What might Ireland be like if it was still part of the UK?

Augmerson

No RTE.
Motorways everywhere.
Possibly have Irish clubs in the Premier League.
Wetherspoons all over the place.

Anything else?

Festy

Low dole :pac:

Augmerson

Festy wrote: »

Low dole :pac:

Wetherspoons though. Be grand like.

sinnerboy

More railtrack . Curry houses. Hospitals. Pound shops. Icelands. Red post boxes. Speed signs still in miles.

grizzly

Northern Ireland?

charlemont

Pakistani's everywhere probably outnumbering us.
Loyalism being shoved in our faces.
Council tower blocks.
British army RN RAF bases.

Augmerson

charlemont wrote: »

Pakistani's everywhere probably outnumbering us.
Loyalism being shoved in our faces.
Council tower blocks.
British army RN RAF bases.

You make it sound like a bad thing.

Ihatecuddles-old

Peas in the chipper..

charlemont

Augmerson wrote: »

You make it sound like a bad thing.

I'd probably be in jail for terrorism if we were still in the Union.:pac:

DEFTLEFTHAND

Somewhat better than Scotland. :pac:

In fairness the British really tried with Ireland after the Act of Union, they wanted to make Dublin the second city of the Empire. They eventually took onboard our grievances and passed Home Rule in 14, the stepping stone to independence, remember they also had the unionist crowd in the North raging at the same time with their own little act of defiance. The 1916 Rising killed any potential peaceful resolution to this countries strife.

BOHtox

We'd all be english speaking, using English ways of life, using English technology, playing English sports and supporting English football teams... oh wait

dodderangler

Augmerson wrote: »

You make it sound like a bad thing.

You make it sound like it'd be a good thing?!

carlmango11

Augmerson wrote: »

Motorways everywhere.

Doubt it. England has motorways everywhere because it has ~10 times our population. If you compare Ireland with somewhere more similar population-wise, such as Scotland, you'll see we're actually doing quite well. Better, actually.

Jimoslimos

Augmerson wrote: »

Possibly have Irish clubs in the Premier League.

What? You mean like those mighty European footballing powerhouses, Linfield and Glentoran?

A nasty insurgency problem for the past 100 years
German bomb damage in Cork, Drogheda rail viaduct replaced and other WWII effects.

Galwayguy35

It would probably just look like a bigger version of NI, better roads but less social welfare.

Maybe flag protests in Galway.:(

dsmythy

Scotland.

Festy

Better looking

wildefalcon

Working health system?

Building regulations?

Less County Councils?

Less crap houses like Priory Hall?

Cheaper road tax?

Dearer Petrol?

Worse schools?

Sunnyisland

What might Ireland be like if it was still part of the UK?


Syria.

keano_afc

Deleted User wrote: »

A nasty insurgency problem for the past 100 years
German bomb damage in Cork, Drogheda rail viaduct replaced and other WWII effects.

Well you've got my vote.

DEFTLEFTHAND

Remember Churchill proclaimed that Dev denied the Irish the chance to show their ancient valour in his VE Day speech.

When times were desperate he asked Dev for the treaty ports and assistance in the war. In return he said he would give the 6 counties to the free state in the aftermath, they'd force through Unionist opposition and all. Dev refused the proposal.

Toby Take a Bow

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

Somewhat better than Scotland. :pac:

In fairness the British really tried with Ireland after the Act of Union, they wanted to make Dublin the second city of the Empire. They eventually took onboard our grievances and passed Home Rule in 14, the stepping stone to independence, remember they also had the unionist crowd in the North raging at the same time with their own little act of defiance. The 1916 Rising killed any potential peaceful resolution to this countries strife.

They really tried what? The Act of Union wasn't about addressing Irish grievances, it was about securing British power. And they completely dragged their heals on Home Rule.

DEFTLEFTHAND

Toby Take a Bow wrote: »

They really tried what? The Act of Union wasn't about addressing Irish grievances, it was about securing British power. And they completely dragged their heals on Home Rule.

They developed Dublin and tried to make it their second stronghold, You're right in saying that the Act of Union was about consolidating power in the British Isles.

Ireland wasn't capable of running itself in the 1800s, Controlled dem was still the practice.

