Feile an Phobail

[Franko]

[EG is] overselling it.  And by more than a little.

Firstly, the unionists that we'd be talking about are more than likely the Alliance voting type, whose unionist identity, whilst definitely relevant, is well down the pecking order in terms of things they hold dear.

On the contrary, Unionist voters who vote Alliance are just as likely to be entirely comfortable with their British identity as those who vote for overtly Unionsit parties, since they aren't "spooked" by the AP's efforts to ride both constitutional horses at once.

Or they are actively turned off by Unionist politicians, but living in predominantly Unionist areas, as the great majority do, means that they aren't persuaded to vote for an overtly Unionist party in order to keep SF/SDLP out.

Meaning that if you're looking to Allaince voters from a Unionist background/area to vote for a UI, then imo you're clutching at straws. And I say that as a (proudly British) Unionist who has never given the DUP so much as a 10th preference, but has voted Alliance, amongst others.

Secondly, to say they'd have to "abandon" their British identity in a UI is nonsense.  There are many nationalists currently living in the UK who have not abandoned anything.  If anything, confidence in their identity has only grown in the past couple of decades.  I'd suggest that any unionist who feels the need to abandon their identity in a hypothetical UI, wasn't that bothered about their identity to start with

How can you continue to be British and a Unionist, in a United Ireland i.e somewhere which is neither British nor part of the Union?

Were we ever to have a UI, then the game would be up for Unionism. And considering how that British/Unionist identity has resisted eg countless rebellions, Partition, decades of severe civil strife, two world wars and the rise of the Celtic Tiger etc, over hundreds of years, what makes you think they're any less attached to their history andi dentity than, say, Irish nationalists, who have also faced all those challenges from the other side of the fence?

And finally, with regard to his assertion that nationalists need to offer "reasons to join a UI" – there is some truth in this.  But with the current behaviour of the DUP over here and the British govt pumping turds into rivers and displaying ever more fascist, inward-looking and corrupt behaviours, the reasons offered to get the fcuk out of this mess don't need to be particularly compelling

Hang on.

Those examples of (negative) behaviour by the Brits/DUP etc are not the same as the (positive) inducements from Irish Nationalism needed to persuade Ulster Unionists to abandon their dearly held identity and throw their lot in with a UI.

Instead Unionists will just roll their eyes at the former, while still waiting for the latter, in the same way as Nationalists roll their eyes when their own representatives act the maggot, while ignoring the need to come up with the latter.

As you appear to do.

1. With all due respect, someone like yourself is not among the target audience for this EG.  You may have thrown an odd vote Alliance's way when it didn't really matter, but in your own words, you are "proudly British".  I know from direct experience that there are plenty of Unionists who are most definitely not "proudly British" at the moment.  And the behaviour of their so called leaders means that this cohort grows by the day.

2. You can't continue to be unionist.  Like you say, the game is up.  But you said that people would have to give up their British identity.  That would certainly not be the case.  (Unless of course, they wanted to...)

3. I'm not sure you get it.  The masterclass in self-harm that the UK Gov't (and it's DUP lapdogs) have been engaged in for the past decade is creating these inducements faster than nationalists can point them out!  The ace in the pack for remaining part of the UK is the NHS.  These lunatics would have it sold off quicker than you could dial 999.

Anyway, that all said, I'll indulge you with some "inducements"  Currently, Ireland betters the UK in the following areas;
Life Expectancy
GDP/capita
Social security (welfare) support
Infant Mortality rates
National debt levels (currently running a slight budget surplus)
Current economic growth rate
% risk of poverty
Industrial productivity/capita
Murder rate

Now this is far from an exhaustive list.  And it's for the UK as a whole.  You can imagine how the figures for the North might compare.   But, as stated earlier, people like yourself don't care - as, by your own admission, the fleg is what it's all about for you.

No amount of inducements will convince you and those like you... but that doesn't matter.

Jimmy Nesbitt certainly doesn't agree with your thesis anyway EG.

"People from the North, of my tradition, would feel that they have their identity, that it is in no way threatened, that they have an equal voice, that they are part of a society that is progressive, inclusive, diverse," Nesbitt said.

"That they have prosperity, that they're not marginalised, and that they can be proud to be from the north of Ireland in a new union of Ireland."

"Among my friends, who are all boys who are Protestants, well, men, we're all 54, they would really consider now what the notion of a new union of Ireland might look like, and I think there's a lot of people that think that."

[gallsman]

Ffs, I didn't realise Nesbitt was doing to have to be part of it. Would make me question my desire for unity.

[trailer]

There will soon be no Union to be a part of. Scotland will vote to leave and from there everything will disintegrate. Unionist should be pragmatic and start planning for a settlement that sees them get some concessions.

[theskull1]

Paul Brady singing "The Island" on the Late Late

Feile an Phobail take note

[balladmaker]

Paul Brady singing "The Island" on the Late Late

Feile an Phobail take note

Paul Brady played this year's Feile.