This thread is being derailed by this side issue.
http://www.politics.ie/forum/sinn-fe...st5933813.html


Partition has been around for 3 generations. It is probably not going to change for at least another one. Just as the apolitical Rory McElroy raised eyebrows by asserting his nationality as being Northern Irish and, on occasion, felt more British than Irish, there are those who have been born and bred in the 26 counties who see themselves as being 26 county Irish or "Southern Nationalist" ie see Irish men and women in the 6 counties as being foreign.

Obviously, the GFA is the only mechanism by which reunification can be achieved. Since violence, constitutional claims on territory and wishful thinking have failed. Mind you, there has been precious little effort made by Irish governments to persuade anyone since 1998. Ie there will be a poll in both jurisdictions when the UK cabinet decides that there is a majority in the north.

Is this an actual developing cultural phenomenon?
Is is because of SF/northern politics, years of depressing news from "up there" or simply the fear of the unknown?
Has the existence of two soccer "nations" contributed to this?
Is the fear of the cost associated with ending partition (eg per capita allocation of UK debt, cost of NHS/public service, replacing the subsidy from Britain) a contributory factor?
Given the abusive terms westbriton and Jackeen have been around before partition, is this assertion of two nations merely the post GFA version if these historical political views?

Finally, if there was a poll on unity in both jurisdictions, how would you vote? (Question for 26 residents only*)



* if I may embrace partition, very briefly.

Edit:

So after 600 posts can any conclusions be drawn from this thread?
1) there is a shocking amount of baiting of northern nationalists
2) many rise to it
3) there's an awful lot of "southern nationalists" posting on reunification - an issue they claim not to care about
4) "northern" threads (even when framed as being about southerners) go round in circles on labels, identities and language
5) the partition on this site of the NI forum is probably justified for the previous statement
6) very few people address the substance of an OP and engage in direct discourse with the previous poster
7) the "southern nationalist" has identity issues which is beyond psycho-analysis
8) the south/26 counties/Republic of Ireland/Ireland-the State, has done sfa since the GFA to move matters closer to reunification (in fact the opposite has occurred)
9) reunification is a tad more complicated than 50%+1 in the 6 counties voting yes
10) if this site was representative (which it patently is not) reunification would not merely be unlikely but undesirable.

(Apologies, if some of the above are points of the blindingly obvious).

Yes

Regards...ian

Trust a discussion on Irish Republicanism to have a splinter-thread.

Originally Posted by Con Gallagher

Obviously, the GFA is the only mechanism by which reunification can be achieved.

I don't agree with this statement for a number of different reasons, but probably the most pithy one is that it is patent bollocks.

Originally Posted by Con Gallagher

Finally, if there was a poll on unity in both jurisdictions, how would you vote? (Question for 26 residents only*)

I would abstain, as I don't have a preference between the two alternatives.

My preference would be for a state which is somewhere between 26 and 32 counties, such that counties with nationalist majorities would be allowed to secede while those with unionist majorities would be allowed to remain part of the UK.

Originally Posted by RepublicOfLuas

Trust a discussion on Irish Republicanism to have a splinter-thread.

To be pedantic, the discussion was about Irish nationalism - republicanism barely came into it.

Originally Posted by Estragon

I don't agree with this statement for a number of different reasons, but probably the most pithy one is that it is patent bollocks.

And the alternative is?

Originally Posted by eoghanacht

And the alternative is?

Please don't encourage him. Let him put his "alternatives" in another thread.

A: I don't want to risk de-stabilising our country.
B: I don't want our National parliament wasting even more time debating the desire of Northern Unionists for home rule.
It would be a situation to what the London parliament experienced with the Irish queation in the 19th century.

Originally Posted by Con Gallagher

To be pedantic, the discussion was about Irish nationalism - republicanism barely came into it.

You ask a question about a 32 county Ireland and claim republicanism barely comes into it?

(ps, this thread splintered from a thread about Gerry Adams. I'm pretty sure Republicanism does come into it).