I am Pro-union

[Mario]

Ireland up to recently had more then 50 of the fortune 500 companies operating (fair enough that number has dropped over the last 3 years but is still bigger then the norths (poss. none?).

The north will certainly have some - Du pont, allstate, liberty,  and citigroup certainly.
Possibly others.

People in Ireland seem to forget the help they got form the EU to get these companies to set up. Also northern ireland doesn't have that much catching up to do on the south, i'm sure if you took Dublin out of Ireland and compared NI with the rest of Ireland, NI probably has a more developed economy, i know that is a massive if but i'm just making the point that you have the Dublin economy, then the rest of Ireland.

I'm from Derry and have worked in Dublin two years now, i have to say my attitudes to a UI have changed in my time here, i sometimes think people of influence here look down their nose at NI, like we are a bit of dirt which they are unfortunate to have to share the same surname with. These people forget where they where 20 years ago.

The other thing that puts me off it, is that i don't need to be under a Dublin government to call myself irish, i've been raised in the north, had an Irish upbring, i'm happy to call myself irish and not have to pay more for my healthcare, bin charges, cars, clothes, food. The things that effect you day to day are the things that matter.

[Ulick]

There seems to be an assumption on this thread that the reunited Ireland is going to be some sort of mirror image of the southern state. Like Mario, my Irish identity certainly isn't defined by southern attitudes nor should those attitudes be allowed to shape the new state.

[Olaf]

[The other thing that puts me off it, is that i don't need to be under a Dublin government to call myself irish, [/quote]

+1.

"Irishness" has been very much  pigeon holed over the last number of decades.

[gallsman]

You make a good point I suppose. It's just the feeling I get on a day-to-day basis. Maybe its a Dublin thing and the rest of the country is different?

I have no doubt there are many in the south who would like to get rid of us, particularly the west Brit celtic tiger generation, but pricks like that make the mistake of believing it is their country and their decision to make. Thankfully the political establishment, while probably sharing the similar views in private, know differently and as such would never dare campaign openly against reunification. I have no doubt a referendum would pass in the south by 70%, perhaps over 80% if the right deal was struck and a wave of patriotism washed over them.

Absolute bullshit. I know scores of people down here from all walks of life who don't give a f**k about the north. Just as relevant, I don't give a f**k about INLA members in Blanch and Crumlin wearing their Celtic tops and claiming to be republicans. I was in a taxi the other night with three mates who respectively supported Liverpool, Milan and Inter. Proper fans too, who go to matches and have season tickets in the San Siro. This t**t of a driver tried to explain to us how his support of Celtic was legitimate because they're an "Irish" club despite the fact that he hasn't been to Glasgow in 13 years whereas the lads supporting English and Italian teams they had "no connection" with weren't real fans. It's this kind of dick I hate more than the "West Brits" Ulick loves to put down so much.

Off on another rant there gallsman? Before you disappear again, perhaps you would like to explain the relevance of the INLA and soccer supporters to what I posted?

You talked about West Brits - I'm pointing out a group you should maybe direct your ire towards more as they disgrace nationalism far, far more. What you call a "West Brit" barely exists. The Cruiser doesn't have too many heirs about the place. You have no f**king clue whatsoever what you're talking about.

Sorry but I fail to see the relevence of Celtic or Milan or the fecking San Siro to anything discussed on this thread.

Was pretty clearly explained in the last post you quoted there. It was a specific response to a specific response.

Then again, you see supporting Celtic as a fundamental component of a person's right to call themselves Nationalist or Republican, so you're post doesn't surprise me.

[thegael]

Lady GAA GAA must be a member of the sdlp !

[Gaoth Dobhair Abu]

You make a good point I suppose. It's just the feeling I get on a day-to-day basis. Maybe its a Dublin thing and the rest of the country is different?

I have no doubt there are many in the south who would like to get rid of us, particularly the west Brit celtic tiger generation, but pricks like that make the mistake of believing it is their country and their decision to make. Thankfully the political establishment, while probably sharing the similar views in private, know differently and as such would never dare campaign openly against reunification. I have no doubt a referendum would pass in the south by 70%, perhaps over 80% if the right deal was struck and a wave of patriotism washed over them.

Absolute bullshit. I know scores of people down here from all walks of life who don't give a f**k about the north. Just as relevant, I don't give a f**k about INLA members in Blanch and Crumlin wearing their Celtic tops and claiming to be republicans. I was in a taxi the other night with three mates who respectively supported Liverpool, Milan and Inter. Proper fans too, who go to matches and have season tickets in the San Siro. This t**t of a driver tried to explain to us how his support of Celtic was legitimate because they're an "Irish" club despite the fact that he hasn't been to Glasgow in 13 years whereas the lads supporting English and Italian teams they had "no connection" with weren't real fans. It's this kind of dick I hate more than the "West Brits" Ulick loves to put down so much.

Off on another rant there gallsman? Before you disappear again, perhaps you would like to explain the relevance of the INLA and soccer supporters to what I posted?

You talked about West Brits - I'm pointing out a group you should maybe direct your ire towards more as they disgrace nationalism far, far more. What you call a "West Brit" barely exists. The Cruiser doesn't have too many heirs about the place. You have no f**king clue whatsoever what you're talking about.

