Why do Irish people refer to the country Lebanon as "The Lebanon"?

Question

Its not "The Ireland" so, why is it often "The Lebanon"?!!

Answer 1

Thats what we were taught at school - The Lebanon - but it was never explained why.  Maybe Lebanon means something.  Well obviously really!!

Answer 2

hi you

the Irish troops that serve in the Lebanon nicked name it this to make it more or less home from home

Answer 3

I assume it is a remnant from when most of the country spoke Irish. The Irish word 'an', meaning 'the' is used far more often than the word 'the' is in English.

This we have 'The Falls Road', 'The Antrim Road', why we do or don't take 'the sugar' in our tea, and so so.

Answer 4

Never heard of it being called that

Answer 5

i have no idea actually.

i never thought about it before

good question!

Answer 6

Don't think it's an Irish thing.

Just looked it up in the dictionary out of curiosity and says it is "sometimes preceded by the".

Answer 7

Maybe it comes from our peace keeping troups who served in (the) Lebanon for years.  My friends husband went over on 2 occasions, and he always refers to his time in 'The Leb', and how much he'd love to go the to The Lebanon agian, he really loved the people there. To this day he still gets upset when it makes the news for the wrong reasons (such as Israels recent attacks on it).  

But honestly it never even registered with me before to just call it Lebanon, thanks for pointing it out to me.

Answer 8

i dont know.however, after 50 years service with the UN as Peacekeepers,i would like to salute the Irish.Great service in the cause of peace.some 85 Irish troops have died on service with the UN.The rest of the world should honor these fallen heroes.Thank you Ireland.From THE Congo to Chad Irish troops have served wth honor.

Answer 9

I've never heard it called that. Out of curiosity what part of the country are you in maybe it's localised thing.

Answer 10

I don't know, I've always heard it called that, The Lebanon. Bit like The Ukraine.

I suppose we heard it called that by our neighbours in Britain ... there was a song out in the 1980s called 'In The Lebanon', by the band The Human League I think it was.