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Solution to Northern Ireland?

Started by SisterAgatha, November 22, 2017, 09:50:08 PM

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SisterAgatha

What do you think the solution to the conflict in Northern Ireland shoudl be?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Ireland

If you think about it, it is rather unfair and a final remnant of imperialism that Britain should have any control over the island of Ireland at all.

I know  there is peace between the IRA and the various Protestant militias but that could theoretically end at any time.

Part of me thinks Britain should give NI to the Republic of Ireland and be done with it. Those brassy,mean spirited Orangemen who proudly do their apprentice boy marches past Catholic neighborhoods would be humbled and know that King William of Orange's conquest in 1690 is now utterly undone.

Also it might lift their spirits to be part of the Republic of Ireland, a land green lush rolling hills, mysterious hidden valleys where leprachauns and fairies dwell, and humble thatched pubs with people merrily dancing around to mischivious and spirited fiddler!

Ive been to both areas of Ireland..North and South and honestly there is not much to write home about NI as compared to the South.

Belfast could fit in well in Northern England, itself being a city rather similar to say Manchester or Liverpool. Just sort of sad and industrial.

The only good bits about NI in my opinion were the Giant's Causeway and Bushmill's whiskey. I know it is the Protestant whiskey but I found it simply irresistible!

It would solve the conflicts and be a good "pick me up" for all the people of that entire region.

If anyone has any knowledge about this issue by all means..enthrall me with your acumen!

Recusant

The landscape of Northern Ireland is comparable to the rest of Ireland, despite your attempt to portray it as somehow blighted or of lesser beauty.
"Religion is fundamentally opposed to everything I hold in veneration — courage, clear thinking, honesty, fairness, and above all, love of the truth."
— H. L. Mencken


SisterAgatha

Quote from: Recusant on November 22, 2017, 10:28:32 PM
The landscape of Northern Ireland is comparable to the rest of Ireland, despite your attempt to portray it as somehow blighted or of lesser beauty.

Uhhh.. Ive actually been there, I think I know the difference.

There is a substantial difference between the lush fields of county Kerry and the harsh foreboding mountains of Mourne in County Down.

Also..Galway and Dublin..vs. Belfast? Hardly comparable. Belfast is such a sad city :/

Recusant

Quote from: SisterAgatha on November 22, 2017, 10:44:01 PM
Quote from: Recusant on November 22, 2017, 10:28:32 PM
The landscape of Northern Ireland is comparable to the rest of Ireland, despite your attempt to portray it as somehow blighted or of lesser beauty.

Uhhh.. Ive actually been there, I think I know the difference.

There is a substantial difference between the lush fields of county Kerry and the harsh foreboding mountains of Mourne in County Down.

Also..Galway and Dublin..vs. Belfast? Hardly comparable. Belfast is such a sad city :/

I've spent plenty of time in both Northern Ireland and in Eire. There are 'harsh foreboding' areas in Eire, just as there are 'lush fields' in Northern Ireland. You appear to be letting your prejudices color your aesthetic judgment. I didn't spend much time in any of the cities, and my comment was not about the cities.
"Religion is fundamentally opposed to everything I hold in veneration — courage, clear thinking, honesty, fairness, and above all, love of the truth."
— H. L. Mencken


Tank

Partition in Ireland or India proved to be a well meaning but wrong headed  idea. The Irish government has it in it's hands to reunite Ireland if it wants to. It would be political suicide for any UK political party to attempt to 'give back' NI. So unless the Irish government does something re-unification won't happen.
If religions were TV channels atheism is turning the TV off.
"Religion is a culture of faith; science is a culture of doubt." ― Richard P. Feynman
'It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die. That is true, it's called Life.' - Terry Pratchett
Remember, your inability to grasp science is not a valid argument against it.