The biggest mistake Britain ever made was not dealing with the Famine properly, they made a show of themselves worldwide. International papers reported on it. Only 2000 pounds given in aid.

Britain could have tied up Ireland for good at that time if they'd given widespread relief.

KingOfFairview

Probably a lot fewer victims of paedophile priests. Irish language almost gone entirely. More prods. Left/right political split. Submarine bases on the west coast. Smaller population. The savage eye would run about 5 mins shorter.

Toby Take a Bow

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

They developed Dublin and tried to make it their second stronghold, You're right in saying that the Act of Union was about consolidating power in the British Isles.

Ireland wasn't capable of running itself in the 1800s, Controlled dem was still the practice.

The biggest mistake Britain ever made was not dealing with the Famine properly, they made a show of themselves worldwide. International papers reported on it. Only 2000 pounds given in aid.

Britain could have tied up Ireland for good at that time if they'd given widespread relief.

You may be right about developing Dublin, but it seems odd that they were developing this place and yet we managed to completely avoid the industrial revolution. And not only that, but many of our own industries shut down right after the Act of Union.

Britain was never going to 'tie' up Ireland, certainly not in the same way as Scotland and Wales. The amount of rebellions prior to the Famine would suggest that.

Peregrine

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

They developed Dublin and tried to make it their second stronghold, You're right in saying that the Act of Union was about consolidating power in the British Isles.

Well they went about the wrong way of developing Dublin. Act of Union has catastrophic effects on Dublin's economy. Parliamentarians left to London, sold most of their house in Dublin, money was gone for any development and Georgian town houses fell apart after being turned into slums.

If they hadn't abolished the College Green Parliament and played their cards right during the famine, Ireland might still have been in the union.

DEFTLEFTHAND

Toby Take a Bow wrote: »

You may be right about developing Dublin, but it seems odd that they were developing this place and yet we managed to completely avoid the industrial revolution. And not only that, but many of our own industries shut down right after the Act of Union.

Britain was never going to 'tie' up Ireland, certainly not in the same way as Scotland and Wales. The amount of rebellions prior to the Famine would suggest that.

The Industrial revolution could have took hold at a later date, look at the ship building enterprises in the north which could have been better served in Dublin or Cork.

Remember the Irish were viewed upon as wild animals yet to be tamed, they kept them away from industry for a reason. Members of Parliament listened to Redmond and Dillon and fell asleep. The grand goal of Westminster in the late 1800s was to develop the country as a whole. Home Rule was years away, and any bills which passed the Commons were shot down by the House Of Lords.

Gladstone admitted his desire to see Ireland become an equal empire recipient without HR.

CRM Ireland

carlmango11 wrote: »

Doubt it. England has motorways everywhere because it has ~10 times our population. If you compare Ireland with somewhere more similar population-wise, such as Scotland, you'll see we're actually doing quite well. Better, actually.

Ireland doing better than Scotland? You wish.

Scotland has better roads, much more stunningly beautiful, much cheaper place to live, free health service, guilt free abortions where you dont have to pretend to be suicidal (Thats what will maybe happen here) because you dont want a child with some random after a drunken night out, cheaper home energy, a much much much more competitive market for pretty much every single service such as internet, telephones, insurance....

You would be able to go into a shop with about 90% less "Im Irish buy me" crap emblazoned all over everything.

Most importantly of all, you would have Irn Bru available in nearly every shop in the country!

Alba Gu Brath!

KingOfFairview

Ireland would have had a very hard time industrialising, we have no significant coal or iron.

Annasopra

NHS

Decent public services provided through local council rates

Less catholic influence over schools/hospitals/public policy

Pro choice

A less conservative population

Less cancerous nationalism

Nodin

mango salsa wrote: »

NHS

Decent public services provided through local council rates

Less catholic influence over schools/hospitals/public policy

Pro choice

A less conservative population

Less cancerous nationalism

You realise the North stayed in and strayed rather considerably from what you outline above?

BeardySi

Better beer, worse whiskey....

Nodin

Treadhead wrote: »

Better beer, worse whiskey....

....if the flat stuff is to your taste. There are more highly regarded scotches than there are Irish in terms of variety, afaik.

