Who cares About northern Ireland?

pontia · 21-07-2012 1:02pm

i turn off the tv when the norths mentioned,best thing that could happen is it sinks into the sea,it wouldent be missed by us or the brits

old hippy · 21-07-2012 1:06pm

pontia wrote: »

i turn off the tv when the norths mentioned,best thing that could happen is it sinks into the sea,it wouldent be missed by us or the brits

It bloody would, you know. Some of us have family there.

Apart from personal connections I used to be more confident about unification but I realise now that's unlikely in this lifetime. I'd be more supportive of an independent 6 counties, we have our Republic and that's enough for me.

But I'd like to see some kind of lasting peaceful, inclusive solution in NI. People who come out with that sink/float off in the sea - I've heard that for years. I even heard some ass come out with it at a funeral where a number of folk from up North were present. Very ignorant.

johngalway · 21-07-2012 1:15pm

junder wrote: »

Again its about context. A riot on its own not it self news. However in this particular riot we had armed men on the streets ( worth noting a certain mr Colin Duffy was seen at the arydone) after the gfa there's things stopped happening even riots were rare, surly it's note worthy in itself that even people in the republic have yet again become used to violence in northern Ireland.

No idea who Colin Duffy is, honestly don't care who he is.

All I can tell you is I was born in 1978 and all my life have been hearing about NI on the news, radio, or in newspapers.

I am used to violence happening in NI, I think most my age would be. Personally I've never been under the assumption that it could, or would, never return to NI, so my view of NI has never changed.

I genuinely would be more surprised at positive large actions between the people up there than riots or shootings.

It's just gotten "old" for me, at the heart of it whether it's bombs, negotiations or marches, it boils down to the same two sides disagreeing and various levels of action coming from those disagreements.

junder · 21-07-2012 1:33pm

johngalway wrote: »

junder wrote: »

Again its about context. A riot on its own not it self news. However in this particular riot we had armed men on the streets ( worth noting a certain mr Colin Duffy was seen at the arydone) after the gfa there's things stopped happening even riots were rare, surly it's note worthy in itself that even people in the republic have yet again become used to violence in northern Ireland.

No idea who Colin Duffy is, honestly don't care who he is.

All I can tell you is I was born in 1978 and all my life have been hearing about NI on the news, radio, or in newspapers.

I am used to violence happening in NI, I think most my age would be. Personally I've never been under the assumption that it could, or would, never return to NI, so my view of NI has never changed.

I genuinely would be more surprised at positive large actions between the people up there than riots or shootings.

It's just gotten "old" for me, at the heart of it whether it's bombs, negotiations or marches, it boils down to the same two sides disagreeing and various levels of action coming from those disagreements.

We were all used to the violence, we then had a brief point in time when we hoped the violence was over, we even had a generation that grew up not knowing violence. We got used to there not being violence, now we are used to violence again, not only that, you in the republic are also used to violence in northern Ireland again. That's saying something.

Einhard · 21-07-2012 1:45pm

For me, Northern Ireland is, like the past, a foreign country- not so much in the physical sense, but culturally and socially and politically. I take an interest in the overarching narrative, but the nitty gritty incidents and events, especially when they involve atavistic tribalism, would begin to wear me down if I took anything other than a passing interest.

johngalway · 21-07-2012 1:55pm

junder wrote: »

We were all used to the violence, we then had a brief point in time when we hoped the violence was over, we even had a generation that grew up not knowing violence. We got used to there not being violence, now we are used to violence again, not only that, you in the republic are also used to violence in northern Ireland again. That's saying something.

Funny you should mention hope, my girlfriend put up the saying about the best trick the devil ever had was to make people think he didn't exist (or however it properly goes).

Yesterday I was thinking about hope and those that offer false hope. Offering false hope is possibly worse than offering no hope.

So is God worse than the Devil given the world in which we live and the things that happen there.

Again I can only give my personal opinion based on what I've read, heard, seen to do with NI, including visiting the place. That is I have not allowed myself to believe in hoping the violence was over.

