Originally posted here by nihil
[B]I do not see how "Irish Socialist" can be an oxymoron?

The Irish are a tribal and family people with quite closely knit communities, and A STRONG SENSE OF FAMILY.......they are similar to Celtic communities in Scotland and Wales. Politically Scotland and Wales are very socialist, this is not the case in Ireland (if you take things at face value), but this is explained by the Norman invasion (1172?) and the subsequent occupation and struggle for independence?
Well Ireland is very community driven I would agree with you there. As countries not invaded by the Romans, The Irish, Scots and Welsh have a distinct Celitc heritage and obviously a lot in common.

Ireland is dominated by Republican Catholic right wing parties due to the War of Independance which split Ireland between pro-treaty and anti-treaty parties. Dont want to get into Irish history, it gets damn complex especially politically and the main issue is still unresolved so its still a touchy area that is Northen Ireland.

You are correct in stating that Irelands struggle for independance has kept socialism down, its just not the major issue or political neccessity for want of a better word.

If you look at James Connolly who was a socialist for example, he died fighting in 1916 for an independant Ireland but would be shocked at the Ireland of today and how it is. His ideas shaped our constitution, thus we have socialist elements in there. If an Irish socialist is an oxymoron then his legacy is some kind of myth, he was Scottish though and on to another this time an Englishman James Larkin who organised the 1913 Lock-out in Ireland which brought Ireland to a halt with strikes, one of the great successes for socialism anywhere, we now have a tradition in Ireland of never passing a picket.

Morman is an idiot who resorts to petty generalisations due to his lack of historical knowledge and context. I would ignore his petty comments until he informs himself.