Michelle O'Neill

[oldfool]

It’s not quite Cosgrave handing over to DeValera (and look how long it took Ff and Fg to share power) but fair play to Donaldson in bringing a majority of DUP with him. Let’s hope Michelle’s term is good for ALL the people of Norn Ireland

[Ryankelvin]

For some of us it is not a history lesson but a reminder of our youth . Going out on a weekend left our parents worried for a whole set of reasons now confined to the bin

Its great now to go over and back across the border without the terror and intimidation of the massive British army checkpoints.
For family and business reasons I had to go through them probably around 5 or 6 times per day.
The 80s was a really shit time around the border area .

[Benny123]

Oh yeah, it’ll take years but the brits will sweeten the pot, they want rid of the expenses more than anything else.

if it takes 20 years all the better, the more bitter old loyalists under the turf the better, the ones left have a choice, get with the programme or head back to Scotland, either on the Larne ferry or via my own personal favourite…a cannon pointed in the general direction of the sea

Your post is exactly why I don't want a 32 county Ireland. In theory I would love it but those Unionists aren't going anywhere. I fear we could easily go back to the old times. I won't budge on our anthem or flag. Would we welcome a July 12th parade in Dublin, Cork or Galway.?I want to stay exactly as we are. It hasn't been as good in my lifetime.

[oldfool]

We are a long way from a united Ireland. Definitely not in the next 20 yrs probably longer. So much has to change for it to happen. When they can't agree to a government for 6 counties how will the 32 ever agree. I don't want a 32 county Ireland. In theory it sounds great but I don't want to ditch our anthem, our flag, etc etc. I don't want Unionists in Dail Eireann. This all has to happen if we are to progress. Thanks very much I'm happy the way we are. In general we are at peace. A 32 county Ireland will bring another Civil War.

The flag is in three parts, equality between orange and green. A Republic looks after all the children of the nation equally. Unity and parity are both a long way off, but the long term direction has been set

[konus]

We are a long way from a united Ireland. Definitely not in the next 20 yrs probably longer. So much has to change for it to happen. When they can't agree to a government for 6 counties how will the 32 ever agree. I don't want a 32 county Ireland. In theory it sounds great but I don't want to ditch our anthem, our flag, etc etc. I don't want Unionists in Dail Eireann. This all has to happen if we are to progress. Thanks very much I'm happy the way we are. In general we are at peace. A 32 county Ireland will bring another Civil War.

Totally agree. On the odd occasion I need to travel north I always get a sense of eeriness. There is an unsettling 'vibe' about the whole place. A united Ireland would in affect be creating a brand new country. New anthem, new flag, new government structure etc. It could never be a 32 county version of the current 26 counties with everything continuing as is at present.

[TheFalcon]

This is quite a positive step, its not that long ago where nationalists were second class citizens in the North.


British out or

a United Ireland with unionists accommodated (trying to be modern and all that)

remains the ultimate goal

[Barney Rubble]

For some of us it is not a history lesson but a reminder of our youth . Going out on a weekend left our parents worried for a whole set of reasons now confined to the bin

But growing up through it that was normal.

And parents also had the worry that you might get involved.
Thankfully i didn't.

Looking back those were dangerous times indeed. In many many ways.

[Barney Rubble]

If a United Ireland is a possibility... I think the national anthem should be changed to 'Ireland's Call'.

1) Amhrán na bhFiann is f*cking depressing, and belongs in the arsehole of history.

2) Ireland's Call is less political/war-like than the above shite, and is actually uplifting and about standing together!

#FuckAmhranNaBhfiann

Ah lak ffs how could that be the country's anthem ?

I look forward to the day that we hear "A Nation Once Again" before the All Ireland Finals !

[Barney Rubble]

AND well done Michelle indeed today, you've done us proud !

Even if you are a Tyrone woman and Emma Little-Pengelly an Armagh woman. Not that I think she wears an Armagh jersey - Even if it is orange !

[morelovin]

We are a long way from a united Ireland. Definitely not in the next 20 yrs probably longer. So much has to change for it to happen. When they can't agree to a government for 6 counties how will the 32 ever agree. I don't want a 32 county Ireland. In theory it sounds great but I don't want to ditch our anthem, our flag, etc etc. I don't want Unionists in Dail Eireann. This all has to happen if we are to progress. Thanks very much I'm happy the way we are. In general we are at peace. A 32 county Ireland will bring another Civil War.

Well you’ll have one vote like the rest of us. Thankfully that partitionist mentality is a minority view. Does the hypocrisy not even register with you? You don’t want a united Ireland because you want to keep a flag that was actually meant to represent a united Ireland. Who said we would loose the flag anyway? A united Ireland will happen in about 15 years, the unionist population is shrinking and the reason for Northern Ireland to exist is crumbling. Michelle O Neill being FM indicates its end game for NI as a political entity and that’s a good thing in my book.