The run up to conflict in Northern Ireland

[Tothefuture]

Ye're only choice is between being an unwanted boil on the UK's arse or being part of an All Ireland political entity.
A go it alone independent 6 Cos. is a total non starter.
An bhfuil Gaeilge agat a Antòin.

Couldn't agree more in relation to an independent NI. Just not feasible. At present however how do you try to entice people that a UI will be better for us all? To be honest I definitely need convinced of the positives of a UI.

[T Fearon]

The best thing at present is to maintain the constitutional status quo (there is no other option) but instead of the divisive politics of unionism and nationalism, promote common Northern Irishness.

[Tothefuture]

The best thing at present is to maintain the constitutional status quo (there is no other option) but instead of the divisive politics of unionism and nationalism, promote common Northern Irishness.

Indeed, and this shouldn't be a threat to anyones right to class themselves as Irish or British. We have loads in common, and obviously lots that we don't, but that should be celebrated not used to force apart

[From the Bunker]

The best thing at present is to maintain the constitutional status quo (there is no other option) but instead of the divisive politics of unionism and nationalism, promote common Northern Irishness.

Of course you are right. Both Communities have more in common with each other than the extended communities they try to be part of.

[T Fearon]

Exactly

[imtommygunn]

What is Irish culture anyway? Seems to me that large swathes of the 26 counties have a mishmash of West Brit/USA culture.There is now huge cultural differences between nationalists North and South (never mind the huge differences between both and unionists).The influx of foreign nationals to both jurisdictions seems to have further muddied the waters.

In the unlikely event of getting any substantial portion of unionists to agree to a United Ireland (that still no Dublin Govt wants) the absolute minimum requirement for them is that the current British subvention will be matched.

All these factors make a United Ireland not only unattainable but totally off the radar.The British and Irish Government have no attachment to the North and no vision other than peace (or an absence of violence).Why does anyone here owe any allegiance to either of these two governments?

What are these huge cultural differences?? Not sure i see them as clearly as you do.

Tothefuture in terms of sports i also follow team gb though "team ireland" first. England in rugby and soccer i like to see beat though the main reason is the media as they would sicken you.the rest i am happy enough to see do well.

We can not have common identity etc with dup in government. In reality sf either. The other reality is there is no viable party who would promote ni. Alliance were promising in that regard but dup sold them down the river with lies and people fell for it. 

We are stuck with what we have for the time being at least.

[Tothefuture]

What is Irish culture anyway? Seems to me that large swathes of the 26 counties have a mishmash of West Brit/USA culture.There is now huge cultural differences between nationalists North and South (never mind the huge differences between both and unionists).The influx of foreign nationals to both jurisdictions seems to have further muddied the waters.

In the unlikely event of getting any substantial portion of unionists to agree to a United Ireland (that still no Dublin Govt wants) the absolute minimum requirement for them is that the current British subvention will be matched.

All these factors make a United Ireland not only unattainable but totally off the radar.The British and Irish Government have no attachment to the North and no vision other than peace (or an absence of violence).Why does anyone here owe any allegiance to either of these two governments?

What are these huge cultural differences?? Not sure i see them as clearly as you do.

Tothefuture in terms of sports i also follow team gb though "team ireland" first. England in rugby and soccer i like to see beat though the main reason is the media as they would sicken you.the rest i am happy enough to see do well.

We can not have common identity etc with dup in government. In reality sf either. The other reality is there is no viable party who would promote ni. Alliance were promising in that regard but dup sold them down the river with lies and people fell for it. 

We are stuck with what we have for the time being at least.

I honestly do believe the majority of the DUP/SF rhetoric is a front to keep themselves in power. nothing gets you votes like blaming themuns. you mention Alliance, what make you thin it was a DUP river sell (Any decision in particular), interested as a current AP member? Would you be keen to see main parties like Labour, FG, FF etc contest elections in NI?

