Messages

Personally - I am not too bothered about the location, Obviously it is not perfect, but no location is going to be.

As someone who regularly drives to Ballykinlar, the road from Clough to Ballykinlar is fine when you get used to it.

From Belfast, it is reasonable to get to, either via Downpatrick or via Clough.

It's also a lot closer for the hurling folk in Portaferry area than other county pitches

Yes, Castlewellan is preferable, but we can't wait forever for the perfect site.

Bother for some families with a squad of children.

a few small bags and the children carry their own

South Down

1 - AP. 2 -  GP 3 - SDLP, 4 - SDLP, 5 - SF, 6 - SF, 7 - UUP, 8 - CONS, 9 - TUV

No votes for DUP or local independent

[Where does this all end?]

I've been a SF voter all my life and TBH now and over that last few years i'm really (couldn't give a f**k)not bothered. If i'm really honest i have probably voted for SF to counter act DUP voters more than what SF can do for me. So question is where do we go from here? I'm asking myself the same questions...Don't want them bigoted DUP hoors to get in and will my SF vote make any difference to NI politics as SF and DUP will just get voted in again as the 2 largest parties and back to the status quo...Where does this all end?

I know this would never happen but what about SF and SDLP doing a secret deal with each other (the day b4 the votes...or is that not possible) and merge parties before the other side has the time to do the same and sweep up...lol. In all seriousness this country is f**ked up and will take another 2-3 generations to sort out...i'll certainly not see it in my time.

So who do i vote for (if any)?

The turnout in the last assembly election was 54% - this all ends when the other 45% get out and vote!

Vote sensibly and use the transfers.

Many of those not voting are the ones disillusioned with politics, and are tired of the tribal politics. However the non voters are actually the majority - if every non voter voted for one of the non mainstream parties, we could actually see some changes!

My suggestion is to keep the provincial championships, but after the provincial championships combine 2 provinces

Leinster & Connacht consist of 17 counties

Munster and Ulster consist of 15 counties (Add London and New York) and its even.

Have a round robin in each of the combinations (with groups seeded according to provincial and league performances)

The top 4 from each them make it through to the quarter finals.

Haven't thought it through in detail as to how the seeding would work, how many matches etc, but its just a quick idea

Derry to Dublin is over 3 hours too!

Derry to Cavan is about 2 - 2 & 1/2 hours

Thurles to Cavan is 2 & 1/2 hours.

So seems reasonably fair

I think part of the problem is the commitment required.

Training 4 nights a week in Newry, isn't feasible for many players outside of the immediate Newry area.

From 25 onwards people have other commitments such as work and relationships, and for someone from say Downpatrick to have to travel to Newry 3 nights a week to train, just isn't going to happen unless they are guaranteed a place.

Home from work at 6 - have to leave immediately to get to Newry for 7, train for 2 hours and then not home to 10pm, and then come match day, you spend 70 minutes on the bench - where is the motivation to stay with the County?

Later,  no wonder you are supporting Brexit!

What does me supporting both Irish teams have to do with me supporting a Brexit?

You like partition.

No actually I don't recognise the legitimacy of partition, Ireland is an Island, and is one country, which is why I support both Irish teams, they are both from Ireland.

Later,  no wonder you are supporting Brexit!

What does me supporting both Irish teams have to do with me supporting a Brexit?

[I will support an Irish team]

The IFA represented the whole of Ireland, until the south decided it wanted a new team.

The IFA continued under the name of Ireland right up until the 1970's, although they stopped accepting players from the South in the 50's due to a FIFA ruling.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ireland_national_football_team_(1882%E2%80%931950)

Makes interesting reading.

As far as I am concerned both teams are from Ireland, and support both teams equally. (Although don't actually have much interest in Soccer).

My Dad and brother have always supported NI, my Dad supported George Best and Pat Jennings so to him it was natural to support the North as that was who they played for.

I don't care what anthem they sing under, I will support an Irish team.

Even if the association and its followers don't view themselves as Irish?

The Association calls itself the Irish Football Association, and views itself as Northern Irish so yes I will support them.

Many unionists actually do consider themselves Irish, in the same way as the Welsh are both Welsh and British, among the older unionists (The non bitter ones) they see themselves as both British and Irish. The young generation seem to identify as Northern Irish and British (I don't agree that there is really such a thing as Northern Irish - but respect someones right to identify however they choose).

