The key word here in my view is identity.

I've had conversations with numerous people of numerous cultural and racial backgrounds on the whole subject and that seems to be the defining ground upon which this discussion is set.

Who somebody is is made up of a plethora of factors, including their racial/cultural/religious/national roots.

I grew up in HK but was born in Dublin and grew up in a very culturally Irish home.

I enjoy a good game of footie or rugby on the box, but when Ireland play, my blood boils, my adrenaline flows, my heart goes into overdrive and I go into a cold sweat.

At school, I was constantly reminded, often in derogatory terms, that I was Irish, and so I was defined as such externally as well as internally.

When I came back to live in Ireland, I was instantly accepted as an Irishman without any question despite my plummy colonial British accent.

Yet when I came to England, I was told I was a plastic Paddy, meaning that I liked to wear the colours and drink guinnes on St Paddy's day, but I wasn't a true Irishman.

Recently, I have discovered a new term for those whose cultural upbringing is not consistent with that of their ancestors.

3CK (third culture kid)

I am definitely one of these.

There are many of us around and often we have more in common with each other than with those from whom our cultural heritage stems.

And by that I mean that a 3CK sri lankan who has grown up in Japan will generally feel much more empathy for a frenchman who has grown up in argentina than he will for another sri lankan.

Its something to do with transcending ones prescribed cultural identity in discovering ones own cultural weaknesses in the context of growing up in a different culture.

I am Irish in my heart, but my home town is Hong Kong. I love the old songs about dublin in the rare old times, but I miss the cool evening tide in Shek O and the bustle of Wan Chai and Tsim Sha Tsui.

Both live in me and are at the centre of my identity.