Rory Says He's Always Felt More British Than Irish, Officially Commencing Four Year Effort To Let Ireland Down Easy
Derek Lawrenson got Rory McIlroy talking on a variety of topics in a Daily Mail interview.
Yet all anyone will talk about in Ireland is this bit, which would seem to be a well-calculated decision to begin laying the groundwork for the choice he'll have to make before the 2016 Olympics: which country he'll represent.
‘What makes it such an awful position to be in is I have grown up my whole life playing for Ireland under the Golfing Union of Ireland umbrella,’ he said. ‘But the fact is, I’ve always felt more British than Irish.
‘Maybe it was the way I was brought up, I don’t know, but I have always felt more of a connection with the UK than with Ireland.
Even after that opening ceremony? Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt. Go on...
And so I have to weigh that up against the fact that I’ve always played for Ireland and so it is tough. Whatever I do, I know my decision is going to upset some people but I just hope the vast majority will understand.’
This is the first time McIlroy has unequivocally declared an affinity for the UK over Ireland and it will certainly go down like a lead balloon in some quarters.
Those quarters being here.
Meanwhile, bad news for those hoping Caroline Wozniacki would be livening up the European contingent with her presence at the Ryder Cup.
Wozniacki will be in Tokyo during the Ryder Cup and so will miss the biennial parade of the spouses and girlfriends that has bizarrely become part of the occasion. ‘You never know, she might be lucky enough to experience it all at wild and wet Gleneagles in 2014,’ he said, mischievously.
Monday, September 10, 2012 at 02:09 AM
Reader Comments (28)
I don't think money is his motivation in this decision. Most of his future income is likely to be derived from the US and I'd suggest he’s more marketable as Irish than British.
Given current rankings GMac, who is ranked #17 in the World, would not qualify for Team GB as the four players would be Rory, Westwood, Rose and Donald - if he wants to play he will have to play for Ireland.
I don't disagree that he is more marketable here as Irish. I have a hard time conceiving of a working class catholic kid who lost an uncle to loyalist paramilitaries identifying as British.
Now perhaps he uses "British" and "subject" synonymously in which case I can buy it.
I agree that being "Irish" as opposed to "British" will make him more marketable in the USA which is quite ridiculous really.
I am a Brit living in the USA with 3 kids who were born here.
It is very clear to me that my grandkids will be American with a British heritage.
The vast majority of "Irish" people in the USA are not Irish at all, they are American with a distint connection to Ireland.
They certainly don't have any idea about how complex the situation in Northern Ireland is (nor did I probably).
Stiggy, I think you hit the mail on the head. I'm an Irish citizen living in the US and my sense is that the multi generational identification of Americans as Irish, Italian, Polish etc., has more to do with circumstances faced by those groups on arrival in the 1800's and early 1900's. Its a fascinating part of the social fabric of this country. It does exist for sure.
My guess is that if it is about economics McIlroy identifies as a subject because it provides a broader platform worldwide.
Do people on the Isle of Man, Jersey, or Guernsey feel "British"?
Harry Vardon, from Jersey, played for the UK in a number of tournaments. Never mind being part of Britain, Jersey isn't even part of the UK (technically, it is a British Crown Dependency).
Maybe it is just time for all the Britsh-related isles to come together and form an proper and consistent sovereign state without all this border shuffling when it comes to athletics or diplomacy.
He's also entitled to hold an Irish passport, if he so wishes along with all Northern Irish cirtizens. As with other sportspeople from Northern Ireland, he entitled to declare for the purposes of the Olympics for GB&NI or Ireland. Due to the nature of the historical & political situation, it may seem bizarre to you, but these are some of the compromises that were agreed and now allow NI society to function in a somewhat normal way.
Maybe it would be a nice reflection on how NI society has (hopefully) moved on, and national identity could take second place to sporting opportunity - anyway it's clearly all part of Padraig Harrington's masterplan:
http://www.irishgolfdesk.com/news-files/2012/2/4/olympic-allegiance-emotions-should-be-taken-out-of-it-says-h.html
He (along with anyone else from Northern Ireland) can choose who to compete for based on how he feels.
In fact the same is true of others, like my kids, who have dual nationality.
"Maybe it would be a nice reflection on how NI society has (hopefully) moved on"
I second that!
as this was his "home" tour. Believe he had what was considered a UK passport.
Asian Tour should have been his "home tour" at the time.
Maybe he could play for Ireland Vijay McSingh
Good for Rory. Northern Ireland has always had its own distinct personality. For one thing the northern irish accent is quite different to the southern irish accent. In a nutshell, he doesn't become less irish just because he chooses to play under a british flag anymore than I would become less scottish playing under that same flag.
"Don't think you would find a Welsh or Scot saying they were British"
It's quite common. Although more likely they would say I'm Scottish and British, or Welsh and British
I fairly much agree with you - it depends on who you are talking to if you are Scottish or British. At passport control one wouldn't be making a point of it but culturally it would matter. That is why I was making the point it is about time those of us from the North can claim to be Irish without necessarily meaning supporting the Rep..and as I said best of luck to Rory !