Sport is entirely separate to politics and religion (Or at least should be), so yes I will support a team that people from my country play for.
David Healy lives about 10 mile from me, and probably a few other NI players, so yes I will support them, and equally support the Republic of Ireland,

The IFA represented the whole of Ireland, until the south decided it wanted a new team.

The IFA continued under the name of Ireland right up until the 1970's, although they stopped accepting players from the South in the 50's due to a FIFA ruling.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ireland_national_football_team_(1882%E2%80%931950)

Makes interesting reading.

As far as I am concerned both teams are from Ireland, and support both teams equally. (Although don't actually have much interest in Soccer).

My Dad and brother have always supported NI, my Dad supported George Best and Pat Jennings so to him it was natural to support the North as that was who they played for.

I don't care what anthem they sing under, I will support an Irish team.

Set aside the economic arguments, which in my view can be twisted either way. If you want border controls when you go any where in the EU vote Brexit, if you want the NHS collapsing because we can't train enough local staff vote Brexit. If you want red tape and Custom houses from Lifford to Newry vote Brexit.

Immigration to the NHS will not stop because of a Brexit - we have plenty of Asians training to be medical staff here and Asia isn't in the EU.

As for customs, ever walked through Dublin or Belfast airport coming off a non EU flight? How often do you get stopped? Its mainly a matter of spot checks and putting the emphasis on you declare any goods which may be subject to tariffs or import taxes.

Support  for Farage and the DUP is not in the interests of any part of Ireland.
This is too important  to be associated with fad trivialities like water charges.

The decision is too important to be made on the basis of what political parties support it.

Its not about trivialities, its about the bigger picture, and the fact that the EU has the ability to override a countries right to rule itself.

The water charges is just one example whereby the EU has forced its opinion on Ireland or the UK - there are a load more.

We vote for a government, they make a decision, that's democracy. The EU overrides that decision - that's undemocratic.

Wait till the Spanish send all them Brits back home as illegals.
And no matter what the Brits do they have to take in people seeking asylum or will they leave the UN too " because it's more foreigners telling them what to do"
If the Brits leave the EU what happens with the 800,000 Irish( EU)  citizens in the 6 Cos?

They can't sent the Brits home anymore than the Brits can send the Polish home.

Vienna Convention means they have the right to stay.

It can stop more Brits going to Spain, and more Eastern Europeans coming to the UK, but won't change the residency rights of the ones already moved.

As for the 6 counties - our right to dual nationality shouldn't be affected by the UK leaving the EU, we are still entitled to an Irish Passport and Irish (therefore EU) citizenship.

[The EU is enforcing laws and austerity measures on Ireland, water charges are/were mandatory as part of the measures enforced by the EU as a condition of the bailout, which they forced Ireland to accept.]

Leave

The EU is unrecognizable from the EEC that the UK voted for in 1975

What with the EU be like in 2025 - will it even be recognizable as the same one we are voting for today?

I fully support the EEC, and the original concepts of free trade and free movement of labour between countries that are economically, politically and culturally similar, however the EU has become a political body as well as a trading body, and the 28 member states are no longer similar enough for the concept to be a success.

The EU (and especially the Euro) are failing in my opinion

Don't like the unfair competition laws - ie: A country can't prop up failing businesses and protect employment as this would be considered state aid and yet the EU can encourage investment in disadvantaged areas and give them aid in the form of grants.

The reduction in the block grant if we lower corporation tax, is mandated by the EU (OK Westminster may have choosen to reduce it anyway, but at least there would be a possibility it may not be reduced)

The EU is enforcing laws and austerity measures on Ireland, water charges are/were mandatory as part of the measures enforced by the EU as a condition of the bailout, which they forced Ireland to accept.

I don't like the EU overruling the laws of a member nation and being able to force them to comply.

Its bad enough being ruled by the UK, its worse being ruled by an even further detached foreign parliament.

Are you confusing the Eurozone and the EU?

The EU is not the Eurozone but The Eurozone is part of the EU (and the majority part at that)

I am voting to what I think is in the best interests of Ireland (North and South).

A UK vote could be the beginning of the end for the EU, there are indications of France and the Netherlands wanting out too.