While people pour out of NI in July, while kerb stones get painted, while numerous flags fly, while areas are ghettoised, I can't believe in what may be a temporary thing.

It will take generations, literally, of trusting and building before NI is anywhere near normal. That's not meant as an insult to anyone, but there are many instances where it can be backed up from the Jean McConville crime to that idiot mistaking the Italian flag for the Irish flag and making a fool out of himself.

I'm too long in the tooth to believe in miracle spot changing leopards. The way of life and thinking needs to be bred out of the place to become normal.

Galwayguy35 · 21-07-2012 2:01pm

Boulevardier wrote: »

Our interest is not reciprocated. The NI news on UTV and BBC-NI almost never mentions anything here in the ROI unless there is a NI aspect to it. The only exception is the odd Donegal story.

Have to agree with this. BBC Newsline go out of their way to avoid giving a bit of weather that's outside the 6 counties.

losthorizon · 21-07-2012 2:03pm

Regarding the original question - I wish NI would just go away.

I pray to God there will never be a United Ireland and thats from someone who was fairly nationalist.

pontia · 21-07-2012 2:08pm

i dont like the north,the people from there,even the accent,would it be missed if gone in morning,i doubt it,very bored of listening about it,we dont want it anymore than the brits do

Galwayguy35 · 21-07-2012 2:34pm

I think since the recession hit people are naturally more interested in thing that will personally affect them so there will always be more interest in what is going on this side of the border and what our own Government is doing.
I ofton watch their news though, and noticed they made a big deal of some road project being downsized as the money our Government was to put up for it just ain't there anymore.
Personally I think as long as the British claim it then it is up to them to fund it, not us.

old hippy · 21-07-2012 3:43pm

pontia wrote: »

i dont like the north,the people from there,even the accent,would it be missed if gone in morning,i doubt it,very bored of listening about it,we dont want it anymore than the brits do

You don't like the people or the accent, huh?

So, no family there, no friends or colleagues? Ever visited there?

Sounds to me almost as narrow minded and tribalist as the people you dislike.

Chuck Stone · 21-07-2012 4:07pm

pontia wrote: »

i dont like the north,the people from there,even the accent,would it be missed if gone in morning,i doubt it,very bored of listening about it,we dont want it anymore than the brits do

Ranting and raving forum >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

we dont want it anymore than the brits do

'We' is in your head. What mandate have you been given?

Also, it's more than a little contradictory that you claim not to give a **** about the north and yet you find the time to make ignorant comments about it.

Onthe3rdDay · 21-07-2012 4:22pm

Galwayguy35 wrote: »

Have to agree with this. BBC Newsline go out of their way to avoid giving a bit of weather that's outside the 6 counties.

That's not entirely true. They often show the whole island with Dublin and perhaps Cork marked out. It's most likely to happen on a Friday. Also what do we want from BBC Newsline? it's there to cover the six counties and no more, You don't see BBC Scotland covering many news stories about the north of England. It is a regional news service.

Chuck Stone · 21-07-2012 4:33pm

In fairness to the BBC they often include the south is some good programs. BBC's 'Coast' did a couple of excellent episodes that ran along the west, east and north coast of the island.

There's a train journeys program with Michael Portillo that included a scenic route on the east coast.

Fair play.

old hippy · 21-07-2012 7:11pm

Chuck Stone wrote: »

In fairness to the BBC they often include the south is some good programs. BBC's 'Coast' did a couple of excellent episodes that ran along the west, east and north coast of the island.

There's a train journeys program with Michael Portillo that included a scenic route on the east coast.

Fair play.

BBC 3 has focussed on us recently as well, programme on life for young people looking for jobs and emigration and protesting on couple weeks back. And there's one on Irish rappers that I'm psyching myself up to watch...

And of course they showed that history of Ireland series with whatsit, Feargal Keane?

Chuck Stone · 21-07-2012 8:05pm

old hippy wrote: »

And there's one on Irish rappers that I'm psyching myself up to watch...

I tried to watch the rappers one the other night but literally couldn't because of the embarrassment.

