Atlantic and the stifling abuse of another, larger country, ambitious and aggressive enough to be at one point the most successful colonial power in the world. Yet here we sit in relative prosperity and self-appointed authority, engaging in the adventure of nationhood like our erstwhile oppressors.

We punch above our weight economically with the fourth highest GDP per head in the Eurozone. We have a history of excellence with four Nobel prizes for literature and scientific pioneers like Robert Boyle and Nicholas Callan who made some of the greatest discoveries in sciences’ history. On our emigrant backs were populated both the nations of Australia and America, not to mention the great industrial cities of Liverpool, Manchester and Glasgow. In short, we’ve done pretty well.

“We draw on the achievements of every Irish person in our history, from Katie Taylor to Fionn MacCumhaill”

All nations go through times of change and transition. Germany as it is now known was only conceived of in the late 1800s and fledgling nations like Kosovo and Southern Sudan even now are shakily trying to secure recognition for the very idea of their country.

Perhaps it is the fact that we are an island nation and our borders have the undeniable permanence of the sea that has made it easier for us to look back at previous inhabitants and absorb their victories as our own. For if they lived on this island, we can say confidently they were Irish. Such
certainty gives us a long memory and allows us to draw upon the achievements of every Irish person in our history, from Katie Taylor to Fionn MacCumhaill.

But who else knows about them or us?

When I first came to Japan as a teacher in 2010 I thought a good way to introduce Ireland would be by showing off our more internationally renowned sons and daughters. Head and shoulders photographs of Liam Neeson, Bono, Oscar Wilde, Roy Keane and Mary Robinson were run off on the school printer and I decided to test them out on my co-workers.

“Here are some pictures of famous Irish people,” I announced.

“Oh are they [blank face]? Mmm… [nods] very nice.”

There have only been three occasions that someone came up to me, interested that I was Irish as opposed to just foreign. Once was when they saw on the national news the grim humiliation of the troika coming to Dublin.

Another was when a colleague wanted to talk to me about the Icelandic volcano as he assumed (as many do here) that Ireland and Iceland were the same thing. “Is your mother alright?” he asked gravely.

Finally one of my sixth-class students called me over a few days ago and as he is a bit of a chancer I expected the worst. Perhaps an inappropriate comment about me or my girlfriend was on the cards but surprisingly he shouted “Ireland! Soccer!”

“Yes!” I thought, “they finally understand where I’m from. Not Iceland, England or America. Ireland!”

“Mark-sensei, Robbie Keane is unskilled.”

“Um. Thanks.”

“I had gotten ahead of myself in how I saw Ireland compared to the rest of the world”

This was not what I expected when I came out, my assumption being that the Irish were as internationally de rigeur as we are always led to believe. Perhaps it is a bit much to expect my students to know who Mary Robinson is; after all who among us can name the Japanese Prime Minister?

I had gotten ahead of myself in how I saw Ireland compared to the rest of the world.

More recently glimpses of this could be seen as countless financial and European commentators were pressed in the media on the question of what would be the outcome if Ireland voted No in the referendum, would it derail the Eurozone nations’ attempts to consolidate fiscal policy across the Eurozone states? Time and again it was pointed out Europe had no intention of waiting for such a minor player in Europe.

One could argue that there was a measure of it driving John Delaney to ask FIFA for a 33-nation world cup in 2010, although to be fair, the flailing foolishness of heartbreak also played its part.

As well as we have done in the past, if we allow our geographical isolation and historical awareness to compound our natural tendency towards exceptionalism, it may only embarrass us internationally at a time when we can ill-afford it.

All countries think they’re different and perhaps Ireland has a better claim than most, but in any claim it would behove us to remember how small we really are.

That would be very small indeed.

Mark Boyle is currently working with the Japanese Exchange and Teaching programme, teaching English in rural Japan.

Update, 9.45am: A reader emailed to ask that it be noted that not only have Irish people won four Nobel Prizes for Literature, but also two for Peace and one for Physics.

Read: How Japanese people interact with their state is the inverse of the Irish>

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    Mute Larissa Nikolaus
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    Jul 11th 2018, 3:24 PM

    It certainly is a good idea, but how do you enforce this law?

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    Mute Hans Vos
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    Jul 11th 2018, 3:26 PM

    @Larissa Nikolaus: fake accounts are easy to make I think.

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    Mute Paul Laing
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    Jul 11th 2018, 3:32 PM

    @Larissa Nikolaus: monitoring and enforcement would be impossible. Longer prison sentences would prevent or inhibit recidivism.

