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Replying To Tirchonaill1: "I think the majority of Irish people would vote with their hearts though in favour of reunification whatever the cost, the whole country would be better off in the long run as a 32 county Republic. The Scotch wouldn't vote in favour of independence if they were going to be £1 worse off imo. as you say they talk plenty about the English but wouldn't pull the trigger when they had the chance. Many Celtic fans voted against independence too for a variety of reasons, some economic, another theory was they didn't want to end up a catholic minority in and independent Scotland like they are in the six counties. Any Irishman worthy of the name should vote in favour of Irish unity, I would have though all the GAA community would vote in favour given the ethos of our association." Hmm I'm not so sure. As I said earlier, it's very easy to be a patriot and convince yourself you'd definitely go ahead and vote for reunification, stalwart GAA member or not. Can you imagine the complete s* show that would ensue with the HSE having to absorb all of the North's health care requirements from the NHS for example... I wonder would we also see an inverse of what went on for 30 years in The Troubles? Hard line unionists refusing to accept the new status quo & embarking on a campaign of violence in an attempt to destablise the new 32 county state...I don't think something like that is far fetched. Lockjaw (Donegal)** - Posts: 9636 - 12/03/2025 21:24:23 2596155 Link
Replying To Bon: "It's not the percentages from the 26 counties I'd be worried about, it's that percentage from the North who don't want it. They're the ones who'll fight tooth and nail to keep it from happening." If a majority in the North vote for it then it goes ahead per GFA provided the 26 vote for it too. Seanfanbocht (Roscommon) - Posts: 2124 - 12/03/2025 23:50:13 2596171 Link
Replying To Lockjaw: "Hmm I'm not so sure. As I said earlier, it's very easy to be a patriot and convince yourself you'd definitely go ahead and vote for reunification, stalwart GAA member or not. Can you imagine the complete s* show that would ensue with the HSE having to absorb all of the North's health care requirements from the NHS for example... I wonder would we also see an inverse of what went on for 30 years in The Troubles? Hard line unionists refusing to accept the new status quo & embarking on a campaign of violence in an attempt to destablise the new 32 county state...I don't think something like that is far fetched." And what would those anti democratic extremists have to offer as an alternative? Seanfanbocht (Roscommon)** - Posts: 2124 - 13/03/2025 09:54:48 2596197 Link
Replying To Seanfanbocht: "If a majority in the North vote for it then it goes ahead per GFA provided the 26 vote for it too." And do you think the minority up there will just sit there and accept it? They'll kick up blue murder. It's a minefield, leave it be. Bon (Kildare) - Posts: 2191 - 13/03/2025 09:55:00 2596198 Link
Replying To Lockjaw: "Hmm I'm not so sure. As I said earlier, it's very easy to be a patriot and convince yourself you'd definitely go ahead and vote for reunification, stalwart GAA member or not. Can you imagine the complete s* show that would ensue with the HSE having to absorb all of the North's health care requirements from the NHS for example... I wonder would we also see an inverse of what went on for 30 years in The Troubles? Hard line unionists refusing to accept the new status quo & embarking on a campaign of violence in an attempt to destablise the new 32 county state...I don't think something like that is far fetched." Completely agree Lockjaw, it wouldn't take many to cause problems and with the way things are today, there would be a few foreign actors who would be only too willing to lend support with that destabilization. It would be just sheer naivety to think that once a vote is done the losing side will shrug their shoulders and just accept it. zinny (Wexford)** - Posts: 1929 - 13/03/2025 10:07:42 2596201 Link
The anti Trump brigade must be very disappointed with how the Martin/Trump meeting went… His nice comments towards Ireland must be hard to stomach… nothing to moan about ForeverBlue2 (Cavan) - Posts: 3578 - 13/03/2025 10:10:53 2596202 Link
The anti Trump brigade must be very disappointed with how the Martin/Trump meeting went… His nice comments towards Ireland must be hard to stomach… nothing to moan about ForeverBlue2 (Cavan) - Posts: 3578 - 13/03/2025 10:13:13 2596203 Link
Replying To ForeverBlue2: "The anti Trump brigade must be very disappointed with how the Martin/Trump meeting went… His nice comments towards Ireland must be hard to stomach… nothing to moan about" And you actually believe him? "It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt. Mark Twain" ThePowerhouse (Leitrim) - Posts: 179 - 13/03/2025 10:49:25 2596215 Link
Replying To ForeverBlue2: "The anti Trump brigade must be very disappointed with how the Martin/Trump meeting went… His nice comments towards Ireland must be hard to stomach… nothing to moan about" Ah here....What Irish people do you admire? Conor McGregor. Dhia sábháil. Athníonn ciaróg ciaróg eile. Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9636 - 13/03/2025 11:50:03 2596222 Link
Replying To Bon: "And do you think the minority up there will just sit there and accept it? They'll kick up blue murder. It's a minefield, leave it be." All due respect, but what are a minority really going to do if they have been voted out? They won't have the public support nor the British military intelligence they once had on their side to launch any sort of sustained campaign. My guess is that most people in the north, both sides of the divide would ramp up pressure to have them brought to justice if they did. SaffronDon (Antrim) - Posts: 2535 - 13/03/2025 12:07:20 2596223 Link
Replying To SaffronDon: "All due respect, but what are a minority really going to do if they have been voted out? They won't have the public support nor the British military intelligence they once had on their side to launch any sort of sustained campaign. My guess is that most people in the north, both sides of the divide would ramp up pressure to have them brought to justice if they did." The IRA didn't have the benefit of any official intelligence either but managed to sustain a campaign for three decades. I know times have changed a lot, but I wouldn't dismiss the idea that there would be plenty of hardline Unionists more than willing to wreak havoc, support or not. Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9636 - 13/03/2025 12:37:54 2596225 Link
