How long until Ireland is reunited?

[max_tranmere]

Ian Paisley, the outspoken devout loyalist, was asked this by some young kids a little while ago and he said it would not happen in their lifetimes. Gerry Kelly, former IRA prisoner and nationalist, was asked by the same kids and he said 'in my lifetime'. So Paisley doesn't think it will happen in the next 80 or so years, Kelly thinks it WILL happen in the next 30 or 40. My view is it will happen when the Protestant community decide they want it, and that may never happen. Britain was wanted out since the mid-1990's, since John Major's time, and would leave immediately if most in Northern Ireland wanted it. How long do people think until Britain goes, or do you think the Protestants will never change their position and Britain will NEVER go?

[max_tranmere]

CORRECTION: second line from bottom, "Britain HAS wanted out since..."

[Jonone]

"Charles Manson stole this song from Paul McCartney, we're stealing it back .. Give Ireland Back To The Irish"

[max_tranmere]

Jonone, a few things mixed in there. lol. A quote from U2's Rattle & Hum album prior to them covering 'Helter Skeler', a reference to what Manson actually said were his reasons for what his followers did (hearing the original 'Helter Skelter' back in the 1960's), and McCartney's 1973 track. In that song McCartney also includes the line 'Britain you are tremendous, no one knows like me...'

[davey]

wouldnt have thought it will ever be reunited.The south doesnt want it and the Loyalists will never accept reunification

[Dave Wells]

Give Ireland back to the Irish !

[justincyder]

Mr Wells

its sweeping statements like that, that really underline an ignorance of the actual events and romantic notion of just handing things back.

1. 1.5 million people in Northern Ireland, 2 thirds are unionist. Pray tell what do you do with them?

2. Southern Ireland neither wants nor can afford Northern Ireland, it has 1 of the largest benefits/social housing bill in the UK, nevermind any of the other bills inlcuding policing.

3. Handing it back would only reverse the terrorist problem with unionist terrorist groups effectively rising to the fore instead of republican groups.

I am not saying I wouldn't like to see a United Ireland but its a very impratcial solution at the moment and will take tens of years of gentle persuasion if you are ever going to convince the hardcore unionists of which there are many to accept that proposal.

[padster]

Something that is never talked about.... As justincyder says NI has one of the highest social bills in the UK. If a united Ireland ever happens, do all the benefitees expect the new Irish government to support them? From my experience the current RoI benefit system would simply not be enough for them to live in the manner they've grown accustomed to under UK governements. Wonder what would happen then? Somehow can't see the nationalists wanting to change to unionism......

[Brooksie]

English should never have shot the Irish nationalists after the Easter uprising. Should've asked the Irish their feelings on punishment and come through with the offer of full partnership with the UK which was being negotiated before the war broke out.

You can't change the past, though. Maybe the increasing influence of the EU will make this debate redundant in time.

[justincyder]

Look the English did a lot of things badly in the past, but that was the world they they occupied then and they were the rules. So get over it.

Its interesting to speak to republicans in NI who blame the Brits for everything and how hard done the Irish are blah blah blah, however point out to them that the 3 million Irish who went to the states and helped contribute to the wiping out of the American Indan through aggressive expansion, and oh but thats alright cos they were just uncivilised natives...

I'm Irish by birth by the way and fed up of my whinging useless countrymen