(not all the rappers mind, but a couple of the ones they focussed on were total idiots).

goose2005 · 21-07-2012 9:06pm

Galwayguy35 wrote: »

Have to agree with this. BBC Newsline go out of their way to avoid giving a bit of weather that's outside the 6 counties.

Well, ROI people don't pay license fees. And until recently, Met Eireann showed Ireland floating in the middle of a vast sea, with no sign of the other island.

Sand · 22-07-2012 3:34am

I cant say I'm any more bothered about the north of Ireland than I am about...say...Newcastle.

So long as people aren't throwing nail-bombs into restaurants packed with kids and families because they're annoyed about Bloody Sunday then everything else can be sorted out by having a chat. And once people aren't murdering each other over something that happened 40 years ago, the news out of Northern Ireland is about as interesting as the news out of Newcastle. This is actually a good thing. The various groups in Northern Ireland have tended to look to outside allies to solve their issues rather than actually talking to each other.

Boredom with the eternal petty hatred and point scoring of Northern Ireland isn't new either.

"Then came the Great War: Every institution, almost, in the world was strained. Great Empires have been overturned. The whole map of Europe has been changed. The position of countries has been violently altered. The modes of thought of men, the whole outlook on affairs, the grouping of parties, all have en countered violent and tremendous changes in the deluge of the world. But as the deluge subsides and the waters fall short, we see the dreary steeples of Fermanagh and Tyrone emerging once again. The integrity of their quarrel is one of the few institutions that has been unaltered in the cataclysm which has swept the world."

Winston Churchill - 1922.

Northern Ireland - boring the world with its petty hatred since 1609.

Chuck Stone · 22-07-2012 4:19am

Sand wrote: »

So long as people aren't throwing nail-bombs into restaurants packed with kids and families because they're annoyed about Bloody Sunday

Pathetic attempt at a synopsis of the troubles.

Truly Pathetic.

Sand · 22-07-2012 9:54am

That's not a synopsis - that is an actual atrocity carried out by the Balcombe Street gang. Accept it or don't as you choose.

old hippy · 22-07-2012 11:48am

Sand wrote: »

I cant say I'm any more bothered about the north of Ireland than I am about...say...Newcastle.

So long as people aren't throwing nail-bombs into restaurants packed with kids and families because they're annoyed about Bloody Sunday then everything else can be sorted out by having a chat. And once people aren't murdering each other over something that happened 40 years ago, the news out of Northern Ireland is about as interesting as the news out of Newcastle. This is actually a good thing. The various groups in Northern Ireland have tended to look to outside allies to solve their issues rather than actually talking to each other.

Boredom with the eternal petty hatred and point scoring of Northern Ireland isn't new either.

"Then came the Great War: Every institution, almost, in the world was strained. Great Empires have been overturned. The whole map of Europe has been changed. The position of countries has been violently altered. The modes of thought of men, the whole outlook on affairs, the grouping of parties, all have en countered violent and tremendous changes in the deluge of the world. But as the deluge subsides and the waters fall short, we see the dreary steeples of Fermanagh and Tyrone emerging once again. The integrity of their quarrel is one of the few institutions that has been unaltered in the cataclysm which has swept the world."

Winston Churchill - 1922.

Northern Ireland - boring the world with its petty hatred since 1609.

I always have a problem with Churchill quotations. This is the man who sent in the black and tans & suggested gassing the Kurds

Royal Legend · 22-07-2012 12:00pm

thecommietommy wrote: »

Dunno about that, in the next few days part 1 of the NI census is comng out. From what I have heard, part 1 will avoid the Protestant v Catholic head count (possibly due to the orange marching season been in full swing), more to do with your occupation, have you ever attended third level education etc

As someone from a southern perspective, well the unionist dominated state is gone forever with equality the name of the game and an ever growing nationalist population (already at school level nationalists may well be in the majority ?), a united Ireland is only two decades away at most by which the south will have easily recovered from the present condition it is in. Interesting times ahead

I think you are in dreamland there mate, I dont think that if there was ever a referendum either side of the border that a 51-49 split would be allowed to be an answer or that either people in the Republic would even want to be attached to a country with so much bigotry, from both sides.
Northern Ireland is a country on its own and it has taken huge leaps in the last decade. Its a place that I like to go on holiday and so far, TG, My family and me have only ever being met with friendliness. There is an element in every society that does not conform and where there is a history of bigotry and hate it takes a long time for it to filter out of the society if ever at all.

