Local Elections 2022

[Brianbrewed]

Sinn Fein are the largest party in the North and the main opposition party in the Republic.
If they play their cards right they have a real chance of coming to power in the South.

Be interesting to see if they will push for a referendum on Irish unity.

It would be ironic that the Conservatives may have put into motion the dissolution of the Union.

 

[Donegal john]

Sinn Fein are the largest party in the North and the main opposition party in the Republic.
If they play their cards right they have a real chance of coming to power in the South.

Be interesting to see if they will push for a referendum on Irish unity.

It would be ironic that the Conservatives may have put into motion the dissolution of the Union.

Living in the south and working in the north gives me an insight into what a United ireland would look like and I’m not convinced it would be achievable due to the disparity between the 2. So much would have to change on both sides and the north would be moving back in time to be equal with the south. This applies to most things we take for granted in the north most prominent would be the national health service but is goes right down to education and even bin collections where we have to pay every week to get them emptied.
I don’t think it will be realised in my lifetime to be honest no matter how much much my heart wants it.

 

[Brianbrewed]

You are right on so many points @Donegal john .
The South though is ahead of the North on many social issues (lgbt rights and abortion).
I think the NHS would be the main argument for the North remaining in the UK.
Also a lot of people in the South would be hesitant in taking on the cost of the Northern "economy."

We are in for interesting couple of years on this Island.

 

[pilgrimhudd]

Would there ever be any possibility of an independent Northern Ireland, would that ever be acceptable to those who don't want to live in the UK or united Ireland?

 

[Donegal john]

You are right on so many points @Donegal john .
The South though is ahead of the North on many social issues (lgbt rights and abortion).
I think the NHS would be the main argument for the North remaining in the UK.
Also a lot of people in the South would be hesitant in taking on the cost of the Northern "economy."

We are in for interesting couple of years on this Island.

The issues you mention were all held back by a government that based their policy's on their religious views and not the will of the people and now they are no longer in control a lot of them will get the green light very quickly. A lot will change as well due to the number of women that achieved seats another first for Northern Ireland and I agree we are in for a fairly interesting few years ahead. In the immediate though some people need to realise they represent the entire province not just a part of it and get into stormont and get the ball rolling on addressing the main issues people are all saying are the important ones and stop crying about green or orange.

 

[samale]

Would there ever be any possibility of an independent Northern Ireland, would that ever be acceptable to those who don't want to live in the UK or united Ireland?

Unfortunately N. Ireland doesn't have a large enough economy to support itself.

 

[Brianbrewed]

Would there ever be any possibility of an independent Northern Ireland, would that ever be acceptable to those who don't want to live in the UK or united Ireland?

I don't think it would be economically feasible tbh.
I think one of the things that people sometimes don't understand is that the border counties in Ireland (the counties that are adjacent to the border between the border of Northern and the Republic of Ireland) have very strong ties.
My father (from Armagh in the North) socialised and worked in Monaghan (in the South).

The problem with Ireland is there are no easy solutions (and the weather is awful).

 

[Donegal john]

Would there ever be any possibility of an independent Northern Ireland, would that ever be acceptable to those who don't want to live in the UK or united Ireland?

No is the short answer.
In Northern Ireland we have 3 ideology’s.
nationalists that want a united ireland and view themselves as Irish
Unionists that want to be an integral part of the uk and see themselves as British
and those that view them selves as Northern Irish but still want to be part of Britain.
no one will give an inch though on any side.

 

[Brianbrewed]

In the immediate though some people need to realise they represent the entire province not just a part of it and get into stormont and get the ball rolling on addressing the main issues people are all saying are the important ones and stop crying about green or orange.

Very true.

 

[Donegal john]

We could always get bono to sing in a bus shelter in the bogside and see if he can solve the issues for us

 

[pilgrimhudd]

Ahh, thought i'd sorted it then.

 

[Brianbrewed]

We could build a United Ireland through all our communities mistrust of the English and our tendency to be maudlin/angry when drunk.

The flag could be a drunken Leprechaun kicking a Bulldog up the @rse

 

[pilgrimhudd]

No is the short answer.
In Northern Ireland we have 3 ideology’s.
nationalists that want a united ireland and view themselves as Irish
Unionists that want to be an integral part of the uk and see themselves as British
and those that view them selves as Northern Irish but still want to be part of Britain.
no one will give an inch though on any side.

There has been on the news recently about how Northern Ireland is becoming less entrenched and younger people are not voting on sectarian lines in the same way, is this not the case?

 

[Brianbrewed]

In fairness Irish history/politics can be head melting.
Ireland is a country cursed with too much history (and a neighbouring country with a very short memory)

 

[Donegal john]

Ahh, thought i'd sorted it then.

Unfortunately not
It would need another few generations of change in people’s mindsets to allow Northern Ireland to move forward and it needs to start at school level. segregation only breeds mistrust in my opinion. We need to integrate both communities and stop the divide if we want to move forward.

 

[Donegal john]

There has been on the news recently about how Northern Ireland is becoming less entrenched and younger people are not voting on sectarian lines in the same way, is this not the case?

They are indeed but the issue is with older generations holding on to ideals that don’t work anymore. On both sides.

 

[Brianbrewed]

There has been on the news recently about how Northern Ireland is becoming less entrenched and younger people are not voting on sectarian lines in the same way, is this not the case?

The Alliance Party did very well in this election.
They are non sectarian

 

[pilgrimhudd]

The Alliance Party did very well in this election.
They are non sectarian

Yes I saw, I see they are aligned to the LIb Dems over here so that sounds like my kind of Politics.

 

[Dutto]

…..

The problem with Ireland is there are no easy solutions (and the weather is awful).

…..
no one will give an inch though on any side.

True and there’s no Mo Mowlem to get people to think outside the box!
:hat:

 

[Donegal john]

The Alliance Party did very well in this election.
They are non sectarian

But historically based in unionism and convinced the politics in the north should not be green or orange. A great view to have but 20 years too early in my mind. But we need to start somewhere.