Regional identity can be both a diverse and sore subject, depending on where you are and whom you are asking. Northern Ireland specifically has a history of violent protests over the fear of them losing their own regional identity, and for the freedom of deciding what that identity was. While we are in the midst of the Scottish independence debate, identity remains a hot topic.

Even within the same regions you will frequently find people who identify with different areas in the world as their home. Some may identify with where they were born and raised, while others frequently mention where their parents, grandparents, or ancestors were from. Personally, while born and raised in Canada, I still feel connected to my Irish and English heritage no matter how distant in the past it may be.

Within Northern Ireland, the question of where someone is from could bring on a variety of answers. Some may simply say they are Irish, some say Northern Irish, while others refer to the specific county they were raised in.

So how does a small area in the world fight for their own regional identity when so many people connect the word “home” with something different? When everyone seems to be from somewhere else, are there really national or regional identities?

It is easy to suggest that the concept of regional identity is hopeless, or that passionately claiming to be something specific is pointless. However, it is just as easy to see that a regional identity is not only possible, but also entirely real. 

Regional identities should not be entirely exclusive. Rather, they should be inclusive and welcoming to whoever identifies with that area. It is up to the individual to decide where they identify with, and as long as there is a personal connection with their claimed identity, no one can say they are wrong.