How long before Irish reunification?

There's a lot people are taking for granted when speaking about reunification.

2011 wrote: »

A lot of people share that view to the point that may prevent unification ever occurring.

Isn't the word reunification misleading?
The only time this Island has been unified was under British control..there has never been a unified Irish state.
Don't think it can happen, as long as the liked of Arlene Foster are around, they won't allow it

Bob Harris wrote: »

I know but in the OP it's the only thing mentioned - catholic population in schools and in the general population as if once there is a catholic majority then automatically unification is on the cards. Who's to say most catholics wouldn't prefer the current situation regardless of majorities?

Personally I'd say unification is a long way off and I'd doubt if would happen this century.

The biggest issue to determine how quickly events could unfold will be brexit. A disorganised exit will see a lot of people in the north looking to re-enter the EU through unification. An interview with a unionist farmer in fermanagh a few weeks ago was pretty telling. He said he was a unionist but at the end of the day his family can't eat a union flag so if he loses European subsidies that other options would have to be looked at and that the Dublin government looked to be doing more to protect the livelihoods of farmers than his immediate representative

We will have a vote in approximately 10 years, with about 3 years to implement reunification. A combination of British payments and EU funding will fund the transition for a couple of decades after. Favorable FDI in border areas will aid the move from dependency in civil service employment to other industries. Shipbuilding will enjoy a renaissance in Belfast, employing tens of thousands. Derry will grow, this will spread to Donegal, helping the region flourish. Were will all live happily ever after. The end.

You have to think for yourself on this. Whenever the topic comes up, you will get the scaremongers shouting about how awful this will be for everyone. They don't have a clue how it would work out but they will continue to shout. It's a bit like with the abortion referendum, these people will do anything to try to get their way.
Truth is, we would need a big discussion on what it would entail. The EU and Britain will give huge funding towards this. We already have loads of cross border initiatives, in all parts of life. Economic, social, the huge majority of sporting organisations are cross border. We are all very similar on this island. What huge difference is there between the people of Donegal and Derry? Monaghan and Fermanagh?
Being a member of the EU would be hugely beneficial for the people in the north. Also, those who support the rights of the lbgtq community should be in favour of reunification and women's rights activists.
It would take a lot of work to draw up the details but if done right, this is a great opportunity for all Irish people.

Eggs For Dinner wrote: »

We respect our past (the good and the bad). Nordies seem to want to continue living in it. I've nothing in common with such people and wouldn't want anything to do with them

Would you say the same thing if ROI independence never happened and the people the Republic were still under the control of the British monarchy?

Nationalists in the North were subjugated to serious discrimination and appalling conditions and civil rights violations, many of them who witnessed it are still alive And bare those scars, you were lucky enough to be born into a republic free from all those problems post independence. I find the view of many people in the South hypocritical on these matters because those very people in the Nationalist Northern terrorities fought for Irish Independence but got left behind and they too have a lot to do you you living in an independent state today free from the civil rights abuses and segregation they suffered from in the North for decades after.

I think many people in the Republic have very short memories because it suits them to have it that way. In the North, 900 years of history doesn't just dissapear in 20 years and many of the problems that exist there are governmental mismanagement and a gerrymandered border that should have never existed. Much of what you have seen in your lifetime in the North was what was going on all over the Country 100 years ago, the South had civillian guerrillas, partisan policing and social unrest in the very same circumstances as the North has faced since partition. The people in the South take great pride in gaining Independence like that but many of the same people label those in the North as delinquents for wanting to break free from it. The hypocrisy of it is rife.

On how far away unification is, I think it's very far away yet and even with my highly Nationalist tendencies towards a United Ireland, it's not something I want to see without unionists been welcomed and given concessions even in the event of a majority landslide for a United Ireland. History can't repeat itself again but this time against Unionists because we all know how important identity and rights are in North.The GFA was a miracle in itself and trying to renegotiate the other way around for a second time will be a serious can of worms as well. I do believe it's a partition that was destined to fall from the very beginning and should never have existed because of it's fragility, desperation moves by both sides lead to partition within partition and it will never last.