---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have always thought of myself as being…"
description: "\"I have always thought of myself as being Northern Irish because that's what I am.\" — Dick Strawbridge"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa6/dick-strawbridge-18810_always_i-have-always-thought-of-myself-as-being_2356083.jpg"
---

#  I have always thought of myself as being Northern Irish…

![“I have always thought of myself as being Northern Irish because that's what I am.” quote by Dick Strawbridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa6/dick-strawbridge-18810_always_i-have-always-thought-of-myself-as-being_2356083.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa6/dick-strawbridge-18810_always_i-have-always-thought-of-myself-as-being_2356083.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa6/dick-strawbridge-18810_always_i-have-always-thought-of-myself-as-being_2356083.jpg)

> “I have always thought of myself as being Northern Irish because that's what I am.”

[Dick Strawbridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-strawbridge/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The speaker identifies with Northern Irish identity based on personal experience rather than external labels.

**In simple terms:** Identity is shaped by personal feeling.

Key Takeaway

Embrace your self‑identified identity.

Themes

identity regionalism self‑perception

Mood

reflective thoughtful

Type

personal cultural

When to use this quote

- personal introductions
- community discussions
- cultural events

Key Concepts

nationalism cultural identity

Questions to Reflect On

- How does your environment influence your sense of belonging?
- Do others accept self‑identified regional identities?

A Different Perspective

Identity can be fluid and contested in broader society.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Being](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being/) [Irish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/irish/) [Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought/)

## Related quotes

> [There was that sense that as soon as a Northern Irish person opens their mouth, you go, 'Ah, terrorist,' so I refused to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dormer/there-was-that-sense-that-as-soon-as-a-northern-irish-person-opens/)

[Richard Dormer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dormer/)

> [Northern Irish people tend to have this sharp, dark sense of humour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aisling-bea/northern-irish-people-tend-to-have-this-sharp-dark-sense-of-humour/)

[Aisling Bea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aisling-bea/)

> [Well, I couldn't speak English before I went to Belfast. So I learned English with a Northern Irish accent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-melua/well-i-couldn-t-speak-english-before-i-went-to-belfast-so-i-learned/)

[Katie Melua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-melua/)

> [The reality of life in Northern Ireland is that if you were Protestant, you learned British history, and if you were Catholic, you learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-nesbitt/the-reality-of-life-in-northern-ireland-is-that-if-you-were/)

[James Nesbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-nesbitt/)

> [I've always been fascinated with Ireland, especially Northern Ireland, having lived in London in the '80s when there was an Irish republican bombing campaign…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gordon-sinclair/i-ve-always-been-fascinated-with-ireland-especially-northern-ireland/)

[John Gordon Sinclair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gordon-sinclair/)

> [As I told Piers Morgan, 'Catholics have confession, whereas Northern Irish Protestants only have interviews.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-nesbitt/as-i-told-piers-morgan-catholics-have-confession-whereas-northern/)

[James Nesbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-nesbitt/)

> [Let's leave beside them in another pile all the injustices which exist in the northern state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-mcguinness/let-s-leave-beside-them-in-another-pile-all-the-injustices-which/)

[Martin McGuinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-mcguinness/)

> [This position of this Northern party brought about the troubles of 1850, and the political excitement of 1854.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-toombs/this-position-of-this-northern-party-brought-about-the-troubles-of/)

[Robert Toombs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-toombs/)

> [A lot of '2112' was written in the back seat of a car and in cold dressing rooms while on tour in northern Ontario.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-lifeson/a-lot-of-2112-was-written-in-the-back-seat-of-a-car-and-in-cold/)

[Alex Lifeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-lifeson/)

> [I love coming back around Northern California.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-pardi/i-love-coming-back-around-northern-california/)

[Jon Pardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-pardi/)

> [The basis on which the Good Friday agreement was constructed was in addressing those problems in the history of Northern Ireland, the social and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-reid/the-basis-on-which-the-good-friday-agreement-was-constructed-was-in/)

[John Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-reid/)

> [At the outset of the creation of the euro in 1999, it was expected that the southern eurozone economies would behave like those in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/at-the-outset-of-the-creation-of-the-euro-in-1999-it-was-expected/)

[Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/)

> [I believe we've spent many years trying to bring about talks which have all the Parties in Northern Ireland involved so that there'd be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-spring/i-believe-we-ve-spent-many-years-trying-to-bring-about-talks-which/)

[Dick Spring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-spring/)

> [I was eight when we came to Australia. It was five amazing weeks onboard this ship - it was the Northern Star.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graeme-base/i-was-eight-when-we-came-to-australia-it-was-five-amazing-weeks/)

[Graeme Base](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graeme-base/)

> [The situation in the West Bank and Gaza involves a military occupation amid urban guerrilla warfare, analogous to the British security measures in Northern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-schwartz/the-situation-in-the-west-bank-and-gaza-involves-a-military/)

[Jack Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-schwartz/)