_Kaiser_ · 23-07-2012 12:44am

My impression (and it seems to have been echoed by the various native NI posters on this thread) is that most people "up North" are as jaded with the political situation as we are here and just want to get on with their lives at this stage.

As for the lack of coverage here.. is it really that surprising? Land border or no it is still a foreign country and I wouldn't expect to see anything beyond major events on ROI telly any more than I would expect to see stories about the local happenings in Newcastle. Similarly, I doubt Germans get many local stories about Holland for example and they share a border too.

As for the inevitable Unification talk.. why on earth would ANY country in its right mind want to join our parochial, corrupt, immature little "Republic"? Let's get our own house and problems in order before we start looking to take on someone else's.

Best thing that could happen I think with regards the "Northern question" is it's declared an independent state but while retaining the benefits of links to both the Republic and GB - that way everyone wins, not least the aforementioned poor feckers who just want to get on with their lives.

Royal Legend · 23-07-2012 3:51pm

Kaiser2000 wrote: »

My impression (and it seems to have been echoed by the various native NI posters on this thread) is that most people "up North" are as jaded with the political situation as we are here and just want to get on with their lives at this stage.

As for the lack of coverage here.. is it really that surprising? Land border or no it is still a foreign country and I wouldn't expect to see anything beyond major events on ROI telly any more than I would expect to see stories about the local happenings in Newcastle. Similarly, I doubt Germans get many local stories about Holland for example and they share a border too.

As for the inevitable Unification talk.. why on earth would ANY country in its right mind want to join our parochial, corrupt, immature little "Republic"? Let's get our own house and problems in order before we start looking to take on someone else's.

Best thing that could happen I think with regards the "Northern question" is it's declared an independent state but while retaining the benefits of links to both the Republic and GB - that way everyone wins, not least the aforementioned poor feckers who just want to get on with their lives.

Agree 100%

thecommietommy · 24-07-2012 12:35pm

Sand wrote: »

I cant say I'm any more bothered about the north of Ireland than I am about...say...Newcastle.

So long as people aren't throwing nail-bombs into restaurants packed with kids and families because they're annoyed about Bloody Sunday then everything else can be sorted out by having a chat. And once people aren't murdering each other over something that happened 40 years ago, the news out of Northern Ireland is about as interesting as the news out of Newcastle. This is actually a good thing. The various groups in Northern Ireland have tended to look to outside allies to solve their issues rather than actually talking to each other.

Boredom with the eternal petty hatred and point scoring of Northern Ireland isn't new either.

"Then came the Great War: Every institution, almost, in the world was strained. Great Empires have been overturned. The whole map of Europe has been changed. The position of countries has been violently altered. The modes of thought of men, the whole outlook on affairs, the grouping of parties, all have en countered violent and tremendous changes in the deluge of the world. But as the deluge subsides and the waters fall short, we see the dreary steeples of Fermanagh and Tyrone emerging once again. The integrity of their quarrel is one of the few institutions that has been unaltered in the cataclysm which has swept the world."

Winston Churchill - 1922.

Northern Ireland - boring the world with its petty hatred since 1609.

Well we're getting into an historical discussion but since you brought it up and it does relate to them type of state the north was. Churchill, now there's a good reference to quote, the man who partitioned the country, sent in the Black and Tans, Auxilliary's, made excuses for the burning of Cork etc :rolleyes: Says it all about you politcal viewpoint that you agree with a man who says " The integrity of their quarrel is one of the few institutions that has been unaltered " when he was one of the main founders of the state. Ah yes, those Catholics entrapped in the orange state, terrible people altogether who after 50 years of gross thuggery and discrimination had the audacity of copying the Civil Rights movement in the southern states of America and to ask for a fairer society north of the border.

thecommietommy · 24-07-2012 12:52pm

Kaiser2000 wrote: »

My impression (and it seems to have been echoed by the various native NI posters on this thread) is that most people "up North" are as jaded with the political situation as we are here and just want to get on with their lives at this stage.