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    Mute Abbie Cranky
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    Jul 11th 2018, 4:10 PM

    @Larissa Nikolaus: You’re right it would be difficult but we should at least try. Facial recognition exits… that’s a start.
    If caught with a fake account then an automatic double sentence. I don’t know. But we should at the very least try to put some protections in place.

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    Mute Paul Laing
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    Jul 11th 2018, 4:46 PM

    @Abbie Cranky: longer, much longer, prison sentences

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    Mute Link
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    Jul 11th 2018, 4:50 PM

    @Larissa Nikolaus: The same way as they do now banning certain offenders from using certain types of technology right now, surprise inspections and the like. It’s not infallible in any way, but it’s a start and mainly it gives power the court sytem to take action against any potential threats from re-offending.

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    Mute I'm not wavy gravy
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    Jul 11th 2018, 5:01 PM

    @Larissa Nikolaus: Onerous punishments should act as a deterrent. You wouldn’t stop it completely but the number would surely decrease at the very least.

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    Mute Sarah Bourke
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    Jul 11th 2018, 3:25 PM

    Wonder how this could be enforceable?? How many of them are out using these apps, unbeknownst to those their talking with!!

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    Mute Quentin Moriarty
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    Jul 11th 2018, 3:47 PM

    @Sarah Bourke: Be better if he put energy into tagging for 3 years min .

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    Mute Siobhán Ni Mhurchú
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    Jul 11th 2018, 3:50 PM

    @Quentin Moriarty: that would make more sense

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    Mute wattsed
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    Jul 11th 2018, 3:58 PM

    @Quentin Moriarty: Agree fully, but the days of enforcing the wishes of the majority of the public I’m afraid are gone. Snowflakes everywhere then the EU courts, the appeals, the human rights activists – the list goes on sadly.

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    Mute Sarah Bourke
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    Jul 11th 2018, 4:07 PM

    @Quentin Moriarty: 100% agree, although what’s the odds of that happening anytime soon!

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    Mute Paul Laing
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    Jul 11th 2018, 4:08 PM

    @wattsed: ahh the oul “snowflakes” reference and in the middle of a heatwave. You have a very original turn of phrase. Did you manage to make up the reference “snowflake” all on your own?

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    Mute Sarah Bourke
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    Jul 11th 2018, 4:11 PM

    @wattsed: give over with the ‘snowflake’ line. It’s old and sad you’ve got to revert back to it!

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    Mute wattsed
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    Jul 11th 2018, 4:42 PM

    @Paul Laing: No, my 6 year old daughter told me. She’s more streetwise. And it’s cloudy now btw. Draw the curtains back, pull up the blind. Go on, you’ll be fine.

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    Mute wattsed
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    Jul 11th 2018, 4:43 PM

    @Sarah Bourke: Careful Sarah. That’s ageism, not politically correct now.

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    Mute Sarah Bourke
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    Jul 11th 2018, 4:49 PM

    @wattsed: the idea that the word has been used in the past and the idea of using it is getting old is not ageism. You thought I was calling you old for using it, proves the point that ‘snowflakes’ do in fact have brains!

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    Mute wattsed
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    Jul 11th 2018, 6:21 PM

    @Sarah Bourke: We all have a brain. Some more left/right developed than the other. I still like snowflakes in general.

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    Mute Sarah Bourke
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    Jul 11th 2018, 9:47 PM

    @wattsed: you still got the idea of ageism wrong.

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    Mute Dáithí
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    Jul 11th 2018, 3:26 PM

    great idea but how would if be enforced , the app makers could improve safety by asking for a copy of passport or driving licence, but there only interested in money not safety.

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    Mute bopter
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    Jul 11th 2018, 7:27 PM

    In other news: Leo Varadkar to go back to school to understand new fangled technology that has only been around for the past 20 or more years.

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    Mute Paul Laing
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    Jul 11th 2018, 3:30 PM

    Sex crimes have a very high rate of recidivism. Dating apps are just one method for sexual predators to use. Longer custodial sentences are the only effective protection.

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    Mute wattsed
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    Jul 11th 2018, 4:55 PM

    @Paul Laing: Can you validate longer sentences have any degree of efficacy ?Current data from other countries suggests it works or not ?
    Pointless if there’s no improvement, think outside the box. Which countries have less instances of this and minimal repeats, and why ?

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    Mute Dave Harris
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    Jul 11th 2018, 5:20 PM

    @wattsed: Unfortunately sex offenders do not tend to think of long term consequences of there actions, if they did hardly any would occur.

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    Mute Paul Laing
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    Jul 11th 2018, 10:55 PM

    @wattsed: sex offenders can’t commit attacks on women when in prison. Think about it.