## More by Dick Strawbridge

> [When I joined the Army in the late '70s, there was a real threat from Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union, so all of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-strawbridge/when-i-joined-the-army-in-the-late-70s-there-was-a-real-threat-from/)

[Dick Strawbridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-strawbridge/)

> [I left the Army in 2000 and went into industry before I started appearing on TV in 2003. My best job there was on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-strawbridge/i-left-the-army-in-2000-and-went-into-industry-before-i-started/)

[Dick Strawbridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-strawbridge/)

> [I had an idyllic childhood with the freedom to go and play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-strawbridge/i-had-an-idyllic-childhood-with-the-freedom-to-go-and-play/)

[Dick Strawbridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-strawbridge/)

> [I love the whole idea of family and what gets left behind when you are gone. I'm very proud of my children; I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-strawbridge/i-love-the-whole-idea-of-family-and-what-gets-left-behind-when-you/)

[Dick Strawbridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-strawbridge/)

> [For me, London seemed to be frantic without going anywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-strawbridge/for-me-london-seemed-to-be-frantic-without-going-anywhere/)

[Dick Strawbridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-strawbridge/)

> [Who doesn't like playing with a railway? I think we've all got Thomas the Tank Engine in our blood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-strawbridge/who-doesn-t-like-playing-with-a-railway-i-think-we-ve-all-got-thomas/)

[Dick Strawbridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-strawbridge/)

> [I was still a serving officer when I competed in 'Scrapheap Challenge,' initially as a major and then a lieutenant-colonel when I was joined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-strawbridge/i-was-still-a-serving-officer-when-i-competed-in-scrapheap-challenge/)

[Dick Strawbridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-strawbridge/)

> [I'm a very simple person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-strawbridge/i-m-a-very-simple-person/)

[Dick Strawbridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-strawbridge/)

> [When I started presenting 'Scrapheap Challenge,' I was rubbish at tuning V8 engines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-strawbridge/when-i-started-presenting-scrapheap-challenge-i-was-rubbish-at-tuning/)

[Dick Strawbridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-strawbridge/)

> [I was captain of the rugby side at Shrivenham - as were my two brothers after me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-strawbridge/i-was-captain-of-the-rugby-side-at-shrivenham-as-were-my-two-brothers/)

[Dick Strawbridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-strawbridge/)

> [I could never work out how to shave my top lip without cutting myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-strawbridge/i-could-never-work-out-how-to-shave-my-top-lip-without-cutting-myself/)

[Dick Strawbridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-strawbridge/)

> [For a nation that spends a lot of time talking about the weather, we don't seem to realise just how much sunshine we actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-strawbridge/for-a-nation-that-spends-a-lot-of-time-talking-about-the-weather-we/)

[Dick Strawbridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-strawbridge/)

> [I passed the 11-plus and went up to the senior school, where my two older sisters had already gone. I was in the 'A'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-strawbridge/i-passed-the-11-plus-and-went-up-to-the-senior-school-where-my-two/)

[Dick Strawbridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-strawbridge/)

> [Life is all about energy and passion and living it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-strawbridge/life-is-all-about-energy-and-passion-and-living-it/)

[Dick Strawbridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-strawbridge/)

> [When you work with people, you buy into it, you work together and you pull together. It doesn't matter what your challenge is: there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-strawbridge/when-you-work-with-people-you-buy-into-it-you-work-together-and-you/)

[Dick Strawbridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-strawbridge/)

[Explore all 34 Dick Strawbridge quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-strawbridge/)

## More Always quotes

> [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/)

[Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/)

> [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/)

[Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/)

> [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/)

[Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/)

> [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/)

[William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/)

> [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/)

[Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/)

> [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/)

[Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/)

> [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/)

[Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/)

> [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/)

[Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/)

> [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/)

[Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/)

> [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/)

[Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/)

> [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/)

[Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/)

> [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/)

[Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/)

> [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/)

[Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/)

> [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/)

[Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/)

> [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/)

[Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/)

Browse all 36,048 Always quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I have always thought of myself as being Northern Irish because that's what I am.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Dick Strawbridge"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-strawbridge/i-have-always-thought-of-myself-as-being-northern-irish-because-that/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Always"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-strawbridge/i-have-always-thought-of-myself-as-being-northern-irish-because-that/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa6/dick-strawbridge-18810_always_i-have-always-thought-of-myself-as-being_2356083.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa6/dick-strawbridge-18810_always_i-have-always-thought-of-myself-as-being_2356083.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa6/dick-strawbridge-18810_always_i-have-always-thought-of-myself-as-being_2356083.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I have always thought of myself as being Northern Irish because that's what I am.” — Dick Strawbridge",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Dick Strawbridge",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-strawbridge/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I have always thought of myself...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-strawbridge/i-have-always-thought-of-myself-as-being-northern-irish-because-that/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-strawbridge/i-have-always-thought-of-myself-as-being-northern-irish-because-that/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