Recusant

Brexit is problematic for this issue as well.
"Religion is fundamentally opposed to everything I hold in veneration — courage, clear thinking, honesty, fairness, and above all, love of the truth."
— H. L. Mencken


Tank

If religions were TV channels atheism is turning the TV off.
"Religion is a culture of faith; science is a culture of doubt." ― Richard P. Feynman
'It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die. That is true, it's called Life.' - Terry Pratchett
Remember, your inability to grasp science is not a valid argument against it.

Ecurb Noselrub

Quote from: Tank on November 23, 2017, 07:31:29 AM
The Irish government has it in it's hands to reunite Ireland if it wants to.

How could the Irish government reunite Ireland? 

Tank

Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on November 24, 2017, 04:09:26 AM
Quote from: Tank on November 23, 2017, 07:31:29 AM
The Irish government has it in it's hands to reunite Ireland if it wants to.

How could the Irish government reunite Ireland?

It's about invitation not coercion. The Irish government has to create a situation where the Irish born in the North want to express an Irish heritage more that a British one. The Irish government have got to stop seeing the Protestant/Catholic divide and emphasis birth (or inherited relations) as people being Irish. All people who are 'Irish' are automatically given citizenship irrespective of where they are born. All rights and privileges accorded to people in and from NI are accepted in Eire. Etc. etc. The Irish government apologises unreservedly for all damage done in the name of Irish independence. It allows MP's elected in NI to sit in an extended Irish parliament. It recreates Ireland as a political entity and essentially turns the British involvement in NI into a colonisation issue.

The Irish government has it in it's hands to reunite Ireland if it wants to.  They may not realise it. But if they put uniting Ireland through peaceful means an absolute priority it would happen. It would take a couple of generations but it could be done.
If religions were TV channels atheism is turning the TV off.
"Religion is a culture of faith; science is a culture of doubt." ― Richard P. Feynman
'It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die. That is true, it's called Life.' - Terry Pratchett
Remember, your inability to grasp science is not a valid argument against it.

Ecurb Noselrub

Quote from: Tank on November 24, 2017, 08:06:05 AM
Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on November 24, 2017, 04:09:26 AM
Quote from: Tank on November 23, 2017, 07:31:29 AM
The Irish government has it in it's hands to reunite Ireland if it wants to.

How could the Irish government reunite Ireland?

It's about invitation not coercion. The Irish government has to create a situation where the Irish born in the North want to express an Irish heritage more that a British one. The Irish government have got to stop seeing the Protestant/Catholic divide and emphasis birth (or inherited relations) as people being Irish. All people who are 'Irish' are automatically given citizenship irrespective of where they are born. All rights and privileges accorded to people in and from NI are accepted in Eire. Etc. etc. The Irish government apologises unreservedly for all damage done in the name of Irish independence. It allows MP's elected in NI to sit in an extended Irish parliament. It recreates Ireland as a political entity and essentially turns the British involvement in NI into a colonisation issue.

The Irish government has it in it's hands to reunite Ireland if it wants to.  They may not realise it. But if they put uniting Ireland through peaceful means an absolute priority it would happen. It would take a couple of generations but it could be done.

Interesting.  Thanks for the information. 

Tank

Well it's not really information. It's just a logical thought process. Another example would be the Falkland Islands. The British government have said that they with remain 'British' until the population say otherwise. So if Argentina want the Falklands all they have to do is peacefully bribe the islanders until a majority change their allegiance. So they start buying Falklands lamb and mutton. They start air flights. They build infrastructure on the Island through sponsorship. An enemy never changes their mind, so stop being an enemy and be a friend.

Can you imagine the respect the US would be held in if it spent as much on humanitarian aid as it does on making war?
If religions were TV channels atheism is turning the TV off.
"Religion is a culture of faith; science is a culture of doubt." ― Richard P. Feynman
'It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die. That is true, it's called Life.' - Terry Pratchett
Remember, your inability to grasp science is not a valid argument against it.