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    Mute Fiona Fitzgerald
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    Jul 12th 2018, 10:19 PM

    @Paul Laing: There is that, but that wouldn’t stop them attacking other men.

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    Mute Irish Bob
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    Jul 11th 2018, 4:05 PM

    More Leo self promoting bull that he cannot do..
    He is a great man the talk but f all action ..
    He will spout anything for a time untill the next item and thats the last from him on the last item ..

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    Mute Dave Harris
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    Jul 11th 2018, 5:22 PM

    @Irish Bob: Thats it in a nutshell Bob. All Leo is interested in is looking like he’s doing something – especially when it doesnt cost anything (to him anyway)

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    Mute John Dunne (aka JD)
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    Jul 11th 2018, 3:27 PM

    I agree with reasonable controlling the activities of sexual offenders and predators- but how is this to be patrolling and monitored?

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    Mute Paul Laing
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    Jul 11th 2018, 3:31 PM

    @John Dunne (aka JD): in prison, therefore involving much longer sentences.

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    Mute Darren Farrell
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    Jul 11th 2018, 3:34 PM

    He might as well try to stop birds flying with todays technology anything can happen to bypass that law it’s like saying to a drug addict I’m gonna stop pharmacies from selling anything that makes u high in this area and off he goes to the other area

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    Mute David Cushen
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    Jul 11th 2018, 3:59 PM

    To be honest – I don’t know what he needs to “consider” ….

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    Mute The Bob
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    Jul 11th 2018, 3:51 PM

    As many people mention this would be very hard to enforce. However with alot of post release conditions given to regular and sex offenders, if they are caught breaking the terms then they can be easily re-imprisoned for that breach. These do act as a deterrent to some degree.

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    Mute Paul Laing
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    Jul 11th 2018, 4:09 PM

    @The Bob: sex crimes often have a highly compulsive element. Deterrence is usually ineffective.

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    Mute Mill Lane
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    Jul 11th 2018, 4:23 PM

    @Paul Laing:
    Hence the need for chemical castration and a register accessable to the public.

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    Mute Daniel Donovan
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    Jul 11th 2018, 5:08 PM

    @Mill Lane: Or optional chemical castration. I’m sure a lot of sexual deviants would in fact avail of this measure. I don’t believe it should be forced.

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    Mute Gaz Barclay Dunnes
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    Jul 11th 2018, 3:38 PM

    Head in bucket now

    10
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    Mute Daniel Donovan
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    Jul 11th 2018, 4:31 PM

    The answer has to be longer sentencing. I don’t see how the state being able to patrol internet use is beneficial to the wider public. We need to look at the broader picture here. When the federal government in the US passed the Patriot Act in the wake of terrorist attacks most welcomed it without looking at the ramifications for their own personal freedoms and liberties and how such a law could be used for immoral acts.

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    Mute Paul Laing
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    Jul 11th 2018, 4:48 PM

    @Daniel Donovan: I agree. Much longer sentences are the only effective deterrent.

    11
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    Mute Alan Earls
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    Jul 11th 2018, 5:29 PM

    Whist good in theory it’s just another populist soundbite when real urgent things in society need fixing, prioritys for god sake

    7
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    Mute Michael Kavanagh
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    Jul 11th 2018, 5:50 PM

    I’d say compulsory ‘Health Warnings’ of the most lurid type affixed to dating site top pages might be more effective.
    It’s definitely an area where all is not what it seems!

    6
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    Mute David Knight
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    Jul 11th 2018, 4:27 PM

    I’m probably naive here, but I would have thought that sex offenders register is something that Dating Apps would have access to and could block any members that were on it. Or do they just take the money and do nothing??

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    Mute Markonline
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    Jul 11th 2018, 4:25 PM

    Bit silly, why don’t they just ban them from dating/talking to people. Utterly unenforceable.

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    Mute Paul Laing
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    Jul 11th 2018, 4:48 PM

    @Markonline: it can be enforced in prison and that argues for much lomnger prison sentences.

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    Mute Brian harris
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    Jul 11th 2018, 6:43 PM

    Probably agree but any chance of sorting the lack of housing for irish people Leo.

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    Mute Pauline Gallagher
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    Jul 13th 2018, 2:43 PM

    The only way this could be possible is to enforce all dating app agencies to take very specific and legitimate details of the person, like a government body would, and therefore it would be illegal to lie about it. Sounds very implausible, but when you think of the amount of bad articles that can actually anonymously set up fake accounts and use them to troll people and commit crimes against them, it actually should be made possible.

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    Mute David Clarke
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    Jul 12th 2018, 10:09 AM

    Another way of saying I’ll be doing nothing

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