[armaghniac]

The solution to division is not the promotion of more division. Tyrone people has as much in common with Donegal people as Antrim people and no reasonable person should have an ambition to create an artificial division, lets call it a border, which implies that this is not the case.

Much of the so called division in NI is contrived in any attempt to keep the concept of NI going.

[imtommygunn]

What is Irish culture anyway? Seems to me that large swathes of the 26 counties have a mishmash of West Brit/USA culture.There is now huge cultural differences between nationalists North and South (never mind the huge differences between both and unionists).The influx of foreign nationals to both jurisdictions seems to have further muddied the waters.

In the unlikely event of getting any substantial portion of unionists to agree to a United Ireland (that still no Dublin Govt wants) the absolute minimum requirement for them is that the current British subvention will be matched.

All these factors make a United Ireland not only unattainable but totally off the radar.The British and Irish Government have no attachment to the North and no vision other than peace (or an absence of violence).Why does anyone here owe any allegiance to either of these two governments?

What are these huge cultural differences?? Not sure i see them as clearly as you do.

Tothefuture in terms of sports i also follow team gb though "team ireland" first. England in rugby and soccer i like to see beat though the main reason is the media as they would sicken you.the rest i am happy enough to see do well.

We can not have common identity etc with dup in government. In reality sf either. The other reality is there is no viable party who would promote ni. Alliance were promising in that regard but dup sold them down the river with lies and people fell for it. 

We are stuck with what we have for the time being at least.

I honestly do believe the majority of the DUP/SF rhetoric is a front to keep themselves in power. nothing gets you votes like blaming themuns. you mention Alliance, what make you thin it was a DUP river sell (Any decision in particular), interested as a current AP member? Would you be keen to see main parties like Labour, FG, FF etc contest elections in NI?

I agree about dup and sf. I honestly think stormont is one large gravy train for those guys. The dup weren't going to stay in government as they were unsure about the ira council/ existence of ira etc etc. What happens then... It is confirmed so what do they do... They come back in!!

A further farce was the continued resignations however.... No resignations the week they were going to cut the number of aides so less money from the gravy train. Then the next week back to resigning! Health service etc falling on it's arse but the only week with no resignations was when less money was potentially going to go to their pockets.

The ap were sold down the river by the dup convincing people of the lie that they were the ones that got the flag removed from the city hall. They convinced an electorate and in addition long lost her seat due to them combining their seat with uup in east belfast of the back of that. The only good thing was at least long got more votes last election. Alliance party members could have died on that lie.

Anything that would promote real politics i would be keen on. I would still hope the ap can do something. I would also say that if the sdlp had a leader they could be a more real option but mcdonnell has done nothing,literally, for them.  Voting is purely tribal at present leading to apathy among people who wouldn't vote on those lines and tribalness winning on account of this.

Whether you do or don't favour a united ireland it will be a long time coming and in the meantime we have to live with, and pay for, the decisions of these clowns. It is infuriating and at current rate I don't think is sustainable because they will bankrupt us.

That being said i would prefer no tory candidates

(I was hopeful ni21 could have been a real option until it turned out basil was a sex pest!)

[T Fearon]

I think there is room for a party such as NI21,promoting Northern Irishness.A United Ireland requires a new single party with charismatic leaders,operating across the whole island,like the SNP.It will never be delivered by the current partitionist parties in the South,of the equally partitionist SDLP in the North or by Sinn Fein

[imtommygunn]

Sf have too much baggage to deliver a ui. Quite honestly i think they are not good enough politically, particularly at top level,to do it either in my view.

I would like to see a few of them branch off but couldn't see it.

There are no leaders to do something like an ni21 i think but i agree if someone real stands up it has potential. I would still be hopeful the ap will pick up too though remains to be seem.

