Irish Unity Watch Thread

[Idris2002]

Now that it's the morning after the night before, we can start thinking about whether, and if so when and how, the latest turn of the screw will bring about the reintegration of the national territory and the return of the fourth green field. Or just a lot more violence? ("I'm bored, let's have the troubles back" - actual graffito I saw in Belfast in the late '90s).

Mary Lou is straight out of the gate with a call for an All-Ireland forum on unification:

Do the results in the North make a united Ireland more likely? 'People shouldn't race ahead of themselves' says Varadkar

Leo Varadkar, meanwhile, continues his well known impersonation of Chance the gardener.

 

[flypanam]

The only thing that Varadkar has said about this is that the southern state will have to change. It does, but I'm sure Varadkar imagines a couple of statues of Elizabeth, a couple of building named after victoria, and some island off the west coast reserved for his paedo mate and minor child, Andrew.

So that about the height of any preperation Varadkar and the Snivil service has done for any possibility of unity.

 

[Idris2002]

The only thing that Varadkar has said about this is that the southern state will have to change. It does, but I'm sure Varadkar imagines a couple of statues of Elizabeth, a couple of building named after victoria, and some island off the west coast reserved for his paedo mate and minor child, Andrew.

So that about the height of any preperation Varadkar and the Snivil service has done for any possibility of unity.

Bit early in the day to be hitting the uisce beatha, old man.

 

[flypanam]

Water of life Idris2002 never too early nor too late.

 

[Idris2002]

Water of life Idris2002 never too early nor too late.

My grandmother had a cousin who drank a bottle of the stuff a day. Largely because in the civil war, he shot his best friend.

 

[flypanam]

Largely because in the civil war, he shot his best friend.

fuck.

 

[LiamO]

So that about the height of any preperation Varadkar and the Snivil service has done for any possibility of unity.

By pure freak of circumstance, I had a lengthy drunken, wee-small-hours conversation with a very senior (Dublin) Civil Servant a couple of months ago. He was telling me about his role & responsibilities - including all kinds of quite detailed planning, forecasting and modelling for the 'inevitable' United Ireland coming down the tracks.

 

[Idris2002]

Ah now, you can't leave us hanging like that. . .

 

[likesfish]

isn't NI a net drain on the UK take out the civil servant jobs and the place looks even more wretched

 

[Idris2002]

isn't NI a net drain on the UK

There is also a negative side

 

[likesfish]

personally I'd be happy to subsidize the place if we could palm it off on someone Argentina and China were my go-to choices

 

[Saul Goodman]

personally I'd be happy to subsidize the place if we could palm it off on someone Argentina and China were my go-to choices

England should be forced to pay for its upkeep for the next 100 or so years.

 

[Baronage-Phase]

The only thing that Varadkar has said about this is that the southern state will have to change. It does, but I'm sure Varadkar imagines a couple of statues of Elizabeth, a couple of building named after victoria, and some island off the west coast reserved for his paedo mate and minor child, Andrew.

So that about the height of any preperation Varadkar and the Snivil service has done for any possibility of unity.

What do you mean by..."southern state"? As for the rest of your post? It's absolute drivel.

 

[butchersapron]

!!!

 

[butchersapron]

I just read Daniel Finn's One Man’s Terrorist: A Political History of the IRA. Anyone else read it? I thought it was a great no-bullshit overview that covered areas others hadn't - the right wing nature of the early provos, the question of class relations etc really well (the anti EEC position of 70s groups as part of an anti-imperialist front is pointedly mentioned). And all done in proper non-jargon.

 

[Baronage-Phase]

I just read Daniel Finn's One Man’s Terrorist: A Political History of the IRA. Anyone else read it? I thought it was a great no-bullshit overview that covered areas others hadn't - the right wing nature of the early provos, the question of class relations etc really well (the anti EEC position of 70s groups as part of an anti-imperialist front is pointedly mentioned). And all done in proper non-jargon.

