An Independent Northern Ireland

[Beorn]

Now, more and more Catholics are describing themselves as Northern Irish and are really just growing accustomed to being outside of an Irish republic.

Indeed. The missus identifies as Catholic Northern Irish.

Mind you, when she goes "home" she gets called an English tart, so there we go.

[007]

If Northern Ireland became independent it would, like Eire, receive far more funding from the EU. It is as economically viable as Eire, IMHO.

True. The Eu would love an "independent" Ulster just as much as they love the "independent" Republic

[antonio]

Like Galicia being apart from Spain or Portugal: a complete historical, cultural, ethnological, etc...nosense, even if I acknowledge its economical viability to a certain degree. BTW an economical viability higher than Ulster one.

[Wyn]

Why would people who care about Northern Ireland so much actually want it to be part of the EU? Talking about selling out.

[Sahson]

If the irish like their land so much, why not make it autonomous, like Isle Of Man?

[007]

If the irish like their land so much, why not make it autonomous, like Isle Of Man?

Oddly enough, they stopped shouting "Freedom!" as soon as the EU offered them some dosh

[Liffrea]

I’m doubtful of an independent Northern Ireland, from what I have seen much of Northern Irish identity is rooted in links to the UK, they are probably far more pro-UK than anyone else in the union. As long as the UK exists Northern Ireland is always going to be a part of it.

The Republic is an economic basket case built on a short term bubble of investment for signing up to the Euro project. Ireland (now effectively bankrupt) is learning the hard way that Paris and Berlin come long before Dublin in the pecking order of economic priorities.

[Murphy]

The Republic is an economic basket case built on a short term bubble of investment for signing up to the Euro project. Ireland (now effectively bankrupt) is learning the hard way that Paris and Berlin come long before Dublin in the pecking order of economic priorities.

You speak as if the traitors in government were not perfectly aware of this when they sold the Irish people up the river?

[Wyn]

You speak as if the traitors in government were not perfectly aware of this when they sold the Irish people up the river?

That the RoI joined the EU is itself a rather astounding episode of history. Given that notions of independence and repression by foreign powers forms a pretty important aspect of the Irish political mindset, you would think that they (members of the Irish public) would do all within their power to avoid EU membership, even if their politicians wished for it. Were there any stirrings from the boys when Ireland joined?

[Liffrea]

Originally Posted by Eóin
You speak as if the traitors in government were not perfectly aware of this when they sold the Irish people up the river?

I don’t believe bankrupting your own state is a move elites would intentionally go for….true the possibility was probably known to more than a few, the UK would be on the bread line if we had listened to Mandelson and co, but don’t ascribe to malice what you can ascribe to stupidity and greed.

Originally Posted by Wynfrith
That the RoI joined the EU is itself a rather astounding episode of history.

Not really, it’s all simple cost/benefit. Of course you get the idealists who truly “believe” in the cause, usually golden agers banging on about freedom, country of our own etc, but for most it’s all about ££££££.