CRM Ireland

Nodin wrote: »

....if the flat stuff is to your taste. There are more highly regarded scotches than there are Irish in terms of variety, afaik.

"Scotch on the rocks"

superb choice of username

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

Ireland wasn't capable of running itself in the 1800s

Some would say it still isn't :P

And to add what it would be like - lower income taxes, free healthcare, less corruption within government, less ghost estates...

Kidchameleon

We'd all be a bunch of kants

KingOfFairview

A lot more war dead and PTSD sufferers.

handlemaster

there would be a tunnel /rail link to the uk. probably from the north through to scotland

Richard Hillman

No RTE

smcgiff

Augmerson wrote: »

No RTE.
Motorways everywhere.
Possibly have Irish clubs in the Premier League.
Wetherspoons all over the place.

Anything else?

No Fair City... tempting
re motorways... look up north, so no.
re prem league No, again see NI and Scotland.

Wetherspoons? Dafuq?

If the 1916 rising didn't happen we'd have most likely left by peaceful means by now. However, I suspect Scotland wont take that opportunity. But, we were never as part of the union as others. Britain did far too good a job of making us Catholics, they couldn't reverse it.

dirtyden

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

Somewhat better than Scotland. :pac:

In fairness the British really tried with Ireland after the Act of Union, they wanted to make Dublin the second city of the Empire. They eventually took onboard our grievances and passed Home Rule in 14, the stepping stone to independence, remember they also had the unionist crowd in the North raging at the same time with their own little act of defiance. The 1916 Rising killed any potential peaceful resolution to this countries strife.

What a silly comment.

Do you know what else happened after the act of union? Have a think about it? Something that caused the population of the country to almost half. Thye made a real effort alright.

mike65

NO EURO!

Almost certainly no Anglo Irish Bank (ironically!)

DEFTLEFTHAND

dirtyden wrote: »

What a silly comment.

Do you know what else happened after the act of union? Have a think about it? Something that caused the population of the country to almost half. Thye made a real effort alright.

I've already addressed the famine in a previous post.

dirtyden

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

I've already addressed the famine in a previous post.

For pretty much most of our existence under the crown we were simply a giant source of cheap food. If we were still part of the empire we would be a most likely be like the North of England, a decayng ignored backwater. Nothing in the history of British involvment in Ireland would suggest otherwise.

You must be trolling otherwise how you can honestly say that Britain took an active interest in Ireland after the act of Union yet allowed millions to starve of hunger whilst exporting food out of the country. The interest they took was exploiting our resources.

BeardySi

Nodin wrote: »

....if the flat stuff is to your taste...

it is... tough I'm guessing you're missing out on a whole lot if you're lumping together the thousands of craft beers and real ales produced in the UK as flat stuff... Far better that than the generic alcoholic fizzy sugar water being sold under the various big brands...

goz83

dirtyden wrote: »

The interest they took was exploiting our resources.

Think of that when you're buying your "made in China" stuff.

dirtyden

goz83 wrote: »

Think of that when you're buying your "made in China" stuff.

What has that got to do with this thread? Has Ireland conquered china and the paddies pillaged the paddy fields?

gurramok

mango salsa wrote: »

Decent public services provided through local council rates

Fancy paying £1000+ in rates on your standard 3bed semi? Jayzus, we have it so easy here that there was uproar over the property tax which most pay under €400!

DEFTLEFTHAND

dirtyden wrote: »

For pretty much most of our existence under the crown we were simply a giant source of cheap food. If we were still part of the empire we would be a most likely be like the North of England, a decayng ignored backwater. Nothing in the history of British involvment in Ireland would suggest otherwise.

You must be trolling otherwise how you can honestly say that Britain took an active interest in Ireland after the act of Union yet allowed millions to starve of hunger whilst exporting food out of the country. The interest they took was exploiting our resources.

It was a territory which they owned, of course they were going to develop it, that was the argument against Home Rule, more investment and focus on Ireland.

You know we didn't get our bad name abroad for nothing. There was a reason why those signs went up.

Birroc

More of the Catholic hierarchy in jail for child abuse cover-ups.

More Protestants (which is essentially what most Irish Catholics are these days).