Should Ireland reunify?

[Grace O'Malley]

Yeah it's 1:1 because of atheists and independents, the vast majority of whom come from traditionally Protestant families (see also: Greens, Alliance). Non-Catholics vs Catholics = 3:2.

Catholics are growing and Protestants are decreasing.



A tipping point came in December 2012 when census results showed that for the first time the Protestant population in Northern Ireland had fallen below 50 per cent. Today the Protestant population has dropped to 48 per cent and the rising Catholic population has hit 45 per cent.

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/polit...ians-1.2190041

Anyway we can argue about this all night long but you would have to be naive if you think that things will always remain the same. Britain will be out of the EU for starters and no one believed that people would vote themselves out of the EU.

[Grace O'Malley]

See my post above.

Currently less than 30% of the population define themselves as 'Irish.' Catholics are far more likely to define as British than Protestants are as Irish.

Will it stay like that in 10 years and if there are problems with Brexit? Things don't always remain the same. Even the Scots vote was pretty close and they will vote again.

Anyway the whole issue is the border and both the Republic and Northern Ireland want it to remain fluid. The Irish Republic won't be looking for unity with Northern Ireland anytime soon but we will see how well the issue of the border is handled. A hard border is going to create all sorts of headaches and the people that will suffer the most will be all of the island of Ireland when the problem was not of their making.

[Grace O'Malley]

Yeah it's 1:1 because of atheists and independents, the vast majority of whom come from traditionally Protestant families (see also: Greens, Alliance). Non-Catholics vs Catholics = 3:2.

And as if there aren't athiests from the Catholic community. When it all boils down it is not a religious issue as we both know but how these events will affect Northern Ireland in the future.

[Autrigón]

Yes, give Ireland back to the Irish

[MissMischief]

Well some statistics might be relevant here. Northern Ireland was created to ensure an Unionist majority. 50 years ago there was approximately 2 Protestants for every Catholic and now it is 1:1. The Catholics population is larger in the younger age groups. If Brexit doesn't work out for Northern Ireland do you really think things are going to remain as they have been?

People have been at each other's throats because the Unionists were supported by the British Government and their was gerrymandering and wholesale discrimination against Catholics in the past. Things have changed now and a younger generation might see the EU as a better prospect if things sour.

You're Irish so you definitely know better than me but it seems like only die-hard Nationalists want a united Ireland. Personally, I think it's been too long, it should have happened in the Treaty negotiations, it cannot happen now. The Republic's economy is strong, currency is different, education systems too, so many "cultural differences" between them etc etc..it's been divided for too long and a reunification would only cause an outbreak of hatred.

A good few people are of the opinion though, that since the Republic doesn't want the North, and neither does the UK (apparently it costs £7m to keep the North's economy afloat?), it should just be cut off and left to sustain itself. I don't agree with this. That said, I have an Irish friend living over here (good ol' Fergal from Cork ), we've spoken about this whole situation sometimes and when we do, he always tells me that every time he's been up the North, he just senses a sinister atmosphere from the murals on the walls and bible quotations taken from Revelations... that makes him feel very uncomfortable.

[Grace O'Malley]

You're Irish so you definitely know better than me but it seems like only die-hard Nationalists want a united Ireland. Personally, I think it's been too long, it should have happened in the Treaty negotiations, it cannot happen now. The Republic's economy is strong, currency is different, education systems too, so many "cultural differences" between them etc etc..it's been divided for too long and a reunification would only cause an outbreak of hatred.

A good few people are of the opinion though, that since the Republic doesn't want the North, and neither does the UK (apparently it costs £7m to keep the North's economy afloat?), it should just be cut off and left to sustain itself. I don't agree with this. That said, I have an Irish friend living over here (good ol' Fergal from Cork ), we've spoken about this whole situation sometimes and when we do, he always tells me that every time he's been up the North, he just senses a sinister atmosphere from the murals on the walls and bible quotations taken from Revelations... that makes him feel very uncomfortable.

It's a funny situation but the Republic of Ireland is actually a lot less religious and more forward thinking than the North. I'm sure Fergal would tell you that.

I argue with Longbowman because he likes a good argument. I'm all for democracy but I find the British attitude with Brexit a bit condescending. It is a worry about what is going to happen as no one wants to give any ammunition to troublemakers. I hope the situation does go smoothly but this border issue is a major worry. I don't know how it is going to remain as is but hopefully some enlightened people in the EU and Britain will understand the issue of a land border on an island such as Ireland and the sensitivities around this.

How is this all going to work on Gibralter who also voted to remain in the EU? It is going to be all very interesting to say the least.

[Melki]

How is this all going to work on Gibralter who also voted to remain in the EU? It is going to be all very interesting to say the least.

Neither Brexit nor a fusion with Spain, Gibraltar should give independence a try and become a City-State like Monaco. That's what its citizens wish anyway.

[Longbowman]

A tipping point came in December 2012 when census results showed that for the first time the Protestant population in Northern Ireland had fallen below 50 per cent. Today the Protestant population has dropped to 48 per cent and the rising Catholic population has hit 45 per cent

Yes but it ultimately doesn't matter. Secular people from protestant backgrounds are still not republican.

Anyway we can argue about this all night long but you would have to be naive if you think that things will always remain the same. Britain will be out of the EU for starters and no one believed that people would vote themselves out of the EU.

You seem to believe 'reunification' is an inevitability, which is at least equally 'naive.'

[Longbowman]

And as if there aren't athiests from the Catholic community. When it all boils down it is not a religious issue as we both know but how these events will affect Northern Ireland in the future.

Except you're wrong: it is in fact far more religious (sectarian) an issue than anything else (except there is a significant Catholic British population and only an insignificant Protestant Irish one). Inb4 'Parnell was a proddy' or what have you.

[Longbowman]

It's a funny situation but the Republic of Ireland is actually a lot less religious and more forward thinking than the North. I'm sure Fergal would tell you that.

I argue with Longbowman because he likes a good argument. I'm all for democracy but I find the British attitude with Brexit a bit condescending. It is a worry about what is going to happen as no one wants to give any ammunition to troublemakers. I hope the situation does go smoothly but this border issue is a major worry. I don't know how it is going to remain as is but hopefully some enlightened people in the EU and Britain will understand the issue of a land border on an island such as Ireland and the sensitivities around this.

How is this all going to work on Gibralter who also voted to remain in the EU? It is going to be all very interesting to say the least.

Gibraltar* has also shown no signs of increased desire for independence. The border situation will be complex but they lasted under worse until the 1970s.

It's very new-world to assume that people don't care about their identity. The Gibraltarians aren't British for convenience (although they would be, if they weren't British for other reasons, considering the situation).