As regards population, if we divide the total number of countries into three categories, small medium and large, Ireland, with 5.3m, just about qualifies as a medium-sized country. If we factor in the Irish living abroad, we qualify comfortably, as we have a higher proportion of our citizens living outside the State than most other countries. The most commonly used formal definition of a small country is the World Bank’s, which is 1.5m or less. The Commonwealth’s definition is also 1.5m.

The only place I could find a higher bar is an informal UN group called the Forum of Small States (FOSS), whose membership is limited to populations of 10m people or less. It has 108 members, more than half the total membership of the UN, which means that, in that forum, there is nothing exceptional about being small, so why bother to mention it? Anyway, it’s an informal group, so it does not count. FOSS, by the way, does great work highlighting the plight of island nations about to sink forever into the Pacific, due to climate change.

Talking about island nations, did you know that Ireland is the 20th largest island nation in the World? It is in the Guinness Book of Records.

As an aside — once upon a time, not so long ago, a huge American aircraft carrier visited Ireland. It was so enormous that it could barely fit in Dublin Bay. Attending as an on board chief guest, an Irish government minister thanked the captain for his hospitality. He added: “The Captain is a much travelled man, he has been to many erotic places”.

Irish people wear green a lot, but Ireland must not be confused with Greenland, the world’s biggest island, where the Viking women are ten feet tall, their menfolk ten feet wide and even the kids eat whales for breakfast. However, Ireland’s territorial area is not small either.

Ireland’s land mass is 84,000sq kms. Its marine area is 880,000sq kms. Totalling just under 1m sq kms, it is one of the largest territorial areas in Europe, bigger than Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands put together. On the basis of size, it is in the upper group of medium-sized countries. Definitely not a small country.

The Irish economy is currently rated the 25th largest in the world, up from 40th place only two years ago. With tongue firmly wedged in cheek, I suggest that, if we continue like this for another four years, we will pass out China and the US, to be World No 1. Of course, pessimists will maintain that Ireland’s wealthy economy is really smoke and mirrors. Nevertheless, in terms of GDP per capita, we are already in second place in the world.

Just when you are happy with the nation’s image along comes the ultimate letdown, just like the snake in the grass that rears its ugly head. For some reason it's usually an elected politician, quite often addressing a foreign audience without the slightest idea of the effect he or she is creating. Perhaps they were thinking about investing in Ireland? As they listen to the Irish politician drone on, the investor is going through his checklist.

”Ireland is a small country (implying little, poor and God help us). We cant really afford to defend ourselves but we “punch above our weight”. No, actually we are not in Nato, but everything will be grand because we always, wait for it, “punch above our weight”. 

Curious thing, those representatives that mostly use the expression are invariably, I won't use the word, not very tall themselves. I wonder is there something psychological going on here?

We have had pseudo intellectuals in Ireland, for a long time, but now we have pseudo boxers, who have never been in a boxing ring in their lives, claiming that Ireland ‘boxes above its weight’ Combining calling Ireland ‘a small country’ and using the idiotic expression ‘punching above your weight’ together is the ultimate no no. That would truly set alarm bells ringing and they don’t have to be in a boxing ring to hear that. As Father Ted used to say, down with that sort of thing!

A real boxer like, for example, Katie Taylor, makes Ireland even greater every time she appears in the ring. Moreover, she really punches so high above her weight that glass ceilings have to be repaired after her title fights.

Claiming that Ireland is a small country is an urban myth that does none of us proud.

https://www.marine.ie/site-area/irelands-marine-resource/real-map-ireland-0