Northern Ireland: Your Thoughts

[Mingle]

Northern Ireland was pretty much invisible to the British until a few weeks back, when folk in england found out that it might effect them with this minority government.

A lot of English people googling "who are the DUP?" It's all Ireland to them.

How informed are Scots on Northern Ireland in comparison to England-Wales? Do you guys view them as family more than the English/Welsh do since most NI Protestants are of Scottish descent?

Ian Paisleys dream team running the show. Keep the taigs and catholics out, excluding that man from the catholic family called King Billy.

Fun fact: the hillbillies of USA are named after Ulster-Scots. They were called "Billies" cause they revered King William, and the "hill" comes from the fact they lived on hills.

[Mingle]

Funny thing, before the Plantation of Ulster (long before), there were a group of people from Ulster called the Cruthins. The Cruthins lived in the north of Ireland (roughly modern NI) whereas the Irish/Gaels lived in the rest of the island.

The term Cruthin is cognate with Britain.

Qritani --> Cruthin

Pritani --> Britain

So in the 8th century, there were a group of people in Northern Ireland called British. Living in Ireland but calling yourself British before it was fashionable

This is just a historical coincidence I noticed which I thought I would share, meaningless in today's context of course.

[Óttar]

You seem to be quite anti-Protestant. Sadly, such an attitude would not be the right one in thinking of a united Ireland. A united Ireland would be possible if everyone respects each other. But I have to say, the culture in Northern Ireland is quite different from the Repubic of Ireland. You know, there are also many Northern Irish Catholics who do not want unification, they want to stay British governed.

That is because it is generally the Protestants who are triumphalists and who march in Catholic neighborhoods on King Billy day in order to get a rise out of the Catholic population. It is the Protestant population and their belligerent attitude which is standing in the way of unification. If the majority of the Northern Irish population wants to remain British subjects then let them remain British subjects, but demographic trends reveal that unification with the Republic is a possibility in the future.

[Loki]

That is because it is generally the Protestants who are triumphalists and who march in Catholic neighborhoods on King Billy day in order to get a rise out of the Catholic population. It is the Protestant population and their belligerent attitude which is standing in the way of unification. If the majority of the Northern Irish population wants to remain British subjects then let them remain British subjects, but demographic trends reveal that unification with the Republic is a possibility in the future.

Indeed, I have heard from more than one Irish Catholic that they depend on demographic trends of the future. However this also means that they don't foresee reconciliation or even normality in generations to come?

[Óttar]

Indeed, I have heard from more than one Irish Catholic that they depend on demographic trends of the future. However this also means that they don't foresee reconciliation or even normality in generations to come?

Reconciliation and normality = Union with Great Britain? One doesn't necessitate the other, imo.

[Loki]

Reconciliation and normality = Union with Great Britain? One doesn't necessitate the other, imo.

No, I mean with each other within the status quo politically. Modern people don't like revolutions.

[Óttar]

No, I mean with each other within the status quo politically. Modern people don't like revolutions.

Anything's possible. I'm saying I would ideally like to see a peaceful and democratic transition to union with the Republic, but remaining a part of Northern Ireland is preferable to violence.

[Loki]

I must say, Northern Irelander "hillbillys" of the late nineteenth century very much remind me of Boers at that time:

[Neon Knight]

A united Ireland is not on the horizon. I think the Republic itself is not too keen on the idea because of what it could cost. Think of the policing for one thing.

[Catkin]

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/sc...-plan-10684180