Cyber-home for UK-Irish relations

The first edition of the website focuses on sporting issues

The clash of cultures and the close ties that mark the relationship between Britain and Ireland are to come under the focus in a new online magazine.

Britainandireland.org aims to create space to explore how the neighbouring islands interact.

Set up by the British Council in Ireland its director, Tony Reilly, said the first subject would be sport.

"Sport... encapsulates the dynamics of British-Irish relations in a rather unique way," he said.

"Mention any topic, such as the support in Ireland for British Premiership soccer clubs to the growing popularity of cricket in Ireland, and a range of varied, challenging views emerge from all quarters.

"We want to provide an online space to capture and facilitate these conversations as part of our goal of fostering dialogue and furthering mutual understanding."

The first issue features an interview with former international Irish soccer star Niall Quinn, who recounts his own conflicted attitudes as to who to support at crucial stages.

"When Scotland played England in those playoffs, I would have been shouting for Scotland because of the Celtic background," he said.

"If Wales were playing England, there's a Celticness there. But that's in a sporting context. With France against England it was England all day long. I jumped when England won it".

Future topics include the Irish diaspora and the north-south and east-west axis.

There is an element of interaction on the site, with a blog edited by Mick Fealty of the Slugger O'Toole website and an area for users to comment on the themes and have their own discussions.

The British Council, founded in 1934, operates in 110 countries and is the UK's primary agency to improve relations with overseas countries.