I?ve tried that before, I am a citizen of the Republic after all. Trouble is my knowledge of Ireland is pretty poor. When asked which part of the country my family comes from I just say, the rainy bit, and leave it at that. Anyway back on the relative benefits of Britain as a place to live. When I was a student (back in the old country this was) I remember reading a book of far-fetched-fiction where the author describes how one of the most truly magnificent things these islands have to offer is to descend the stairs in the morning after an evening of libations into a kitchen which contains a buxom Northern lass mid fry-up. This is something sublimely unique which Britain can be truly proud of. The weather?s still shit mind.