Question for southerners

[Evil Genius]

... one aspect of this dispensation is that neither side has any appetite for reverting to the use of arms to impose its will upon the other (a few Republican "dissidents" excepted).

As proof of this, I would contrast the former absolute hostility of the DUP towards anything which even smacked of Republicanism etc, with the willingness of the present DUP to sit in Government alongside SF.

There is a school of thought that The DUP's motivation in sharing power with SF has less to do with conversion to an enlightened outlook than with the attractions of political office.

No doubt, but that doesn't explain how/why their share of the vote has held up, with the only dissatisfaction on a personal basis (i.e. Peter the Punt and his dodgy property dealings etc) seeing a swing towards Alliance, rather than UUP/TUV/PUP etc.

Whilst I believe that Unionists generally are as opposed to a UI as ever, I am also convinced that so long as it was as a result of a democratic vote, they would not resort to arms in any great numbers, should they be presented with that outcome.

My reasons for thinking so are as follows.

1. "You catch more flies with honey than vinegar" i.e. if you try and force a Unionist (most people, actually) to do something they really don't want, they will resist;

2. Since our "enemies" (Provos, Articles 2 & 3, "Oirish America", GB hostility/apathy etc) have finally lifted their "siege", so have we Unionists lifted our "siege mentality".

3. There could be no principled objection towards a UI if it were to follow a democratic vote of all of the people of NI (also ROI);

4. The Republic has changed out of all recognition from its former "bogey man" status, especially in the way the RC church no longer dominates public life, but also in the way post-EU accession, it has become so much more liberal and cosmopolitan etc;

5. Just as there is/was clear "war weariness" amongst NI Nationalists after 30 years of conflict etc, so there is amongst NI Unionists;

6. At a political level (if not on the ground), there is much greater contact and understanding between the leaders of Unionism and Nationalism than ever before (cf The Chuckle Brothers);

7. Now that it is clear that in any UI, the Shinners would be no more than a side-show (10% of the recent vote?), then we need have no fear of Grisley Adams and Co. managing to do to us what eg Gadhaffi will do to the Insurgents in Libya, should he regain control;

8. Indeed, should there be a UI, 1 million Unionists might realistically hope to hold the balance of power in any coalition Government which might emerge;

9. The UVF and UDA etc (the self-styled "Saviours of Ulster") have never been more discredited in the eyes of ordinary Unionists, for being the thugs/murderers/drug dealers/scumbags/gangsters they truly are.

But as I said earlier, this is all hypothetical (imo), since I see no prospect of a "Yes" vote for Unity, in NI at any rate, any time in the foreseeable future.

In fact, I would go further and state that I genuinely believe NI's position within the Union to be stronger than at any time in its 90 year history - if only the Shinners etc had the integrity to admit it  , and Unionists the brains to realise it 

[Farrandeelin]

southerners?? would you class Donegal south?

Surely part of South Galway would be more southern then parts of North Clare! And what about Kilkenny and Wexford and Carlow.

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

southerners?? would you class Donegal south?

Surely part of South Galway would be more southern then parts of North Clare! And what about Kilkenny and Wexford and Carlow.

We are Irish, Southern is Munster.

[Olly]

It just saddens be to see the island of Ireland viewed from space. You see Australia and Iceland etc and they're just one big political and economic country. Yet when you see Ireland there are boys in the northern part who won't let that happen because their forefathers put them there and they don't want to betray them even though they're dead and were wrong and just stole it. Although to be honest I support Basque independence.

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

It just saddens be to see the island of Ireland viewed from space. You see Australia and Iceland etc and they're just one big political and economic country. Yet when you see Ireland there are boys in the northern part who won't let that happen because their forefathers put them there and they don't want to betray them even though they're dead and were wrong and just stole it. Although to be honest I support Basque independence.

Olly for the sake of your sanity Olly don't look @ a map of Borneo.

[Farrandeelin]

A, B, or both please.

OK Eamonnca, A.

[Poc me]

On which point, now that the Celtic Tiger has been poached and its bones ground down for Chinese medicine (or whatever), there is no longer even an economic case for Unity [sic]  to which Nationalists might point, in order to counter our inherent emotional antipathy which, following 30 years of  murderous assault by the new TD for Louth and his fellow gangsters etc, is now well-nigh implacable.

You have to laugh at this. Ye were amenable to the idea of a rapprochement with Irish Nationalism until the Provos came along? Quite simply, you are erasing Unionism's commitment to using violence at every turn to achieve its political goals from the history books

No erasure at all on my part.

Whilst it is true that in 1912, there was widespread, militant resistance amongst Unionists towards Home Rule etc, that was a century ago.

And History has taught us that the attitudes of the various religious/political groups in Ireland has varied throughout the ages eg Presbyterian support for the United Irishmen, or the participation of so many Nationalists in Redmond's Irish Volunteers in the Great War.

Therefore my point was simply that the effect of 30 years of "armed struggle" by the Provos (1970-2000 approx) was only to harden Unionist antipathy towards a United Ireland to implacable levels.

Or do you disagree?

1913...the UVF were set up in 1913...and i think someone is forgetting about a certain groups excursion into Monaghan...It's also funny how the 30 or so years of violence by Loyalist Paramilitaries also in both sides of the border haven't destroyed peoples hopes for an inclusive United Ireland.

[Lar Naparka]

Surely part of South Galway would be more southern then parts of North Clare! And what about Kilkenny and Wexford and Carlow.

What about them indeed!
Your statement is indubitably correct; parts of South Galway are indeed closer to the South Pole than parts of North Clare and I dare anyone to deny this.

(At least I think that's what you are on about. It is; isn't it?)

Now, the suspense is killin' me; what about Kilkenny, Wexford and Carlow?
Maybe, since no one else seems to know what you are on about, you might provide the answer so I can get up of my ass and go face the rest of the day without worrying about Cats, Yella Bellies or ScallionAters.