How many people from Northern Ireland do we have on here? Seems to be an disproportionate amount. Me, Roz, Celticexplorer, Scootagirl. Any others?

How odd! I haven't met any other Norn Irish folk in London so definately didn't imagine I'd find so many folks around Forest Hill Although occasionally the quiz person at the Foresters is too...Lots of people think I'm Scottish anyway! This will please my parents no end though...will make it seem like I'm still living at home instead of scary London (I've not lived at home for around 14 years though...)!

I'm from just south of the border with NI but I feel Northern Irish if that counts (Mother from NI and I went to university in Belfast)

Well I do know that there used to be a very large Irish community in Balham/Tooting, not so sure if it is the same now

Very odd that so many Northern Irish not only live in FH/SE23, yet also write on this forum, and I may add, very good and worthwell posts they are

Ho, ho, we've been annexed by admin already.

AMFM - all right, you can be an honorary. And Scootagal - sorry for getting your name wrong earlier.

ForestHillier - I think you will find we Northern Irish are a) very chatty and b) quite opinionated, hence we'll take any chance we can get to flap our gums.

Yes I know as my maternal grandmother was from the old Country, however she was from the South, the fair county of Galway

Oh no worries about the name - I'm not precious about a pretend name...my real name on the other hand - both my first and last name have alternative spellings....so I normally have to spell both even though it's a pretty basic name!
Lived in Clapham and frequented Balham and Tooting quite a bit but didn't run into many other Northern Irish folk there either.
My mum gets very excited when she is abroad / here and hear's another obvious Northern Irish accent....she does this thing where she sends them a sort of smile-nod combo - normally resulting in a look that says 'are you a crazy lady'?

Scootagal - there is a big irish club in Tooting, there were quite a few members who hailed from the North, agree most were Southerners

So what is your christian/surnames ?

That would be telling I was on here far too much during work time today to start revealing myself

Are you a Londoner ForestHillier?

RSHDunlop where in NI you from?

I'm from Belfast, but haven't lived there for... oh, I've just worked it out and it makes me sound older than I'll admit to. Let's just say it's been a while.

Do you go back much? I go back a couple of times a year normally - really only for weekends. Always bring back tayto cheese and onion even though you can get em loads of places here!

We go back once or twice a year - we have kids so they have to see their grandparents, aunties, uncles and several hundred cousins.

We bring back Tayto and Veda.

Yeh know about hundreds of cousins! My dad was one of ten, my mum one of five so plenty of em for me...!

You'll be pleased to hear that they sell Tayto in the Irish shop on Lordship Lane along with Old Time Irish marmalade and barm brack.

Veda sounds familiar but I can't pin it down- soda bread or fruit loaf ?

And in the Blythe Tavern too! My mum maintains they're not the same though....

Yuck Veda is like a dark fruit loaf...it can stay over there

No, Veda is NOT a fruit loaf! It's a dark malt loaf, like Soreen, but without the fruit and with a lighter texture. Delicious toasted and buttered.

Hi Scootagal, yes I was born in London, West Brompton and dare I say it, Im a fanatical Chelsea supporter, anyway back to topic

I do believe that some of the good Irish folk also eat seaweed which by all accounts is very good for you

Indeed, edible seaweed is called dulce in NI.

Sorry, *dulse*