Sunday Business Post Red C poll on United Ireland

[Del.Monte]

Heard mention of this on Brendan O'Connor show but I can't link to the poll as it's behind a paywall here: https://www.businesspost.ie/northern-ir ... t-9268cee0 and certainly not worth signing up for as it sounds like it's more of what we already know.

Apparently 60% of those polled wanted a United Ireland but weren't prepared to change the flag or anthem to facilitate Unionists - it certainly reflects opinions I have heard in my various locals down the years. Anyway, it's not going to happen and if you want it to happen then vote for the 'new' Civil War party next time out.

[kadman]

Civil war party??

Tell me more, are we voting for change, or voting for war

[PogMoThoin]

Why should we pander to them and change anything? In a United Ireland there were be more Polish or Brazilians than unionists. They are nobodies. Loyalists are no longer a threat since they don't have the backing of the British forces.

[marhay70]

Personally, I'm not pushed about a United Ireland, not that I wouldn't like to see one but I just don't think it's worth actively pursuing, it'll come, in time. All these polls just raise the hackles on both sides of the debate, and IMO push the day further back. Can you imagine the reaction to them in Unionist areas?, poke the bear is all they do and push that section of what we hope will be a united and peaceful society, into a more and more reactionary position. They have always had this siege mentality and this only exacerbates it
The Unionists, whether we like it or not, form about 20% of the population of this island, and their wishes cannot be ignored. As the saying goes, "better to have them inside pissing out, than outside pissing in". Positions are changing in NI, the DUP does not command a majority of Unionists anymore, hardline attitudes are changing and peace and prosperity are the reason for this. Long may it continue and long may we continue to support that.

[Kaiser]

Because if we want both sides to accept it and support it, both sides need to accept a need for compromise and to be seen to "give something up" to the other.

It certainly won't happen anytime soon despite more nonsense polling. The Unionists don't want it, and we don't want to pay for it. I have yet to be convinced what benefit it would be to those in the South beyond some "800 years" notion of getting one over on "de Brits". I can see why those in NI who want to remain part of the EU would support it, but aside from that, there's the aforementioned cost, the inevitable security issues, and the point that we can't even properly run the country we have now let alone the issues we'd inherit with NI.

[Del.Monte]

Why should we pander to them and change anything? In a United Ireland there were be more Polish or Brazilians than unionists. They are nobodies. Loyalists are no longer a threat since they don't have the backing of the British forces.

What a load of nonsense and makes my point for me. Your vision of a United Ireland is of a 'republican' takeover where the Unionists could either like it or leave - a sure recipe for unrest. The Unionist population on the island of Ireland would be in the region of a million and the Polish population in the region of 150,000.

[Del.Monte]

Civil war party??

Tell me more, are we voting for change, or voting for war

The old Civil War parties FF & FG and the 'new' Civil War party is SF.

[PogMoThoin]

What a load of nonsense and makes my point for me. Your vision of a United Ireland is of a 'republican' takeover where the Unionists could either like it or leave - a sure recipe for unrest. The Unionist population on the island of Ireland would be in the region of a million and the Polish population in the region of 150,000.

I meant to say loyalists, in a United Ireland there are more Polish than loyalists, the ones who make the most noise and send their kids out to throw stones and burn buses. My own prediction is if left in power the Tories will pull the rug under everyone and call a vote in the next few years!

[marhay70]

I meant to say loyalists, in a United Ireland there are more Polish than loyalists, the ones who make the most noise and send their kids out to throw stones and burn buses. My own prediction is if left in power the Tories will pull the rug under everyone and call a vote in the next few years!

There's a thin line between Loyalism and Unionism, I think you'll find that if a gun is put to their heads a lot of Unionists could be Loyalists.
There was an adage when I was young that two Irishmen would be quite happy beating the crap out of one another until an Englishman came along, then they'd both want to beat the crap out of him. It works in many different scenarios.

[Frank]

If it happens then we’re going to have to bend over for loyalists, so not a chance I ever want to see it happen. I’d rather keep the Ireland we have.

[Frank]

So....you'd rather preserve the Act of Union than tolerate Unionists?

I'd say both the Nationalists and the Peaceniks might be confused by that logic. But I'm sure Unionists would be perfectly happy with it!

Let the loyalists be happy - they have their country and we have ours - we should learn to be happy too. Certainly better than tearing up everything we are to appease them allow them any say in Ireland.

[Hairy-Joe]

I didn't read the article but without having the details finalised around practical issues like finance, merging security, merging healthcare, etc it's impossible to say if I could vote yes. I'm ignoring fluffy issues like flags, anthems, etc.

Given the total cluster feck Brexit is due to not having details finalised BEFORE the vote, it's impossible to say what you are voting for and I'd be completely against leaping into the unknown.

My one views is that we can't afford it as we are massively extended due to Covid. Also, there's quite a vocal community to see us as being in league with the devil. I can't see it happening for years to be honest.

[Banshee Bones]

It's all a matter of will, there's a lot more will among unionists to reject a UI than there is among Nationalists to achieve one. The status quo will continue until something happens to change that.