In 2021, my wife and I held a private celebration. It wasn’t a special wedding anniversary, but it did mark a significant moment in our lives.

We’d reached the stage where we’d lived longer in Scotland than we had in Ireland. We left Ireland in 1995, both aged 25.

Come 2021, we’d spent one year longer in Scotland than in the land where we were raised. Both our children were born here, and consider themselves as Scottish as Stirling, though with Irish flavouring.

Our children’s view of identify differs from Ed Sheeran’s, clearly. The singer-songwriter has just spoken of how, despite being from Suffolk, he identifies as “culturally Irish”. He has two Irish grandparents, and an Irish dad.

“Just because I was born in Britain doesn’t necessarily mean that I have to just be [British],” he said. “I don’t think there’s any rules to it. It should be how you feel and how you were raised and what you lean into.”

Read more by Neil Mackay

On the night of our Scottish soirée, my wife and I talked about what our move had done to our identities. My identify has always been more fluid.

Three grandparents were Irish, one English. My mum was born in England to an Irish mum and Cockney dad. My mum identifies as English. My Irish dad met my mother while working in London. I was born there.

Within months of my birth, they moved to Northern Ireland (great idea, Mum and Dad, to make a war-zone home).

So although I’m Irish, I’ve a soft spot for England, given my mother’s nationality. It’s quite a confusing mix, especially as politically I support a United Ireland.

But who said identity........

© Herald Scotland