Would Ireland have been better off remaining as part of the UK?

[LordShiva]

[Zkribbler]

During the Irish potato famine, Ireland produced enough food to feed itself. However, the absentee English landlords exported much of it. So 1/3 of the Irish starved to death and another 1/3 was forced to emmigrate.

I haven't asked my Irish friends about this thread, but I'll bet they'd say that they're better off without the English.

(Then they remind me that my ancestors are from England.)

[Cort Haus]

No. Too bad for Ireland it didn't get all of its land back.

[CerberusIV]

Originally posted by Cort Haus
No. Too bad for Ireland it didn't get all of its land back.

Just a matter of time now.

[C0ckney]

Originally posted by CerberusIV
Just a matter of time now.

yes i think it will happen...around the same time that spain gets gibraltar back or argentina gets the falklands back.

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by CerberusIV


Just a matter of time now.

Not long ago, folks said it was only a matter of time cause of birth rate differentials. Since then, the take off in the Republics economy, and low pop growth, means the Republic has gotten migration from Poland, Africa, and even, mirabile dictu, returnees from the Bronx, IIUC. I would expect migration of Catholics from NI, but not sure if thats happened. Whats the current demographic scene in NI?

[Alexander I]

My Northern Irish, De Valera-hating, non-Catholic friend thinks Ireland would've been better off in the UK.

[CerberusIV]

Originally posted by lord of the mark
Whats the current demographic scene in NI?

Fairly evenly balanced between Catholics/Republicans and Protestants/Loyalists. That's not really the point as, although there is a wishful thinking element that believe there could be a simple majority in a referendum and a quick dash to join the Republic, there isn't enough general support for the idea to be sure it won't start the shooting again - yet.

Give them 10 years of struggling to build a successful economy within the SE centred UK and they will be glad to get out.

[Cort Haus]

Yet in recent years house price acceleration has been very high in NI. It's coming from a low base but this would suggest an improving economy.

[Cort Haus]

Norn Iron Proddie Joke

There's this bloke sitting on a bridge about to jump into the raging torrent below and a passer-by tries to talk to him
-What's your name?
-Simpson
-What's your first name?
-That is my first name
-You Catholic or Protestant?
-Protestant
-No kidding? Me too. Church of Ireland,Presbyterian or Methodist?
-Presbyterian
-Amazing,so am I. Free Presbyterian,Orthodox or Congregationalist?
-Orthodox
Oh my Lord,this is uncanny. Subscribing or Non Subscribing?
-Non Subscribing
-I don't believe this. Heidelberg Catechism or Helvetic Confession?
-Heidelburg
-Absolutely incredible. Book of Common Order 1749 or Westminster Directory of 1774?
-Book of Common Order
-Fúcking jump you heathen ****

[lord of the mark]

better than my joke, but im gonna tell it anyway.

A man is walking along in Belfast hes grabbed from behind my a man in a mask. The man has a muffled voice, no clues to his identity from the accent or whatever. He holds a knife to the grabbees throat.

Grabber:"Are you Protestant or Catholic?"
Grabbee(thinking fast): "I'm, er, I'm Rabbi Kaplan, and I'm Jewish"
Grabber:"Well Rabbi Kaplan, you've just made me the happiest Jihadi in all Ulster"

[VetLegion]

Ireland would probably have been worse off. It's a natural nation state if there ever was one, so it should be a nation state. There are economic benefits in that and it is enjoying them.

[Heraclitus]

Originally posted by VetLegion
Ireland would probably have been worse off. It's a natural nation state if there ever was one, so it should be a nation state. There are economic benefits in that and it is enjoying them.

Japan is a better example though.

[Dauphin]

Originally posted by lord of the mark


better than my joke, but im gonna tell it anyway.

A man is walking along in Belfast hes grabbed from behind my a man in a mask. The man has a muffled voice, no clues to his identity from the accent or whatever. He holds a knife to the grabbees throat.

Grabber:"Are you Protestant or Catholic?"
Grabbee(thinking fast): "I'm, er, I'm Rabbi Kaplan, and I'm Jewish"
Grabber:"Well Rabbi Kaplan, you've just made me the happiest Jihadi in all Ulster"

A version I heard went:

Grabber:"Are you Protestant or Catholic?"
Grabbee(thinking fast): "I'm, er, I'm Rabbi Kaplan, and I'm Jewish"
Grabber:"Ah, but are you a Protestant or Catholic Jew?".

[molly bloom]

Originally posted by Cort Haus
No. Too bad for Ireland it didn't get all of its land back.

Given the periods of immigration and settlement (dating back to the establishment of the Norman Pale around Dublin, if we're being precise) who would end up being evicted as not being Irish enough ?

Not to mention all those of mixed Norse/Danish/Irish descent, the Huguenot immigrants (good bye Samuel Beckett) and any and all of the Scottish settlers (who were of course partly descended from Irish emigrants to Scotland in the Dark Ages) .

The only place I ever visited that resembled Ireland in the 70s was Franco's Spain- similar censorship laws and similar hypocritical official morality. Oh, and public begging, which was a big shock.

De Valera was a political and cultural disaster. But then, he wasn't a native born Irishman.