[armaghniac]

I think there is room for a party such as NI21,promoting Northern Irishness.A United Ireland requires a new single party with charismatic leaders,operating across the whole island,like the SNP.It will never be delivered by the current partitionist parties in the South,of the equally partitionist SDLP in the North or by Sinn Fein

There is a lot of truth in this. The moment is not now, I'd be hopeful that some leadership can emerge in a decade or so, although I have to say that I do not see any Alex Salmond type figures around.

[Tothefuture]

What is Irish culture anyway? Seems to me that large swathes of the 26 counties have a mishmash of West Brit/USA culture.There is now huge cultural differences between nationalists North and South (never mind the huge differences between both and unionists).The influx of foreign nationals to both jurisdictions seems to have further muddied the waters.

In the unlikely event of getting any substantial portion of unionists to agree to a United Ireland (that still no Dublin Govt wants) the absolute minimum requirement for them is that the current British subvention will be matched.

All these factors make a United Ireland not only unattainable but totally off the radar.The British and Irish Government have no attachment to the North and no vision other than peace (or an absence of violence).Why does anyone here owe any allegiance to either of these two governments?

What are these huge cultural differences?? Not sure i see them as clearly as you do.

Tothefuture in terms of sports i also follow team gb though "team ireland" first. England in rugby and soccer i like to see beat though the main reason is the media as they would sicken you.the rest i am happy enough to see do well.

We can not have common identity etc with dup in government. In reality sf either. The other reality is there is no viable party who would promote ni. Alliance were promising in that regard but dup sold them down the river with lies and people fell for it. 

We are stuck with what we have for the time being at least.

I honestly do believe the majority of the DUP/SF rhetoric is a front to keep themselves in power. nothing gets you votes like blaming themuns. you mention Alliance, what make you thin it was a DUP river sell (Any decision in particular), interested as a current AP member? Would you be keen to see main parties like Labour, FG, FF etc contest elections in NI?

I agree about dup and sf. I honestly think stormont is one large gravy train for those guys. The dup weren't going to stay in government as they were unsure about the ira council/ existence of ira etc etc. What happens then... It is confirmed so what do they do... They come back in!!

A further farce was the continued resignations however.... No resignations the week they were going to cut the number of aides so less money from the gravy train. Then the next week back to resigning! Health service etc falling on it's arse but the only week with no resignations was when less money was potentially going to go to their pockets.

The ap were sold down the river by the dup convincing people of the lie that they were the ones that got the flag removed from the city hall. They convinced an electorate and in addition long lost her seat due to them combining their seat with uup in east belfast of the back of that. The only good thing was at least long got more votes last election. Alliance party members could have died on that lie.

Anything that would promote real politics i would be keen on. I would still hope the ap can do something. I would also say that if the sdlp had a leader they could be a more real option but mcdonnell has done nothing,literally, for them.  Voting is purely tribal at present leading to apathy among people who wouldn't vote on those lines and tribalness winning on account of this.

Whether you do or don't favour a united ireland it will be a long time coming and in the meantime we have to live with, and pay for, the decisions of these clowns. It is infuriating and at current rate I don't think is sustainable because they will bankrupt us.

That being said i would prefer no tory candidates

(I was hopeful ni21 could have been a real option until it turned out basil was a sex pest!)

I don't think the Alliance Party where sold down the river, We made a decision, the right decision in MHO. The people who voted for Robinson who had previously voted for Naomi are the ones sold down the river by a lie as you said. On the whole at the last election the Party grew their support and it'll be interesting to see what votes we get at the next Assembly elections. I would suspect that we will see NI21 running for a number of Constituencies, however with Basil still in charge the brand is toxic to many.

[imtommygunn]

Decision was fine. A hell of a lot of people still don't know what your decision was due to the lies that were peddled was my point.

Now that it has settled it will be interesting to see where ap go.

It doesn't look like there will be any further unionist pacts with fallouts which will help in east belfast etc.

[T Fearon]

I see the AP as soft unionists,certainly they do not prioritise Northern Irishness.Something new and fresh is needed