Got that for my dad for Christmas. I'll read it after he's finished it.

 

[N_igma]

What do you mean by..."southern state"? As for the rest of your post? It's absolute drivel.

I think what he’s saying is that Varadkar wants us to bend over backwards to accommodate Unionists in a United Ireland. Personally, I’m willing to make concessions around flags, the national anthem and perhaps some form of a time-limited autonomy for the 6 counties to smooth the transition. You have to give something to keep the loyalist fundies happy.

I think it’s very telling though that even the Blueshirt, gombeen wankers of FG are taking this prospect seriously and are making notes in that direction. I can only echo what LiamO has said in that I have also heard there’s work going on behind the scenes to prepare for the eventuality.

Thanks for the book recommendation Butchers I might just pick this one out sounds very interesting.

 

[Idris2002]

PRODS WE LOVE YOU PLEASE COME HOME

 

[marty21]

The result has increased the chances of this .

 

[likesfish]

England should be forced to pay for its upkeep for the next 100 or so years.

pray tell how are you going to do that?

 

[Saul Goodman]

pray tell how are you going to do that?

I'm not, I'm too old and too stoned.

 

[flypanam]

What do you mean by..."southern state"? As for the rest of your post? It's absolute drivel.

That's rich. I thought it was the most coherent I've been for some time...

The southern state: the geographical and political area in which you reside. That stretches from Donegal, Cavan, Leitrim, Monaghan and Louth in the northen part to Cork and Kerry in the southern part. It's a fairly common term, surprised you've not heard of it. Btw its still common for people in my neck of the woods to refer to that entity as the 'Free State.'

While it's interesting to hear that the Civil Service is planning, modelling and all the rest, it hardly speaks to the competence of the state that they are doing this now, South Korea has been planning for eventual reunification since 1969, with a dedicated Ministry for reunification. While the Germans had the Ministry of Intra German Relations.

I said the southern state has to change, the one thing that I would agree with Varadkar about, however, while the cosmetic changes of acknowledging Britishness doesn't cost me a second thought, I think the change has to be more fundamental, for instance there will have to be a version of the NHS, and given to slowness to come to terms with Slaintecare suggests that at most the vision of a 32 county republic will be like the 26 counties just with membership of the commonwealth, and the same state veneration of the market. Never mind that the state will have to intervene in housing, transport and all the other areas that it has deemed the responsibilty of the market.

 

[Baronage-Phase]

flypanam
What "neck of the woods" are you in?
It's been the Republic of Ireland or Eire for some decades.
Calling it the southern state doesn't happen here...in Eire.
Nobody refers to it here as the southern state...for obvious reasons.
As for Free State? That term stopped being used after it was officially named Eire

 

[flypanam]

I live in London but am from Monaghan. You might not use those terms but on the border plenty of people do.

also there are plenty of people around the border who would claim they’ve more in common with the rest of the province of Ulster (including both traditions) than they have with southerners.

I find it hard to believe you’re not aware of this.

 

[Baronage-Phase]

I live in London but am from Monaghan.

You know that it is called Eire then...

 

[flypanam]

No one but no one has ever called it Eire when talking to another actual human being. At most they use it when sending post home.

 

[Baronage-Phase]

Yes..most of us call the country Ireland.
Southern Ireland was what it was officially called between 1921 and 1922...then it was officially called The Free State up to 1937.
It was never called the Southern State. There may be some colloquial use of the term by some people in England and Unionists in NI...who wish to distinguish further the separateness of north and south. It's not a name that was ever assigned to us or adopted by the government or the people in Eire. And I'm using Eire to ensure people know that I mean the republic.

 

[flypanam]

A curious hill to stand on...

 

[Baronage-Phase]

Speaking of names for Ireland...
Back in the 5th century we were called Scotia

 

[Baronage-Phase]

A curious hill to stand on...

Ach....no...not really.
Just wanted to clarify.