As opposed to their American Prime Minister?
And of course the former UKIP leader descended from Germans
not forgetting the former leader of the English Defence League who had Irish parents?
Marvellous people the Germans, marvellous.
The one leader in the UK that has a consistently high approval rating is a German.
RTE did a program called "If Lynch had invaded". It was appallingly badly made and just rubbish from start to finish. It was presented by the usually excellent Keelin Shanley (RIP) so if that's the bar from her then I just couldn't face anything presented by Miriam.Also, did anyone see Miriam's show about the border? A bit 'light touch' I thought. For instance the lady in Drum, Co Monaghan (the South's most protestant village....appropriate name....) talking about how awful it was to go around and see empty houses of families gone to England or US or Canada - hello lads, the entirely country is full of derelict houses of families long gone, its called emigration. But it was just left hanging there.... 'were they ran out of the place?' was the implied question - No is the answer but anyway, maybe its better TV to have us all wondering.....
The Boundary Commission report was suppressed and then ignored. It's a great piece of history that makes a lie of the narrative I learned in school about the period.A bit of detail about the few changes the Boundary Commission actually made would have been interesting, or, based on population voting, what the border could/should have been. All that said it was watchable and interesting but could have used a bit more rigour.
Absolutely!Anyway, are we having United Irishmen Day or not?
Can't we have that too?, all I'm getting is slagging over Macnas bowler hats.
Well, if my fellow patriots endured The craic we had the day we died for Ireland, then I shall stoically bear this slagging so that Mother Eireann might be at peace.Can't we have that too?
Young Betsy, I seem to recall that you may suffer from some gender confusion yourself but I have to say that these days the concept of a public holiday devoted to one gender is so, so non PC.Anyway, are we having United Irishmen Day or not?, all I'm getting is slagging over Macnas bowler hats.
Can we have a United Irishmen day in this day and age?. Surely it should be a United Irish pick whatever gender you like day? oh hang on, DUP might have an issue with that?Anyway, are we having United Irishmen Day or not?, all I'm getting is slagging over Macnas bowler hats.
We can only pick Scripture based genders. Save Ulssss-ter from sodomy/non-binary/trans/liberal/atheists/Papists/rationalists.Can we have a United Irishmen day in this day and age?. Surely it should be a United Irish pick whatever gender you like day? oh hang on, DUP might have an issue with that?
I think the problem is Duke that you have gendered Betsy - I shall now have you cancelled.....Young Betsy, I seem to recall that you may suffer from some gender confusion yourself but I have to say that these days the concept of a public holiday devoted to one gender is so, so non PC.
You'll have to change that as well.I
On year 2 we'll call it United Irishmen & Women's Day, our very own "LegenLondonderry" contortion to please all yez cantankerous ___________ (obv I wont be on the PR committee for this thing.......)
Well that's your opinion and everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Though to be honest in my opinion this says more about you than 'the Gaeilgoir thing'Personally I find the whole Gaeilgeoir thing distasteful, regressive and narrowminded.
The Irish language movement embraces anyone and everyone who wishes to be involved.Or the dyslexic or the under educated or those who see Irishness in a modern inclusive way which embraces immigrants and people from other backgrounds and doesn't consider people who can't speak Irish and didn't have family in the GPO as less Irish than themselves.
The problem with anything other than a 50% + 1 is that the question becomes "how much of a unionist veto do we want to build into this yoke?".Michael McDowell has a good piece in the IT today on the subject of a United Ireland.
He shows his political experience and highlights the political naivety of those who call for a 50%+1 vote for a German style unification.
Undoubtedly there is a big effort to make Irish more inclusive but there is an older generation, and a good chunk of a younger generation, who consider Irish speakers more Irish and non Irish speakers. That's what I find distasteful.Well that's your opinion and everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Though to be honest in my opinion this says more about you than 'the Gaeilgoir thing'
The Irish language movement embraces anyone and everyone who wishes to be involved.
Here is Seachtain na Gaeilge ambassador Imelda May's thoughts on the topic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYluS5kLit0
Or here is Foras na Gaeilge board member Wuraola Majekodunmi's short film "What does Irishness look like" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqWKR7eq-CQ
I am sorry if you had a bad experience with Irish at school, but if you are going to comment on it in public, perhaps you should take a fresh look.
I agree. There's no easy answers. We are trying to unpick a sectarian knot and we don't have the sectarian tools anymore to do it.The problem with anything other than a 50% + 1 is that the question becomes "how much of a unionist veto do we want to build into this yoke?".
I agree.So 2 quick points
1) only without a unionist veto will unionists start working with all in NI to sell the idea of the union - if they've a veto why bother (this is mostly aimed at the DUP). If they get NI working so well we never get to 50% +1 then that's fine by me &
The Unionists would consider the establishment of the Free State an artificial construct, just as they would a united Ireland.2) if there was a 50% +1 vote then you have 1 island with probably 75%+ support for a UI, the artificial construct of 1921 is lifted from us.
2) if there was a 50% +1 vote then you have 1 island with probably 75%+ support for a UI, the artificial construct of 1921 is lifted from us.
Wow, one point you disagree with negates anything else he has to say.I think this is the point that debunks anything MMcD has to say.
The unionists would say that the Islands of britain and Ireland were one country and a minority weren't willing to accept the wishes of the majority living on those islands. I disagree with them but if we want unity through some sort of agreement, grudgingly or otherwise, an appreciation of the perspective of the other side would conducive to that end. I find the conciliatory rhetoric of the Shinners is only a veneer and when you scratch the surface their true absolutist and intolerant triumphalism is there to be seen.NI is the original backstop, or protocol. A backstop for a minority people not willing to accept the wishes of the majority living on the island.
Meanwhile in the real world the devil is in the details. This does have the makings of an O'Casey play though.The acceptance of two legal jurisdictions on the island through the Irish constitution was in no small part achieved by the acceptance of a simple majority that expressed otherwise would be accepted, respected and implemented by both governments and all signatories of the GFA. Notably DUP still have not signed up to that.
Wow, one point you disagree with negates anything else he has to say.
I find the conciliatory rhetoric of the Shinners is only a veneer
In fairness to Wolfie, that particular devil got detailed in the GFA, simple majority poll. Calls for reinterpretation of that are naive, it was an absolute cornerstone of the GFA and rightly so - the principle of consent. The bit that was "constructive ambiguity" was the NI SoS having the right (absolute it seems) to call or not call for a border poll. I'm not so worried about that, on the basis that I don't believe the UK really wants NI any longer (did it ever?), and that this will be a slam dunk no brainer if/when Scotland extracates itself from the artist formely know as the union. I can well imagine an English nationalist WM (even more than now) wondering why on earth they are writing cheques for NI. So if you get a years worth of polls saying (say) 56% for UI then I don't see a NI SoS holding out. That said it'll probably have to be a Labour NI SoS #nevertrustaToryMeanwhile in the real world the devil is in the details. This does have the makings of an O'Casey play though.
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