I'm doing a final paper on Irish history starting with the Norman invasion, plantation, the rebellions of 1534, 1641, 1798, 1916, and the Irish War for Independence, and focusing mainly on the period between the '69 riots through the Good Friday Agreement. My question is for those in the south. The paper focuses mainly on the north, but I'm curious if those from the south generally want a united 32 counties, why or why not?

In a vacuum, I honestly don't care. So long as even a vocal minority in the North want, if not union with GB, at least to avoid union with the Republic, then given the history, further violence is more or less inevitable if it happens. So I more or less lean towards No, since I'm largely in favour of peace and quiet.

In your experience do other people in the south generally feel the same way? Do you think that further violence is inevitable without a united 32 counties also?

Most people I know, broadly 35 and under, let's say, are basically indifferent, or, if they would like to see an end to partition, don't talk about it much (I can't think of anyone I know who's expressed an earnest desire for it). I have met the odd headbanger who's super passionate about it, but they're rare, in my circles at least.

To the second question, yes, but I would expect worse. I meant more than the usual background violence that seems endemic to the North.

Yes.
Because the statelet of Northern Ireland is illegitimate.

Do you believe there is any scenario in which the British govt would issue a declaration of withdrawal? I don't know a lot about politics in the south, but has the Irish govt done anything in an effort to achieve a united state in recent years.

Both governments know it's in the hands of the people there. Democracy will decide. Catholics are out-breeding protestants, and protestants are lagging behind Catholics in education. I know that seems controversial for a few reasons and not all catholics are nationalist and protestant unionist, but most are.
British people don't seem bothered or have any spiritual connection to Northern Ireland I think, which leaves the unionists in the north on their own, imo.

Why aren't you including the terror campaign of the IRA and it's offshoots? Including the rest but seemingly skipping the sustained campaign of illegitimate terrorism would be weird.

Can't find the link , but I have seen polls showing that this generation as opposed to the last has a fairly significant percent increase in those who identify as Catholic and Irish as opposed to Protestant, other, or Northern Irish, British, or other. I don't know how true this is in the north, but in the U.S private Catholic schools generally provide a much better education than public schools, however public schools here are not affiliated with a religion like the public Protestant schools in the north so I don't know how similar the level of education with their public schools and ours is. On your last point I disagree. I don't think that the average British citizen cares about NI, but I don't believe that the British government wants to let go of NI. Just using history as an indicator I believe they want to keep a part of Ireland regardless of it being a thorn in their side.

Short of overwhelming super majority support Northern Ireland want be getting any Scotland style vote. It would pretty much guarantee the troubles 2.0.

Eh, not just the people there. I personally would vote against, as I've said. Not sure how many in the Republic would agree, though.

I think he is, actually.

Do you want OP to ask us to condemn terrorism as well, for 'balance' or something?

I think you're talking about the paper I referenced in my first post? In the paper there is a focus on the Provisional IRA, the UVF, UDA, the security forces, and the role that they all played in The Troubles. There is also a briefer focus on the period after the Good Friday Agreement in which the RIRA and CIRA are discussed.

Nope. Let the English pay their deficit or let them go independent.

After the 1916 rebellion which triumphed led to 75 per cent of Irish people voting for an Ireland free of British rule in a general election.

This caused Lord carson to set up a terroist organistion which armed unionists to thrwart the will of the Irish people, ultimately causing one of Irelands green fields to remain under British which is thus absolutely illegitimate. And so, the modern IRA campaign was born.

I'm against terrorism, by its true definition, and do not condone all the mistakes and actions of the provisional IRA but I did support their end cause.
Margaret Thatcher's Brighton bombing I supported despited the fact she luckily survived and innocents were killed instead unfortunately. Loyalist paramiltaries carried out their own attrocities.

Any time a country occupies someone else's land, there is always an uprising.

Well thanfully Sinn Fein decided the violence has run its course and democracy is the way forward, There will be a united Ireland, hopefully in my lifetime.

And don't get it twisted if Britain didn't try to save itself from absolute defeat and Ireland was a 32 county republic as ve voted for there would have never being the troubles.

Definitely. A six-day rebellion ending in unconditional surrender and execution of the ringleaders is exactly the kind of thing we've long been used to spinning as 'a triumph'. Moral victory, you know. Defiant tricolour etc.

You're against true Scotsmen terrorism, except for the terrorism you support, and anyway something something Loyalists. Was it an atrocity, necessitating your invocation of Loyalist actions? And you supported it? So you support atrocities? Make up your mind, you know?

Ah yeah. Obviously, like.

Look at the 26 counties. Always peaceful. You saying that if we were give a 32 county rebublic as we should have got the north would not have been peaceful. Granted you might find some unionits cause trouble, but not us Irish as a united nation.



You're against true Scotsmen terrorism, except for the terrorism you support, and anyway something something Loyalists. Was it an atrocity, necessitating your invocation of Loyalist actions? And you supported it? So you support atrocities? Make up your mind, you know?

I said I am against terroism, which is killing innocent civilians to make a point.
Thatcher was a legitimate target.

LOL. I think you got there yourself.

Why?

And hey, I'll do version 2.0, too, I'm generous that way:

So the Unionists are like fairy gold and a united Ireland is the glorious dawn? They just vanish? Or does paramilitary violence in a united Ireland just not count?

And I mean, yeah, the 26 counties were peaceful as **** except for that whole Civil War deal. Oopsie!

I wouldn't use movies to argue a political issue as complex as the creation of a united Irish Free State. They are just movies. Michael Collins is based on actual events, but the man who plays Michael Collins idolizes Ian Paisley. Wind that Shakes the Barley may be inspired by actual events, but is a fictional movie. Watching documentaries about Irish history, watching footage and eye witness accounts of the fire bombing of houses on Bombay Street, or reading Seamus Mac Manus' The Story of the Irish Race and using information from those sources would make your arguments more credible. If you want to watch a documentary about The Troubles I'd suggest Voices From Beyond the Grave, it's made up of interviews with Brendan Hughes and David Ervine conducted by researchers from Boston College and released upon the deaths of both men. It gives the reasoning behind actions from both sides, Hughes being a high ranking member of the Provisional IRA and leader of the first hunger strike and Ervine being a member of the UVF and later a prominent member of the PUP.

Well you haven't anwered why in 1918 we got the vote for a free Ireland in a genrral election. You also seem the think the 1916 rising was a failure, despite the fact the fact our patriots seized the GPO and put their lives on the line fully knowing they would be eventually overpowered and killed. If you don't respect that I think you should be ashamed of yourself.

And I;m not going to lecture you on the **** that was Margaret thatcher whose policies disregarded the civil human rights of and ignorance of the will of the Irish people.

"You seem to disagree with me, which is innately laughable, also I'm not taking questions lol you."

Credit to the nation right there.

Ya case closed, Because you ain't making any rational points I can argue.

It's nice isn't it, living in the south in an Irish free state. Who cares about our Irish brothers living in the north I guess, in an illegitimate state-let.

All I can do is make rational points. It's not my fault if you can't argue them.

It's great, yeah. Sucks to be you, I guess. A bloo bloo.

Mate you're making some really childish assumptions now which are wrong. I'm happy out. I just know my history. I hope you're young for your own sake. If you're happy to bend over and allow an occupying force to invade our land, then that's your pregorative. And I respect your decision. Peace out.

Yeah, you sound delighted.