What care Unionists for the Union?
Following yesterday’s podcast, Adam Maguire has an interesting question: are Unionists in Northern Ireland more supportive of UK unity or simply against Irish unity?
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Books
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Talking to a brick wall: how to make politicians listen?
It took me a long time to warm to advertising agencies. The first time I worked with one I was working in sales management on Fairy Washing Up Liquid. I was due to attend a meeting at which I was to be told what consumers really thought of the brand. I remember my reluctance to [...] read our review »
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Help me with the West Wing: Essential viewing or Party Political Broadcast?
Having somehow managed to avoid watching a single episode of the widely praised West Wing TV series I was delighted to discover the entire Box set in my Christmas stocking – and with enough spare time over the holidays to give it a good lash. But with 10 episodes of the first series under my [...] read our review »
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Turas, by Colin Neill – a story of strangers in a strange land
Colin Neill’s first novel Turas peeks into a world in which many Ulster Protestants feel uncomfortable. It’s 2020 and the Irish unification that unionists and loyalists confidently predicted would never happen has become a reality. President Adams is ensconced in Phoenix Park. The newsreader reported that … a short ceremony at Stormont had confirmed the [...] read our review »
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FAO Green Flag…
I agree with almost everything you said in those previous two posts. Nothing controversial in there, just good old common sense. It is a creative solution, and certainly correlates with most people’s current desires. But I would argue that their current desires aren’t in their best interests. I wouldn’t presume to tell others what IS in their best interests, but we definitely need a period of power-sharing within NI (as inadequate as it is, long-term) to let passion give way to pragmatism and perspective (on both sides). By then, i think repartition will be seen to be less ideal. As you have conceded earlier in this post, it would currently be the best of a bad bunch of alternatives on the table. Of this, I have no doubt.. but we need to give it time. A rash policy choice like this (sensible as it currently is), if enacted quite soon, would certainly be set in stone, i.e. permanant, for all intents and purposes. It may be looked back on, however, as a mistake.
As I say, it is a creative solution. The two-state solution in Israel, since being accepted by the mainsteam on both sides as the only real possible template for agreement, has yielded some imaginative proposals. The Rand Foundation recently announced proposals for a high-tech railway line, connecting Gaza with the West Bank, thus rendering the future Palestinian state largely contiguous. This sort of creativity and pragmatism can produce solutions to problems which, prima facie, seem intractable. On this account, I must give you credit. Uniionists at high levels would do well to heed your words, and I foresee them doing just that in the future… as you pointed out before (and took the words right out of my mouth) they deserted many “southern” Unionists (albeit regrettably) in 1920 in the intersts of mantaining the Union. Would they not do the same today, if a UI was likely…?
There is no possibility of the NI machinery of government being able to cope with repartition. The Civil Service up to very senior levels is increasingly run by Catholics, so are the judiciary and the medical professions. Why on earth do you think we are facing such a push for a settlement now after waiting for thirty years?
There is a change of power in this society which is reflected in its institutions becoming friendly to a thirty-two county solution. Tough for those on the wrong side of history but there it is.
‘they deserted many “southern” Unionists (albeit regrettably) in 1920 in the interests of mantaining the Union. Would they not do the same today, if a UI was likely…? ‘
Yes they would IMO , and also ‘regrettably’.
Solution for the Northern Problem.
Emigration
You people can’t really make a difference argueing with eachother as to why your place is in the state it is. Whether NI is run by Dublin or London (or maybe even Belfast) is not really all that important.
The current state of the country is not great – the high dependence on benefits/handouts makes me question not only why anybody would want to administer NI but who would acutally want to live there.
Just think – if you take part in the great brain drain – you could help better another community, contribute to a vibrant economy, and live among people who don’t think of you as C/P first and person second.
Good Point Dnall.
I’ve been gone since 2004 and been living here in the USA.
NI has a low standard of living – low prospects – and is in general not a great place to live.
The best will always leave, and i don’t care what’s left behind.
Northern Ireland is a warning from History on how not to run a country.
Anyone with any ambition will know that there is no future in NI and seek a better life elsewhere.
To me it is more that I was born in the UK, I accept that I am a British Citizen and my family who were born and live in the south who are also Presbyterian have accepted just as eaily that they are Irish Citizens, and they are proud to be so. For me and my family in Northern Ireland it is a pain to see others unable to accept their own situation, living and wasteing energy, persistantly on their own personal and political gains. Hyjacking Nationalist orgainisation and brainwashing the uneducated, let people live in peace and let people just accept what they are, no matter what people say.
Cka,
Here, here!
“To me it is more that I was born in the UK, I accept that I am a British Citizen and my family who were born and live in the south who are also Presbyterian have accepted just as eaily that they are Irish Citizens, and they are proud to be so. For me and my family in Northern Ireland it is a pain to see others unable to accept their own situation, living and wasteing energy, persistantly on their own personal and political gains. Hyjacking Nationalist orgainisation and brainwashing the uneducated, let people live in peace and let people just accept what they are, no matter what people say.”
Now, the way I read thatm, is that everyone born ghere should just accept they are British and be happy.
The problems with that attitude is:
1. I’m not British
2. It’s fantastically patronising.
I for one opted to live in NI, above other places I lived during childhood (including England and Germany).
Immigration figures indicate I’m far from the only one. A net migration per year of 2,000 from GB is now standard (has been more or less every year for the past decade, see NISRA). Throw in 16,000 arriving each year from Eastern Europe (31,000 from summer ’03 to summer ’05) and we are truly “living in interesting times”.
I would advise anyone to hang around – it’s not great currently, but it’s not bad either; and it’s up to all of us to make it better!