Belfast rioting over removal of Union Jack

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

FG supported the partitioning of Ireland...that makes them unionists.You support partition,you're a unionist,you oppose partition,you're a nationalist

They accepted the treaty to break the Union with Britain. They did not support the continued Union of the North of Ireland with Britain. The North briefly left the Union and rejoined it a day or two later, nothing to do with Fine Gael which did not even exist as a political party at that time.

Fine Gael do not support partition.

Take your wild ideas back up the mountain with ya lad.

[fingerbob]

We're not as Irish as Cork and we're not as British as Finchley.

What rubbish. Both Ireland and the UK are diverse places. There's no single template for being Irish or British.

I didn't say they weren't. I'm specifically talking about the identity of the population of the north, which usually gets divided into British/Unionist and Irish/Nationalist and that there is a lot more to it than that. We share a lot more than we differ on. I'm fully aware that you can get a range of sub identities within the two and didn't think I'd need to explain that.

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

Although, on that topic, the constitutional question shouldn't matter at all right now. It's something that isn't going to change for the foreseeable future (if it ever does) and it's only dicks like you that indulge and let yourselves be consumed by it, while the rest of us just want to get on with becoming a functioning, sustainable society.

Has it never occurred to you that the difficulties we are experiencing right now are as a direct result of the current constitutional position, and the mistakes that have been made in respect of such in the (not so distant) past? Try to dig a little deeper than the painfully obvious symptoms.

[fingerbob]

Although, on that topic, the constitutional question shouldn't matter at all right now. It's something that isn't going to change for the foreseeable future (if it ever does) and it's only dicks like you that indulge and let yourselves be consumed by it, while the rest of us just want to get on with becoming a functioning, sustainable society.

Has it never occurred to you that the difficulties we are experiencing right now are as a direct result of the current constitutional position, and the mistakes that have been made in respect of such in the (not so distant) past? Try to dig a little deeper than the painfully obvious symptoms.

Could you just elaborate on that a bit. It's easy enough to say but I can't think of any real substance to it. In relation to what I said anyway.

[ONeill]

In 400 million years the planet earth won't exist.

[fingerbob]

In 400 million years the planet earth won't exist.

That's my point in a sense...

[Maguire01]

We're not as Irish as Cork and we're not as British as Finchley.

What rubbish. Both Ireland and the UK are diverse places. There's no single template for being Irish or British.

I didn't say they weren't. I'm specifically talking about the identity of the population of the north, which usually gets divided into British/Unionist and Irish/Nationalist and that there is a lot more to it than that. We share a lot more than we differ on. I'm fully aware that you can get a range of sub identities within the two and didn't think I'd need to explain that.

You said we're "not as Irish as Cork". That's rubbish. What makes Cork more Irish?

[fingerbob]

We're not as Irish as Cork and we're not as British as Finchley.

What rubbish. Both Ireland and the UK are diverse places. There's no single template for being Irish or British.

I didn't say they weren't. I'm specifically talking about the identity of the population of the north, which usually gets divided into British/Unionist and Irish/Nationalist and that there is a lot more to it than that. We share a lot more than we differ on. I'm fully aware that you can get a range of sub identities within the two and didn't think I'd need to explain that.

You said we're "not as Irish as Cork". That's rubbish. What makes Cork more Irish?

It was just an example.
I could have picked any place. If you want to be that particular, go on ahead.

[deiseach]

What makes anywhere south of the border more Irish than anywhere north of the border?

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

What makes anywhere south of the border more Irish than anywhere north of the border?

He probably is adding in the independence of the Irish state element, but not sure that makes somone more Irish, just more a different type of Irish. 26 county and 6 county nationalist culture have been diverging since 1922, the same has happened to 6 county unionist culture and those in the 26 counties whoses grandparents were unionist, most I would think present day grandchildren and greatgrandchildren are mostly nationalist now.

[ONeill]

What makes anywhere south of the border more Irish than anywhere north of the border?

In terms of demographics, yes, it make a difference. I'd say there are few who see themselves as British in Navan compared to Larne.

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

What makes anywhere south of the border more Irish than anywhere north of the border?

In terms of demographics, yes, it make a difference. I'd say there are few who see themselves as British in Navan compared to Larne.

I would say in formally Unionist strongholds in the Republic few would today consider themselves British, maybe some with very fond links with the North or Britain, the Royal family or the British Armed forces but still Irish and probably quite nationalist (at least when it comes to sport).

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

In 400 million years the planet earth won't exist.

Nonsense: you're 4.5 billion years out, approximately! 

[fingerbob]

What makes anywhere south of the border more Irish than anywhere north of the border?

Well it depends on an whatever perception of Irishness you have, but in my opinion we've been under British rule and living alongside a majority population who also consider themselves British for the last few centuries. For better or worse I think this makes us different from those south of the border and in my experience that difference is more evident within the south than here. Most people in the republic seem indifferent to the north these days, and I think this should be an incentive for integration in the north.

It may be a bit simplistic as already mentioned, but I think a dose of reality is needed. We all have our own opinions and beliefs in regards to the future of the border, but pragmatism should be the priority at the present as the border has no hope of changing in the next few decades. We're a joke as a state, but rather than jumping on that and using it as a stick to beat unionists, we should be trying to better our society and develop together, then take on the constitution when it becomes relevant.

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

Could you just elaborate on that a bit. It's easy enough to say but I can't think of any real substance to it. In relation to what I said anyway.

When you have the latest and typical unionist/loyalist reactions to a democratic vote, it's folly to think that those difficulties can be addressed or analysed in isolation, without consideration of the current constitutional situation.