How can Ireland be United? Or will it ever happen?

Question

All in the Republic want this to happen, and I've been told the British Government and the majority of the British people don't actually want Northern Ireland anymore.

Is the only way for this to happen for the Nationalists to out number the Unionists?

Answer 1

It's happening through the back door - it's much more unified now than it's been since 1921.

Answer 2

The Irish Constitution initially laid claim to the whole island of Ireland however the claim over Northern Ireland, which is a part of the United Kingdom was dropped following a referendum in 1998.  This negates your opening statement that the Republic wants this.  The result of the referendum was that in Northern Ireland (81% turnout), 71% in favour, 29% against and in the Republic (56% turnout), 94% in favour and 6% against.

Your supposition that the only way for this to happen is for the Nationalist to outnumber the Unionists may very well be the case.  There are still deep divisions in Northern Ireland as recently witnessed in the recent dedication of the memorial to the victims of the Omagh Bombing, some families boycotted this event because the wording on the memorial failed to mention that they were murdered by the IRA (whatever faction does not really matter), not surprising really as the council is run by Sinn Fein.  Had the nasty British done something..................................

Answer 3

Don't worry about it. Let Ireland be.

Answer 4

No, not really. There is now a higher percentage of Catholics than Protestants in N.Ire, but it's never been as simple as that.

Honestly, it'd probably be pretty simple to do, it's just that a lot of the parties are bitter and petty like that. The DUP and Sinn Féin in particular don't really seem to care about the state of N.Ire, just as long as it's British/Irish, according to their view.

SDLP, I think, could be the ones to unite Ireland. It doesn't make an awful lot of difference though - we get the benefits of the NHS, and freedom of the South. It depends on the person if they say they're from the UK or Ireland. =)

Answer 5

It is a very complex problem that also involves religion.  There has been peace for a number of years so there maybe the development of trust.  Trusting each other will be the key to unification.  

Answer 6

Complex question and needs to be decided peacefully and democratically.  there are still loose cannons in NI who would happily return to violence if things didn't go their way - both Nationalist and Unionist.  Thats why the Peace process is important and needs to be respected - no rash decisions should be made if Northern Ireland is to stay peaceful.

Possibly it might happen if the Natioanlists outnumbered the Unionists but then you have to remember that the UVF, UDA etc could just then complain about feeling like a threatened minority and take up arms again.

The best way for it to happen would be a gradual, democratic process whereby power was gradually handed over from Westminster to Dublin, allowing the people of NI to keep control through the NI Assembly.  

You're right that 99% of the British people have never wanted NI to be forced to be part of Britain - that was something done by the British Government, and tbh I think they'd be happy to see the back of it too.

Answer 7

Well one way it can happen, if the Irish people are allowed to get cheap cars from the north and in return the south gives them cheap Oil.

Everyone is a winner.  

Answer 8

I don't think it's even nearly as simple as that.  Remember that the history of the problems in Northern Ireland don't just date back to the Act of Union in 1916, the English sent settlers over there to start trouble as far back as the Norman conquest and more in the 1500s and a lot has certainly happened since.

I think the Unionists would actually have to leave completely for Ireland to be united without all h**l breaking loose.

I'd all be a lot easier if the English had just left well alone in the first place, but that's never been the foreign policy