As for the lack of coverage here.. is it really that surprising? Land border or no it is still a foreign country and I wouldn't expect to see anything beyond major events on ROI telly any more than I would expect to see stories about the local happenings in Newcastle. Similarly, I doubt Germans get many local stories about Holland for example and they share a border too.

Agree with you. The OP complains it's not talked about enough, but what really major has happened in the last week or so, the riot in Ardoyne and a dissident RIRA man filmed firing a few shots. By the end of this week, their will be X amount of armed robberies in Dublin and probably a murder or two. Do I expect the rest of the country to get into a big discussion on it on boards.ie ?

As for the inevitable Unification talk.. why on earth would ANY country in its right mind want to join our parochial, corrupt, immature little "Republic"? Let's get our own house and problems in order before we start looking to take on someone else's.

Best thing that could happen I think with regards the "Northern question" is it's declared an independent state but while retaining the benefits of links to both the Republic and GB - that way everyone wins, not least the aforementioned poor feckers who just want to get on with their lives.

Don't agree, having two economy's on a small island pulling in different directions is stupid. Ah sure, let's have a People's Republic of Cork, an independent Connacht while we're at it eh ??

junder · 24-07-2012 4:15pm

thecommietommy wrote: »

Kaiser2000 wrote: »

My impression (and it seems to have been echoed by the various native NI posters on this thread) is that most people "up North" are as jaded with the political situation as we are here and just want to get on with their lives at this stage.

As for the lack of coverage here.. is it really that surprising? Land border or no it is still a foreign country and I wouldn't expect to see anything beyond major events on ROI telly any more than I would expect to see stories about the local happenings in Newcastle. Similarly, I doubt Germans get many local stories about Holland for example and they share a border too.

Agree with you. The OP complains it's not talked about enough, but what really major has happened in the last week or so, the riot in Ardoyne and a dissident RIRA man filmed firing a few shots. By the end of this week, their will be X amount of armed robberies in Dublin and probably a murder or two. Do I expect the rest of the country to get into a big discussion on it on boards.ie ?

As for the inevitable Unification talk.. why on earth would ANY country in its right mind want to join our parochial, corrupt, immature little "Republic"? Let's get our own house and problems in order before we start looking to take on someone else's.

Best thing that could happen I think with regards the "Northern question" is it's declared an independent state but while retaining the benefits of links to both the Republic and GB - that way everyone wins, not least the aforementioned poor feckers who just want to get on with their lives.

Don't agree, having two economy's on a small island pulling in different directions is stupid. Ah sure, let's have a People's Republic of Cork, an independent Connacht while we're at it eh ??

I didn't complaign, I asked a question, there is a difference. So you disagree agree with 2 economy's on a small island, does that mean your against Scottish independence?

Reoil · 04-08-2012 11:09pm

Boulevardier wrote: »

The NI news on UTV and BBC-NI almost never mentions anything here in the ROI unless there is a NI aspect to it.

Not true - actually I'm surprised by the ROI news reports in UTV and BBC to be fair.

southsiderosie · 05-08-2012 4:27pm

MOD NOTE:

As per usual, this thread has veered wildly off-course.

As a reminder, this thread is NOT about Scottish nationalism, the evils of the Black and Tans, or how NI Catholics would vote in a referendum on the national question. Yet some posters here seem confused about that, despite the fact that there has already been a moderator warning to stay on topic.

It is getting increasingly difficult to not see the consistent derailing of NI-related threads as anything but trolling, and it is beyond tiresome at this point. If you can't stay on topic, and/or your sole contribution to these threads is an inflammatory one-liner with no links or rationale behind it, you will not be long for the forum because we're getting sick of mopping up threads involving the same people over and over again.

Who cares About northern Ireland?

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