Giant Bonfires up North 🔥 …. What’s the deal ?

No. Among the ones you voted for. How many don’t wish’ for a UI?

What would you do with it once you got it? Its like a dog chasing a car, "he knows he wants it but be damned if he knows what he wants to do when he catches it". What would we do with Northern Ireland? All the talent seems to leave as soon as they are qualified for mainland UK and beyond. There is a bloated Civil service for the mainland UK. There is no heavy industry (Harland and Wolff) and the trained workforce to revive it. Everything seems to revolve about around the Civil Service and NHS. Those Civil Service jobs will have to be returned to the UK and it going to cause a lot of friction trying to integrate them into the Irish model. I am not so sure that the people who have left and begun lives elsewhere will be rushing back.

I mean Northern Ireland has a great infrastructure but that is it. I fear the cost will be NATO submarine bases which were always wanted for the northern approaches (much like they have in Scotland). Lots of lovely building contracts that politicians love handing out.

The UK have already dumped an unknown amount of out of date military surplus in the channel between Ireland and Scotland. I have no idea what it was or how it would degrade or become inert over time. Talk about the real issues are two NATO submarine bases that will be part of the deal. At that stage I will be too old to care.

All of them. I mean they all talk about "a United Ireland is only 18 months away", or something close to that. It distract the idiots on both sides from what the politicians (on all sides) are really doing. What are they actually doing about a United Ireland. I bet you can tell me all about a United Ireland but nothing about what was announced three months ago about investments in Europe or the impact of the digital Euro/Dollar?

Nope, I believe both parties should have the right to say whatever they want. Once you go regulating speech and what you can and cannot say you go down a very dark path. Was anyone physically brought to hospital over it?

”Symbolism” is a huge thing up north - even wearing a GAA or Rangers jersey can bring legal cases in some work settings 😀

Personally I’d prefer if both sides calmed down and chilled a bit more but that’s not going to happen - the 12th , regardless of how BBC NI report on it, is just a racist filled hate-fest masquerading as “culture” - I don’t see how we can “reconcile” with such people and frankly I don’t want to.

As for NATO, I’ve probably moved away from Irish neutrality now and edging towards one-Europe militarily whatever that future form is -Ireland would be safer with military deterrents and sea surveillance equipment on the island - that’s a fact of 21st century life - nothing stopping a European wide “peace keeping” force being developed as well as a defensive force and working with the UN in a different way.

Anyway, moving off topic somewhat now- bonfires in general are stupid planet destroying things - building sized bonfires are just ruining the health of those people living in the immediate vicinity no less those who come to watch - that’s the mentality of these peoples “culture”- I’ve no interest in “uniting” with them- we’ve absolutely nothing in common

In fairness there’s plenty of examples of warmer relations north/south in recent years. But I’m sorry, I don’t care about a small or even a large group of bigots a hundred miles or so away from me in a different jurisdiction - as I don’t want to see a United ireland, my willingness and motivation to “understand” them just doesn’t exist- they’re welcome to stay there - just don’t come near me or my country - it’s Northern Ireland’s problem to solve, if they choose to do so

You would be surprised how small that "large group" of bigots actually are. Most people just want to get by raise a family in peace, own a three bedroomed house, own a car, get the kids educated and out of the house and retire early to do work in their community (at various levels) and let the next generation take over the running. These fringe groups exist in every country and in every society and they are impossible to eliminate. The best thing is to never give them an environment to grow in so they dont become mainstream. Weeds cannot grow in a well maintained garden. Northern Ireland was a prosperous place pre WW2 but it was let run to rack and ruin by successive London governments for nefarious reasons.

Both sides U mean-

Was it ok for the brit Royal side to have in law that the Crown was not allowed to marry a Catholic-

Nobody was brought to hospital over that law- although a few were executed-

The lack of knowledge and the sheer ignorance in that post, about the northern statelet since it's inception with the support of British guns and threats of "immediate and terrible war" by the then British Prime Minister, is shocking and extemely concerning.

A read of "The Orange State" might correct the lack of knowledge - the book clearly sets out the historical context of Irish partition and the establishment of, what to all intents and purposes was a one-party state designed to make Catholic Irish people living in the North, second class citizens. That legacy, and all the suffering endured by the Catholic minority over 60 or 70 years, lead to the collapse of that rotten statelet and direct rule from Westminster.

I don't think there's any NATO sub bases in NI. The British nuclear subs are based out of faslane in Scotland. Perhaps they pull into the north every now and again but pretty sure none are based there full-time.

Correct regarding the dumping of munitions and all sorts of toxic waste. It lies in a very deep trench between the Antrim coast and mull of kintyre. The trench and it's contents are one of the biggest obstacles to building a bridge between NI and Scotland.

Protestant religion covers all Christian religions since the great schism with Rome by Martin Luther. This list would include but not limited to Anglican, Church of England/Ireland, Calvinism, Presbyterianism, Baptist, Episcopalian and anything else that would have come afterwards. So in effect Theobald Wolf Tone was of Protestant Religion. Wolf Tone was not discriminated as he would not have been covered by the Penal laws which only affected Catholics.

You are very short sighted to limit your search to the UK and ignore the Netherlands, Canada and right across the world. I have no problem with them as they dont put in or out on me. You do know that Orange Lodges do other business than concern themselves with the goings on in Northern Ireland? They do a lot of work for charities and medical research I believe (I am not a member but I have visited and not been discriminated against because I am not a member). There will always be a few members in every organisation that will get media attention. Every organisation has it Willie Frasiers and Ian Paisleys, they are usually in the minority. RTE has also been guilty of propagating the Orange boogieman. If people ignored them then they would fade out of memory.

The British Army has always had a presence in Northern Ireland, the RIR, UDR, Ulster Rifles, and many others have always had a presence. There will always be Irish people who will join the Irish Guards, French Foreign Legion, Argentine Navy or American Army (or God help us ISIS). I have no problem with it, I am not going to convince them otherwise.

Can you? There seems to be plenty of people singing along to Bob Vylan and Kneecap at Glastonbury.

Plenty of people support the IDF.

Calling for the death of anybody makes no better than those you're criticising.