The side streets that fan out from it are home to a number of cultural and environmental agencies, including the Royal Film Commission and Wild Jordan -- and in this blossoming street network you get a sense of a new creative national identity sprouting up.

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"On the other hand, there is this strong sense of patriotism and a bit of insecurity about our national identity, " she says.

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Some may base their choice on a deep sense of political allegiance or national identity, others find their paths steered by how their chosen sport is organised within the island of Ireland.

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Ocalan, 49, said late last year he had little sense of national identity until he was a teenager, but was struck by the powerlessness of his poor, illiterate farming parents.

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