A United Ireland. Opening up the discussion.

[Orior]

My view on things is to let the Scots have Antrim and Down then do a population swap, Catholics in east move west and Protestants in west move east, if that was done 300 years ago then there would have been no Troubles. There will never be a unified Irish people any other way, I just know that as a fact, any man with sense would see that.

And while they're swapping houses you could throw in a bit of wife swapping too, just as a sweetener and to spice things up.

Do you live in the East or the West Orior?  You could be moved to Fermanagh and get Arlene Foster!

I live in East of Orior, East of Armagh, East of Ulster, West of Britain, West of the UK and West of Europe.

[LeoMc]

My view on things is to let the Scots have Antrim and Down then do a population swap, Catholics in east move west and Protestants in west move east, if that was done 300 years ago then there would have been no Troubles. There will never be a unified Irish people any other way, I just know that as a fact, any man with sense would see that.

Partitionist.

[Avondhu star]

Maybe if we highlighted sensible use of public services such as patients from the Republic availing of cataract operations in Belfast people might see the advantages of a United country.

[BennyCake]

Maybe if we highlighted sensible use of public services such as patients from the Republic availing of cataract operations in Belfast people might see the advantages of a United country.

I believe there are some cross border health schemes already in, excuse the pun, operation.

[vallankumous]

Maybe if we highlighted sensible use of public services such as patients from the Republic availing of cataract operations in Belfast people might see the advantages of a United country.

Is the pun here intended too?

[BennyCake]

My view on things is to let the Scots have Antrim and Down then do a population swap, Catholics in east move west and Protestants in west move east, if that was done 300 years ago then there would have been no Troubles. There will never be a unified Irish people any other way, I just know that as a fact, any man with sense would see that.

Partitionist.

He has a point though.

As mad as it sounds, the only way to sort out a hellhole like this is some form of eugenics, ethnic cleansing on a mass scale, drive/force/conpensate Catholics South or Protestants to Britain. Any other way and it's just more of the same. I'm not advocating doing any of the above, but "compromise" clearly hasn't worked or never will.

I still reckon a big bare knuckle fight with the best 1000 people from each side, put them in a field somewhere and the winners keep the North. Mad yes, but Stormont obviously isn't the answer!

[clarshack]

My view on things is to let the Scots have Antrim and Down then do a population swap, Catholics in east move west and Protestants in west move east, if that was done 300 years ago then there would have been no Troubles. There will never be a unified Irish people any other way, I just know that as a fact, any man with sense would see that.

Partitionist.

He has a point though.

As mad as it sounds, the only way to sort out a hellhole like this is some form of eugenics, ethnic cleansing on a mass scale, drive/force/conpensate Catholics South or Protestants to Britain. Any other way and it's just more of the same. I'm not advocating doing any of the above, but "compromise" clearly hasn't worked or never will.

I still reckon a big bare knuckle fight with the best 1000 people from each side, put them in a field somewhere and the winners keep the North. Mad yes, but Stormont obviously isn't the answer!

we would win with all the travellers on our side!

[Avondhu star]

Maybe if we highlighted sensible use of public services such as patients from the Republic availing of cataract operations in Belfast people might see the advantages of a United country.

I believe there are some cross border health schemes already in, excuse the pun, operation.

There are plenty of examples across many areas where a 32 county approach is proving better but no party seems to want to highlight the positives

[Bord na Mona man]

Interesting stats from McWilliams. It wasn't too many years ago when Ian Óg Paisley was sneering about not wanting the South's potholed roads.

http://www.davidmcwilliams.ie/2017/12/05/northern-ireland-and-the-trip-advisor-index-of-economic-vibrancy

In 1920, 80 per cent of the industrial output of the entire island came from the three counties around Belfast. Belfast was the biggest city in Ireland in 1911, larger than Dublin, and was home to Ireland's innovation and technology.

At partition, the North was industrial and rich, the South agricultural and poor. Fast-forward to now, and the contrast couldn't be greater. The collapse of the Northern Ireland economy compared with that of the Republic has been unprecedented. East and West Germany come to mind.

Economically, the Union has enfeebled the North while independence has enriched the South – particularly since the peace process. Commercially, there was a huge peace dividend, but it went south.

The Republic's economy is four times larger, generated by a work force that is only two and a half times bigger. The Republic's industrial output is today 10 times that of the North. Exports from the Republic are 17 times greater than those from Northern Ireland, and average income per head in the Republic, at €39,873, dwarfs the €23,700 across the Border.

Immigration is a traditional indicator of economic vitality. In the Republic, one in six people are immigrants, the corresponding figure for the North is one in a hundred.

Dublin is three times bigger than Belfast, far more cosmopolitan, and home to hundreds of international companies.

[illdecide]

Ha, they done that for Craigavon in early 70's...offered them money to move there from Belfast. The British Government should offer all the Prods money to move to England/Scotland and everyone's happy. That's Brexit sorted...

[armaghniac]

Interesting stats from McWilliams. It wasn't too many years ago when Ian Óg Paisley was sneering about not wanting the South's potholed roads.

Indeed I recall John "indian" Taylor about 25 years ago sneering on a panel about the lack of motorways in the 26 counties. Now the 26 counties has 10 times the motorway length of the wee 6.

Ha, they done that for Craigavon in early 70's...offered them money to move there from Belfast. The British Government should offer all the Prods money to move to England/Scotland and everyone's happy. That's Brexit sorted...

Moving them to Scotland would secure the Union. The poor people of Scotland might never forgive either us or England for doing this though.

[BennyCake]

Ha, they done that for Craigavon in early 70's...offered them money to move there from Belfast. The British Government should offer all the Prods money to move to England/Scotland and everyone's happy. That's Brexit sorted...

As mad as it sounds, I agree. Compensation costs for all unionists would probably be less than running this current sectarian hellhole for the next few decades.

[magpie seanie]

The old republican mantra about it not being those who can inflict the most but those that can endure the most who will conquer will be borne out in the 6 counties and beyond. McWilliam's article is good but Brexit, the DUP and the Tories have brought the prospect of a United Ireland forward more than anything in the last 90 years bar possibly the GFA. Exciting times.

[Rossfan]

Indeed they have.
Remember a few years ago Robinson saying the DUP should start wooing Catholics
They didn't exactly go about that in the right way.....

[naka]

The old republican mantra about it not being those who can inflict the most but those that can endure the most who will conquer will be borne out in the 6 counties and beyond. McWilliam's article is good but Brexit, the DUP and the Tories have brought the prospect of a United Ireland forward more than anything in the last 90 years bar possibly the GFA. Exciting times.

for the first time in my life I can feel confident that a united Ireland will happen,
brexit and the DUP has ended any  hopes for a shared future.
when the bit came to the bit the DUP were unmasked as blinkered and bigoted
next decade will be fascinating watching their majority fall