If the 26 counties voted against a United Ireland it would be greatest national embarrassment in the history of this island. It would show that the Irish people have no morals to let a historic injustice like partition endure for eternity. All polls suggest that a referendum would pass easily in the Republic on reunification and there is some debate whether a poll in the Republic will be needed the Irish Government could theoretically just agree to unification without a vote. There would be no vote needed for Argentina to reclaim the Malvinas Islands for example as there is widespread support for this. The SDLP negiotiated terribly at the time of the Good Friday Agreement and failed to specify under what circumstances a border poll will be called. The wording about a border poll is very vague. Even getting a border poll is an uphill battle for Nationalists in the North in the short term, let alone winning it. Winning a border poll in the North is the problem not in the Republic were polls show the vote would be overwhelmingly in favour. There is not a majority in the North in favour currently but support is increasing in the North for unity it was 48% Union 41% United Ireland in the latest Lucid Talk poll. Scottish independence started at 25% and went to 45% so a great starting base for Nationalism. Medium term it looks as though a border poll will pass as there is great support for unity in the younger population while the greatest supporters of the Union are people over 60. It would still be close, might pass 55-45 because hardly any Protestants support a United Ireland I think it is as low as 3% while there are a lot of West Brits on the Nationalist side who will aid the Any Irish person North or South with a conscience will vote for a United Ireland. The existence of the statelet of Northern Ireland is morally wrong and is essentially colonialism and imperialism in the 21st Century. It can never have any moral legitimacy. It is shameful that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are doing very little to end partition and that partition has endured for over 100 years and counting when it was initially thought that it would last only a few years back in the 1920s. REDANDBLACK30 (Down) - Posts: 1674 - 13/03/2025 13:00:56 2596229 Link
Replying To ForeverBlue2: "The anti Trump brigade must be very disappointed with how the Martin/Trump meeting went… His nice comments towards Ireland must be hard to stomach… nothing to moan about" Lol. TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8308 - 13/03/2025 13:04:42 2596231 Link
Replying To Tirchonaill1: "Well done to President Trump anyway, he got Zelensky into line and agree to a ceasefire, not that I think the Ukrainians had any choice the game is up for them, There should be elections there now if there is a ceasefire agreed and martial law is ended, that will be the last we'll see of Zelensky imo," All sorted now thank god. Any word from Russia lad because as of this morning they are continuing with plans to expand? You do know how a ceasefire works yeah? TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8308 - 13/03/2025 13:06:58 2596232 Link
Replying To ThePowerhouse: "And you actually believe him? "It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt. Mark Twain"" Ah sure you have to believe sometimes… he certainly won't do Ireland any great harm… Europe and our government will look after that end…! ForeverBlue2 (Cavan) - Posts: 3578 - 13/03/2025 13:10:25 2596235 Link
Replying To Lockjaw: "Ah here....What Irish people do you admire? Conor McGregor. Dhia sábháil. Athníonn ciaróg ciaróg eile." Go on the Trump…, doing a great job so far according to our great leader Michael Martin ForeverBlue2 (Cavan) - Posts: 3578 - 13/03/2025 13:12:42 2596237 Link
Replying To SaffronDon: "All due respect, but what are a minority really going to do if they have been voted out? They won't have the public support nor the British military intelligence they once had on their side to launch any sort of sustained campaign. My guess is that most people in the north, both sides of the divide would ramp up pressure to have them brought to justice if they did." I get what your saying but loyalist parliamentary threats and potential violence would surely rise again? Bon (Kildare) - Posts: 2191 - 13/03/2025 13:13:00 2596238 Link
Replying To Bon: "I get what your saying but loyalist parliamentary threats and potential violence would surely rise again?" I'd say no more so than any dissident republican group in the post Good Friday era. Yes, they've been active, but the vast majority of the people in the north have no desire for any of the violence to continue and any incident is met with huge public disapproval. I would imagine this would be the same for loyalist groups if the shoe was on the other foot. SaffronDon (Antrim) - Posts: 2535 - 13/03/2025 13:47:57 2596243 Link
Replying To zinny: "Completely agree Lockjaw, it wouldn't take many to cause problems and with the way things are today, there would be a few foreign actors who would be only too willing to lend support with that destabilization. It would be just sheer naivety to think that once a vote is done the losing side will shrug their shoulders and just accept it." We either live in a democracy or we don't, if a border poll is passed re- unification will happen. The influence of loyalists is confined to a few hardline areas in Belfast where they run the drug business and most local people want them off their backs. Brexit was a watershed moment with an Irish Sea border imposed against their will and barely a whimper out of the hardliners. The days of threatening violence as Lloyd George did to Michael Collins in 1922 will not work this time tireoghainabu (Tyrone) - Posts: 378 - 13/03/2025 14:00:37 2596248 Link
Replying To Lockjaw: "Ah here....What Irish people do you admire? Conor McGregor. Dhia sábháil. Athníonn ciaróg ciaróg eile." Our Cavan Comrade forever admires Rory Gallagher (not the singer). He even has a signed jersey from the wet week he played for them. peiledoir20 (Donegal) - Posts: 1143 - 13/03/2025 14:24:50 2596253 Link