Is a United Ireland inevitable?

Question

Reworking an old classic question (apologies!). As the troubles in Ulster have simmered down, I was wondering if Northern Ireland would simply settle into devolved government within the U.K. or whether it's just the first step towards reunification with the Republic. Particularly keen to hear Northern Irish opinion on this if you're reading this, but other Brits and Irish (& others!) please feel free to add your twopenny worth.

As someone that has both British & Irish parentage, I guess I feel pretty ambivalent towards the issue. Whatever makes the region happiest, stable and peaceful is the most important thing. Though, I don't know whether independence would work completely as N.I. would likely become an even smaller European country like Andorra or Moldova in economic and political terms. What do you reckon?

[P.S. Remember the last time Northern Ireland played England as well as Spain in a competitive football international?...]

Answer 1

I'm the son of a Newtownards father and an English mother and I was a teenager in Belfast in 1968 when it all started all over again. Since then I've been back many times, but never stayed long. Over these years its been bad, or OK but never good. Its not good now, despite the seeming calm and the crass tourist buses doing the peace line.

But its no longer about religion, or the English or injustices deep in history. Its about thuggery, tribalism and organised crime.

The British Government and most of the people on the big islands of Britain would drop Northern Ireland into the Republic's lap without a second thought. Northern Ireland means nothing to most Brits but strife and bombs and a money-sink. Northern Ireland has nothing of interest for Britain. Its got a busted economy (despite huge handouts) and a crap workforce, only so-so scenery with a few interesting bits like the Giant's Causeway. Not much else really. Its culture is divisive and fixated on religious hatred and a mythological history.

So the British Government and the majority of the British people want shot of the place, but they can't dump it for free on the Republic - why not?

1 Because consistently, the majority protestant, loyalist population of Northern Ireland vote to stay British - that's democracy and its no different than the case of Gibraltar.

2 The Republic doesn't want the Northern counties - they're populated with the wrong kind of people and the wrong religion and they don't have anything to offer economically or culturally.

So everybody plays the same old game - the romantic farce of a united Ireland. But when it comes down to it, there's only a few idealistic nutters that really want it to happen. Everybody else just takes advantage - especially the organised criminals for which the Northern Ireland paramilitary organisations are merely fronts.

Come on. Let's get real! The Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are both member nations of the European Union. That's all that matters now. We're all citizens of Europe and the concept of borders between us is a nonsense except in terms of culture and character - like Austrians and Germans, or French and Belgians.

There will always be a Northern Ireland, be it merely the six counties or a fully-fledged separate nation. There will NEVER be a united Ireland - there is too much dividing the hearts and minds of the deeply troubled populace of that emerald island.

Answer 2

I don't know.

At the moment independence for Northern Ireland would immediately lead back to the bad old times, in my view.

We all agreed that a change of Northern Ireland to the Republic would be subject to a majority voting for it in a referendum, and there it is also very uncertain how the militant protestants would react to that.

For the time being it is most certainly the best solution to keep to the status quo. It doesn't really matter who the place belongs to, as long as there is a prospect of a more peaceful future, and who knows, 30 years down the line it may not even matter any more that much to the people themselves.

Greetings from Derry.

Answer 3

As a resident of Northern Ireland, born in England to Irish parents I worry about aUnited Ireland; Basically the South of Ireland do not 'like' Northerners or 'Nordys' as they call us. We are considered the poor relations and are treated with general disdain and indifference. Romantic notions of the island of Ireland being reunited are all well and good, but the Northerners are a much more honest race. We bear no real grudge against the Southerners for being treacherous, but the Northern people know the true value of friendship and camaraderie.The mighty Euro has caused the Southerners to sell out big time.T he culture has become breath-takingly materialistic and i fear a united ireland will further highlight the vast chasm between the two identities.

Answer 4

Let’s face it, the only reason we have this problem is because of the British. They confiscated land of the Irish and settled there.

Not to worry though... The Catholics are breeding faster than the Protestants and so will have a majority within 20 years. The Good Friday agreement allows the majority to decide the fate of the north. The ball has been set in motion; it's only a matter of time!!!

A Nation Once Again!!!

Answer 5

A united Ireland is inevitable as the birth rate between the two communities in the North are very different. Even without a political settlement eventually there will be more Catholics in the North than there are Protestants. I don't really see where the problem is now as they are both part of the EU and Ireland is the more prosperous of the two.

Answer 6

It'd be nice if Ireland was once again reunited but it's never gonna happen. The simmered down tensions would be boiling away again and the Troubles would be worse than ever. Personally I'd like to see NI move away from the UK, but don't think NI as an individual country would work.

Answer 7

not for the foreseeable future, very tricky to put into words. the 2 sides don't live with one another, segregation is normal, schools are segregated in some places in belfast there are 20 foot high walls keeping the 2 sides apart. 300 years of segregation can't be swept away overnight. most protestants will never accept a dublin government.

Answer 8

Dear Speenth, I'm not a European citizen. I was born English/British and English/British I wish to remain.

To answer the question, I doubt very much that the two halves of Ireland will be united in my life time, however, I think it highly likely in the longer term.

Answer 9

an excellent variety of the solutions so a concepts are sticking to the concept that one and all protestants are unionist and all catholics are republican which in my journey is quite a concepts from the reality, interior the hot census 40-one% of the inhabitants refered to themselves as Northern Irish it really is neither British or Irish and factors in direction of a shared id. interior the subsequent 50 years protestants will be a minority interior the north even if the transforming into style of technology depending atheism also will have had a plausible and there'll be no man or woman alive who lived in a united eire.i imagine Joe is ideal although in affirming both halfs will unite yet i imagine it is going to likely be because we've shared heritage and commerce and it is going to likely be on our personal words quite than the bullying of terrorists on both area, i understand an excellent variety of human beings from the republic residing the following interior the north who're more beneficial than satisfied to be the following and dont see it as yet another us of a and ive continually been made welcome interior the republic and quite its our era that dictates the destiny

Answer 10

Everyone will eventually become "Europeans" so it won't matter if north and south are united or not.

The borders will disappear and they will all move to live where ever they want - perhaps even Spain or Poland!