Tank

If religions were TV channels atheism is turning the TV off.
"Religion is a culture of faith; science is a culture of doubt." ― Richard P. Feynman
'It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die. That is true, it's called Life.' - Terry Pratchett
Remember, your inability to grasp science is not a valid argument against it.

Recusant

Quote from: Tank on November 24, 2017, 03:45:10 PMCan you imagine the respect the US would be held in if it spent as much on humanitarian aid as it does on making war?

Even a quarter as much would be a huge increase. Foreign aid (of all types) amounts to less than 1% of the US budget, while military spending accounts for around 15%.
"Religion is fundamentally opposed to everything I hold in veneration — courage, clear thinking, honesty, fairness, and above all, love of the truth."
— H. L. Mencken


Biggus Dickus

Quote from: SisterAgatha on November 22, 2017, 10:44:01 PM
Quote from: Recusant on November 22, 2017, 10:28:32 PM
The landscape of Northern Ireland is comparable to the rest of Ireland, despite your attempt to portray it as somehow blighted or of lesser beauty.

Uhhh.. Ive actually been there, I think I know the difference.

There is a substantial difference between the lush fields of county Kerry and the harsh foreboding mountains of Mourne in County Down.

Also..Galway and Dublin..vs. Belfast? Hardly comparable. Belfast is such a sad city :/


Sure you've been there, probably on a trip with Sister Bellarmine along with that roguish prankster who goes by the name of Billy Flanagan.

Why the hell would we believe anything you say?
"Some people just need a high-five. In the face. With a chair."

SisterAgatha

Quote from: Father Bruno on November 25, 2017, 02:06:37 PM
Quote from: SisterAgatha on November 22, 2017, 10:44:01 PM
Quote from: Recusant on November 22, 2017, 10:28:32 PM
The landscape of Northern Ireland is comparable to the rest of Ireland, despite your attempt to portray it as somehow blighted or of lesser beauty.

Uhhh.. Ive actually been there, I think I know the difference.

There is a substantial difference between the lush fields of county Kerry and the harsh foreboding mountains of Mourne in County Down.

Also..Galway and Dublin..vs. Belfast? Hardly comparable. Belfast is such a sad city :/


Sure you've been there, probably on a trip with Sister Bellarmine along with that roguish prankster who goes by the name of Billy Flanagan.

Why the hell would we believe anything you say?

I can tell you don't believe in God because you are not very magnanimous or forgiving. The whole white lie about being a nun in a circa 1965 Catholic school was just a bit of narrative fun. The Ireland trip was in fact very real.

I went with my brother to see the sights of Ireland. We went to Dublin, then swung up North to see Belfast,Derry and the sights and sounds of Ulster. Belfast was sort of a gritty city (unlike Dublin) and reminded me very much of what Liverpool or Birmingham Engalnd must be like. There were painting everywhere on the walls extolling the Catholic and Protestant terrorists.

We saw the Giant's Causeway and drove through the town of Bushmill's home to the Busmill's distillery!

It would seem the Catholic policy of saying no to contraception appears to be working in Northern Ireland. At this point only two of the 6 counties in NI are majority Protestant, Counties Antrim and Down. With any luck though, those Ulster prods will move back to Engalnd and Scotland..and Ireland will be united once more as it was in days long past.

I enjoyed Ulster but found it lacking compared to Ireland. It was significnatly less of a mysterious fairyland type of place. There were for example no road signs in English and Gaelic alike, fewer sheep roaming about the country lanes, and everything seemed more industrial as opposed to quaint.

The town of Bushmills was nothing like Doolin, Ballingerry or Killarney. It had no Celtic magic about it, and looked like it could be a rural town in Pennsylvania or New Hampshire.

We explored Derry and the walls and saw a massive Presbyterian Church (thankfully we did not enter it!)

When we escaped out the backend of Northern Ireland to the county of Donegal it was like we really entered a different country. Donegal is lovely with spacious green planes and a large amount of Gaelic speakers. It was as if we stepped back in time!

We also did this:!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fV6nK1NF29A