Sorry but I fail to see the relevance of Celtic or Milan or the fecking San Siro to anything discussed on this thread.

Was pretty clearly explained in the last post you quoted there. It was a specific response to a specific response.

Then again, you see supporting Celtic as a fundamental component of a person's right to call themselves Nationalist or Republican, so you're post doesn't surprise me.

Again you come out with unsubstantiated rubbish see piece in bold, please show me where I have EVER said anything remotely like that!

[Zapatista]

There seems to be an assumption on this thread that the reunited Ireland is going to be some sort of mirror image of the southern state. Like Mario, my Irish identity certainly isn't defined by southern attitudes nor should those attitudes be allowed to shape the new state.

This is it exactly. You can be a peadophile or a rapist and still be Irish.

My irish identity is defined by nobody. I'm Irish because that's were i've been filed

[Olly]

I'm not British but I'm not Irish even though I was born on the island here and live in the UK and both my parents were. I'm not British because I'm not an imperialist with an arrogant slant on life and boasts about sex. I'm not Irish because I'm not a money-obsessed drunkard with an inferiority complex about every other race.

I see myself as me. A human who has been born on this part of the globe on this plot of land. I'll live by the laws of the land but I feel no infinity for any team or singer just because they're from here. If there was an intergalactic competition between the Earth, Jupiter and Uranus and Pluto I'd be supporting the earth as I'm a human being, or earthling.

[passedit]

I'm not British but I'm not Irish even though I was born on the island here and live in the UK and both my parents were. I'm not British because I'm not an imperialist with an arrogant slant on life and boasts about sex. I'm not Irish because I'm not a money-obsessed drunkard with an inferiority complex about every other race.

I see myself as me. A human who has been born on this part of the globe on this plot of land. I'll live by the laws of the land but I feel no infinity for any team or singer just because they're from here. If there was an intergalactic competition between the Earth, Jupiter and Uranus and Pluto I'd be supporting the earth as I'm a human being, or earthling.

Funny I had ye down as a Uranus fan.

[KT]

I'll readily admit I'm a bloody big romantic (with regard to a UI anyhow) but I think there would be a wonderful natural justice to reunification. If you think back to not only all the people who lost their lives, but who lost their land, their livelihood, their rights and their dignity since the time of plantation and yet if the current generation or the next generation made a smaller sacrifice such as their "free" healthcare just to reunify the country that our forefathers were stripped of, it would be a lovely tribute IMO.

However, only a fool would believe that a transition to a UI would be problem free, I would say that it would almost certainly be marked with violence. What would be horrible is if (I'm thinking of Israel here) the nationalist community became the aggressors.

I'm relatively open-minded and believe everyone is entitled to their own opinion but think that stating the people of the 32 counties being caught up in the popular culture of the UK as an argument for pro union with the UK as pathetic. By that logic we should be annexed to the US as well! I'm sure other countries eg the eastern European states retain an interest in Russian pop culture without having any bearing on their independence.   

[ziggysego]

I'm not British but I'm not Irish even though I was born on the island here and live in the UK and both my parents were. I'm not British because I'm not an imperialist with an arrogant slant on life and boasts about sex. I'm not Irish because I'm not a money-obsessed drunkard with an inferiority complex about every other race.

I see myself as me. A human who has been born on this part of the globe on this plot of land. I'll live by the laws of the land but I feel no infinity for any team or singer just because they're from here. If there was an intergalactic competition between the Earth, Jupiter and Uranus and Pluto I'd be supporting the earth as I'm a human being, or earthling.

But the Irish did away with free shopping bags. None of this "want a bag for that?" disgrace. Surely that must make you proud to be from this plot of land.

[eggy bread]

I'm not British but I'm not Irish even though I was born on the island here and live in the UK and both my parents were. I'm not British because I'm not an imperialist with an arrogant slant on life and boasts about sex. I'm not Irish because I'm not a money-obsessed drunkard with an inferiority complex about every other race.

I see myself as me. A human who has been born on this part of the globe on this plot of land. I'll live by the laws of the land but I feel no infinity for any team or singer just because they're from here. If there was an intergalactic competition between the Earth, Jupiter and Uranus and Pluto I'd be supporting the earth as I'm a human being, or earthling.

Do you not hold a passport then?

[Zapatista]

Do you not hold a passport then?

My passport expired. It was like Back to the Future, the futher past the expiry date it went the more I disappeared from the photo I carry about in my pocket. My entire identity is wasting away.

[eggy bread]

Do you not hold a passport then?

My passport expired. It was like Back to the Future, the futher past the expiry date it went the more I disappeared from the photo I carry about in my pocket. My entire identity is wasting away.

Was it a British or Irish passport - sure just renew it.

[Olly]

I'm not British but I'm not Irish even though I was born on the island here and live in the UK and both my parents were. I'm not British because I'm not an imperialist with an arrogant slant on life and boasts about sex. I'm not Irish because I'm not a money-obsessed drunkard with an inferiority complex about every other race.

I see myself as me. A human who has been born on this part of the globe on this plot of land. I'll live by the laws of the land but I feel no infinity for any team or singer just because they're from here. If there was an intergalactic competition between the Earth, Jupiter and Uranus and Pluto I'd be supporting the earth as I'm a human being, or earthling.

Do you not hold a passport then?

No, if I travel anywhere I go by boat or car.