A United Ireland. Opening up the discussion.

[LeoMc]

I think before any of these happens or are even discussed, NI needs to be made to get up off it's backward economic hole and made to stand on its own two feet. What passes for an economy here just doesn't cut it in the real world.

+1.
As for what happens after the referendums(da?) take place.
Well as I've told ye so many times before - most likely there will be an All Ireland confederation with the present 6 and 26 Co areas being autonomous areas with slimmed down versions of Stormont and the Dàil administering certain defined internal matters.
People from the 6 will be able to avail of British citizenship ( as well as Irish) if Britain still exists of course.
We'll have a Confederation flag and anthem - probably a green flag with that red St Patrick's X on it and a nice bland anthem " Our Lovely Island" maybe .
P
Most likely we'll have some kind of mutual friendship Treaty with Britain or England and Scotland - hopefully with a non Aggression provision .
One thing we won't have is a "32 County Socialist Republic" so the Sinners may as well drop that nonsense from their literature now.

Why do we need to maintain those gerrymandered constituencies?

[Rossfan]

Because they will have been separated for 115/120 years by then with all sorts of different local laws, education systems, roadsigns, speed limits, currencies, planning laws, registration plates etc etc.
Also the need to keep the 6 Co British calm and to allow for dual citizenship there.

[bennydorano]

Rip it up & start again is the approach needed. A proper fresh start unification would be more painful for a lot of ROI citizens than Unionists imo. Chances of it happening are slim.

[LeoMc]

Because they will have been separated for 115/120 years by then with all sorts of different local laws, education systems, roadsigns, speed limits, currencies, planning laws, registration plates etc etc.
Also the need to keep the 6 Co British calm and to allow for dual citizenship there.

Going that way is essentially a step the United Ireland that Unionists fear.
It needs to be a new Country where everyone has a chance to buy in to the formation.

[armaghniac]

Because they will have been separated for 115/120 years by then with all sorts of different local laws, education systems, roadsigns, speed limits, currencies, planning laws, registration plates etc etc.
Also the need to keep the 6 Co British calm and to allow for dual citizenship there.

Going that way is essentially a step the United Ireland that Unionists fear.
It needs to be a new Country where everyone has a chance to buy in to the formation.

There is truth in both of these statements. A new country is needed, it is an excellent chance for a reboot of things that many people need changed anyway, but obviously some might want a measure of local devolution in the wee 6.

[Rossfan]

It will be evolutionary so very little will be "ripped up".
" Ripping up" usually ends in tears - France 1790s, Germany 1930s, PolPot's Cambodia, etc etc.

[Eamonnca1]

Why do we need to maintain those gerrymandered constituencies?

Smooths out the transition. Doesn't rock the boat so much.

[Applesisapples]

Reading through the posts here one thing is abundantly clear. Nationalists can't even agree on a discussion forum whether a UI is feasible, desirable or likely to come about. It is also quite clear that despite Tony's wish that it could be different there are two defined narratives, identities and cultures in the North one inherently Irish, the other claiming to be British but which in actual fact is regional and confined almost exclusively to the six counties. The fear  in loyalist communities at present is not about the end of the union but the reality that they are now a minority albeit the biggest minority currently in NI but the days of a catholic majority is a lot closer than a UI and with it will come the clamour for more equality fewer flegs and the spread of Irishness. The threat to the union lies there in as loyalism fades and common cause with the ROI leads to closer cooperation then unity is inevitable. How long it will take depends on the approach of the SDLP and SF in leadership of their respective supporters. Unfortunately from a nationalist perspective the SDLP seem quite happy with the status quo and SF have not really shown any vision of how this united country might shape up. There is no consensus with in nationalism and SF can't quite drop the socialist republic which just won't wash with the voters...outside of some working class ghettos or should we say benefit's class ghettos no one actually wants it. It is time for a national conference or discussion to forge a vision that all so called nationalist parties north and south can subscribe to. But don't hold your breath.

What an arrogant post.  With this sort of attitude you will be a long time persuading Unionists that their best interests lie in a UI.

It's true though. What other former colonies do the natives still call themselves British? Gibraltar? Falklands?

No it isn't.  They do not 'claim' to be British.  They live in the UK and hold British passports.  What gives you the right to tell them how they should feel / identify themselves?

I was referring to the culture not the person, they may be or feel that the are ethnically British as is there right but culturally?

Culture is not soley to do with Orangeism and marching bands.  Like it or not, many Unionists feel a close affinity with the rest of UK and consider themselves to be British.  You teliing them that they are not / are wrong, isn't going to make a blind bit of difference.  Nor is it going to persuade them that their future lies in a UI.

Firstly I do not wish to deny anyone the right to feel or be British. The point I was making is that when the PUL refer to their culture or attacks on their British Way of life it invariably means parading or marching or bands. This is not British culture.

[Feckitt]

Are Fianna Fail still talking about standing in elections in the North in 2019.  If they were serious about this, you would think they would have tried to recruit or convert a councillor or two, or at least even have a spokesperson in the North.

Apart from SF, People before Profit are as far as I'm aware the only party who organise on an All-Ireland basis.  The Green party do not.

[armaghniac]

Are Fianna Fail still talking about standing in elections in the North in 2019.  If they were serious about this, you would think they would have tried to recruit or convert a councillor or two, or at least even have a spokesperson in the North.

Apart from SF, People before Profit are as far as I'm aware the only party who organise on an All-Ireland basis.  The Green party do not.

FF have a branch in Cross', is that in Northern Ireland? They have said they would run in 2019, I think their collapse in the 26 counties took the steam out of earlier plans.

[Feckitt]

Yeah but what have these branches been doing for the past 5 years?

[T Fearon]

On last Thursday evening's The View,on BBC NI, a FF TD was arguing with Jim Allister,TUV leader about Enda Kenny's right,or not,to involve himself in the Brexit debate.The FF TD (his name escapes me ) was coming out with,what is now standard Dublin Political speak, such as "We are the only EU country to share a land border with the UK" etc.

I now find it impossible to discern any difference between the views of Unionist political parties and those in the South (apart from SF obviously), in that they all regard NI and ROI as two distinct and separate countries,with political unity not on either's radar.

What therefore is the point of flogging the dead horse of Irish Unity?

[Rossfan]

To keep you posting here maybe?!

[LeoMc]

Why do we need to maintain those gerrymandered constituencies?

Smooths out the transition. Doesn't rock the boat so much.

Whilst I can see that side of the argument to my mind it is too much like saying to Unionists come and join us then we can create a new Country. Any sort of Federation Autonomous status should only be for a pre-determined time period (5-10 years) until the newly delineated regions could be put in place.

[T Fearon]

Once again the contempt for Northern Nationalists evident in Dublin.Enda rules out a border poll, (the one sure way of avoiding a border between North and South), and scurrying to assure the British are supported in the exit negotiations (thus stupidly alienating the freestate's European partners),and not an acknowledgement far less concern for the Northern majority who voted remain.

Why do people in the North pursue Irish Unity.