Messages

Did we get any?

Thought it funny when Nolan asked Foster her nationality, she obviously replied British. Yet she supports Ireland in rugby when playing British countries.

Saw a funny clip somewhere of Sammy Wilson telling some English interviewer in Belfast he was British.
She replied " You 'ere on holidye then? 
Miriam was there because she has blonde hair and blue eyes.

I hope it won't be too social of an occasion

Which takes me back to the original point,the irony that Scottish nationalism is rampant when the Irish variety is dead in the water

It isn't quite dead.

Gerry Adams has hi-jacked it unfortunately.

Putting it politely, Adams is a long way from being a force for unity.

I met Adams in 1988. Little did I know that we would both go on to have twitter accounts. Still makes me giggle.

And neither of ye were on the Army Council I presume.
Neither was I.

How much of GB's exports go to the EU?
Who will they sell to if they pull out?
By the way I believe us little 4.6m are GB's 4 largest export market.

Um, the party proposing Scottish nationalism also takes oaths of allegiance to her majesty.

And were proposing to keep her if they won the Referendum.
Presumably they would have given her the more correct title of Elizabeth 1 then.
Since Tony F became a DUPite he's fairly tearing into the Irish Nationalists and Nationalism

How is the pound stronger than the Euro?
What does £14 buy that €20 doesn't.
People in the € area no more than in Canada, US. Australia, China don't have to change their currency to GB£s before they can buy anything.
Do I detect a colonial mindset hangover? ?

All I know is I was in Blanch and went to buy a set of golf balls out of Sports World and it was going to cost me €17...

Went up to Sportsdirect in Armagh and the same item was £9.99... the rate at the time was 1.41. Someone explain that to me!!!

Sports Direct is better value than Sports World when purchasing golf balls

Stop wasting your life and your money playing effn golf. Go for a good walk instead.
My cousin in England pays £1200 pa in Council Tax and £330 pa for water.
That's as near to €2,200 as makes no differ. He was out of work due to an illness and was getting £300 per MONTH.

How is the pound stronger than the Euro?
What does £14 buy that €20 doesn't.
People in the € area no more than in Canada, US. Australia, China don't have to change their currency to GB£s before they can buy anything.
Do I detect a colonial mindset hangover? ?

. As has been said on here many times no one has tried to articulate what this New Ireland would look like.

Federal or Central structures? New constitution?
Current or new constituency and council boundaries?
Central or Regional control of services?
Bicameral? STV, PR, First past the post? Role of Head of state?
Rights for minorities (travellers, Gaelic speakers, Orange men)
Universal health care?
10 or 25 year plan to merge governments and align taxation / services

While no Political party ever outlines what a UI might look like - I have on several occasions over the years on this Board.
I proposed a Confederacy of two semi Autonomous regions - present 6 and 26 Cos each with control over various internal affairs run by slimmed down Stormont and Dáil.
Of course there would be a new Constitution with a new Flag and Anthem.( 26 Cos could keep A na bhF and Tricolour while the 6 remain with neither flag or anyhem )
Probably 6 Regional Councils in the 26 and 3 "Cantons" in the 6 Cos.
A Bicarmel system -
with 10 seats reserved for the Dáil and 10 for Stormont on the De Hondt system in the "House of Representatives", other 80 elected via current PR system ( approx 1 Seat per 80,000 people)
A "Senate" of 50 with seats reserved for minority groups ( say 10), the other 40 directly elected.
A joint  3 man " Confederate Presidency" of Dáil Ceann Comhairle plus Speaker and Deputy Speaker from Stormont who would be largely ceremonial and live at home and just get an extra allowance for their Presidential duties.

Obviously a major transitional plan required to implement and pay for that but by the time it starts to happen (2040?? ) the 26 Co economy should be over the Bail Out hangover and the 6 Cos ought to have an economy by then.
No doubt the EU/US would help out while the Brits/English will no doubt set up a "Thanksgiving fund" ( Thanks God we got rid of that effin place and we will pay anything to make sure it doesnt come back )

Would cost the 26 Co economy €3Bn per annum in lost trade per the ESRI.

[everything]

what a complete utter waste of time 

very few people, if any, mentioned one of the main reasons it will never happen.
the simple fact that the UK government is better than ours!
free healthcare, better schools, the pound is way better than the euro. etc things like bins/water etc is all paid in one fairly priced lumpsum, where as here, we pay for all that separately, bins, fire services/ambulances etc all paid separately and we are rode for everything. why would anyone up north want to go away from what they have to something worse??! im sure there are a few up north who would think about a United Ireland if they could keep the conditions they have or get better, but that wont happen!
sure, they have their own issues with government but not to the extent we have it!

i would love to see a United Ireland but it aint gona happen!!

Have you spent much time in the UK?

The bits that I have seen are holes. The average standard of living seems to be a lot lower, just eyeballing the towns I've been in. Some things are better, possibly healthcare, but schools? I work with a lot of English educated lads and I don't see any evidence of a superior education system. Far from it.

As for the pound being better than the euro. How have you come to this conclusion?

Your post is a rant against the government here, fair enough. But it is very easy to find people in the UK who will give the exact same rant. The UK economy is generated mainly by London. Large parts of rest of it are a mess.

+1.
And by the time the current Brit Government leaves office things will be a lot worse for the poorer people and areas. 

Anyone that can't make the 24 should be playing with the B team anyway.

Only 30% in the 26 Cos??
And only two thirds of the Catholic/Nationalist/Irish in the 6 Cos?
Ah well ......we can forget all this 1916 stuff next year and wear poppies instead I suppose

Rose to 66% 'in their lifetime'. But reduced to 31% if higher taxes. Saddens me but I'm not surprised.

Was it for this James Connolly was shot while sitting in a chair?
Time to strip them of their Irish passports unless they pay some tax to the 26 Co State

Only 30% in the 26 Cos??
And only two thirds of the Catholic/Nationalist/Irish in the 6 Cos?
Ah well ......we can forget all this 1916 stuff next year and wear poppies instead I suppose

Just home so didn't see it - what were the percentages??