Is Ireland Heading for Reunification?
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- čas přidán 16. 05. 2024
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As Sinn Féin’s Michelle O’Neill became First Minister of Northern Ireland in February, she said she anticipated a referendum on Irish unity within the next ten years. But is something like this even possible and what do the polls say?
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1 - world101.cfr.org/understandin...
2 - www.nam.ac.uk/explore/trouble...
3 - cain.ulster.ac.uk/sutton/tabl...
4 - www.dfa.ie/media/dfa/alldfawe...
5 - www.instituteforgovernment.or...
6 - www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/...
7 - www.instituteforgovernment.or...
8 - www.reuters.com/world/uk/nort...
9 - www.reuters.com/world/uk/nort...
10 - www.gov.ie/en/press-release/2...
11 - onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/p...
12 - www.irishtimes.com/politics/2...
13 - www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/ne...
00:00 - Introduction
01:04 - Background and Context
03:20 - Referendum Process
04:35 - What Does the Data Say?
08:21 - Sponsored Content
Thanks to the DUP for doing more for Irish unity than 100 years of armed insurgency
They don't like liking the boot of EU!!
They prefer the taste of Charles'.
@@wotermelon_oh no! I have to print one of the best currencies ever and have strong diplomatic relations with my neighbors! The tyranny!
@@wotermelon_ Lick=Licking. der.
There homophobia doesn't help them either. @@wotermelon_
@@wotermelon_do people outside if the uk really think royal family run the country? Is that the perception like how people think irish are aggressive drunks or americans are all fat?
One question, if Northern Ireland unifies with the Republic of Ireland, does that mean Northern Ireland is automatically in the EU?
Yes, it will become part of Ireland as just another 6 counties
Yes. Assuming they join Ireland. Happened with Germany as well.
yes. Although technically, Northern Ireland already enjoys all the benefits of being in the EU thanks to Sunak's Windsor deal
It doesn't matter much either way for NI, considering the Windsor framework and that pretty much everyone born in the North to British/Irish parents can get an Irish passport
@@bretonneux3389 NI only remains in the Single Market for goods, not Services, and NI is not in the Customs Union. It also lost its EU funding by UK not being in the EU.
Irishman here, I just wanted to say I came to this video expecting a slightly biased British perspective on this matter and I'm Pleasantly surprised that this wasn't the case. Very well researched and balanced. Well done TLDR
Be as biased as you want the pro-British side is led by a "historic sex offender"
I want to share this sentiment - this was surprisingly well done from a British presenter
As an Irish fella who gets very annoyed at inaccuracies, mistakes, and oversimplifications in relation to NI and reunification - I have to say, you did a great job here imo.
Very objective and fact driven. No glossing over atrocities and no sugar coating.
Great content, cheers.
Activities like IRA assassinations and bombings you mean? Like not accepting that Northern Ireland didn’t want to be part of the Republic and trying to force it on them?
Except Ireland isn’t un-unified… we’re waiting for the north 6 counties to be freed from Britain.
There’s a difference.
@@phylk4683 ?
@@phylk4683Define "free". The people of Northern Ireland don't live in slavery
@@oliversherman2414in the sense that Ireland was always meant to be free of British rule and to this day we still hope for that day to come.
For example the Israelis think killing Palestinians is the way to claim back their land while any actions against them is terrorism while Ireland have come to the conclusion that if Ireland is to become one again it must be through the northern Irish wanting it themselves. It’s very enlightened of us I must say.
An epsiode of Star Trek the BBC were so scared of they banned the whole episode from being aired at the time of release.
Because in Star Trek it is explicitly said it was reunified by terrorism?
@@tombee9785 Boo Hoo, you can't opress people without them getting mad. I feel so sorry for poor little Britain.
@@wta1518LARRRRRPPPP
@@wta1518larping
@@wta1518LARPPPP
Anyone who says Brexit didn’t help anyone never spoke to Sinn Fein 🇮🇪 😂
Absolutely bang on! 😂😂
I am wondering how radical unionists would handle an Irish reunification
Maybe the weak Irish state doesn't mind Brussels telling them how to run their country, but the UK chose sovreignty
@@t.c.4321😂😂😂
@@t.c.4321And how's that going for us
Thank you for pointing out that the troubles began as a civil rights issue for Catholics and not a fight for reunification. This is a fact that even the Irish get wrong.
Only 4 of the counties in N. Ireland had loyalist majorities. The 2 that didn't were added because the British thought N. Ireland would be otherwise too small.
@rob
"Only 4 of the counties in N. Ireland had loyalist majorities"?
Now it's down to two, Down and Antrim.
While Belfast is now a Catholic/Nationalist/Republican(CNR) majority city....
Didn't they all have loyalist majorities and the UK gave back the counties with the majority catholic populations ie Donegal, Cavan and Monaghan
@@oneroomboyno, rob is correct
@@oneroomboy yes, they gave back those counties but two others should have also been given back but weren't. The new autonomous Northern Ireland was formed from six of the nine counties of Ulster: four counties with unionist majorities - Antrim, Armagh, Down, and Derry/Londonderry - and two counties with slight Irish nationalist majorities - Fermanagh and Tyrone.
@@oneroomboy Fermanagh and Tyrone also had Catholic majorities. Nationalists in these counties couldn't believe they were thrown in to make Northern Ireland viable.
Ali G: _Is you Irish?_
Sammy Wilson: No I'm British!
Ali G: _So is you here on holiday?_
That episode was hilarious 😂
😂😂gold
@@Irishman0855 Gonna be gold when all the Ali's run Ireland and the UK . You will laugh and laugh .
THIS WAS ABSOLUTE COMEDY GOLD!?!
@@parabot2 who put a euro in you?
It certainly would make Brexit related customs deals a lot easier
But Northern Ireland trades multiples more with the rest of the UK than it does with EU. So this trade woukd become.... a lot harder?
@@danielwebb8402 Doesn't understand trade or customs.
Perfect target audience for Brexit.
@@danielwebb8402 At this present time Northern Ireland trades more with the occupiers but in the near future, when they Re-Unify, ( the "Re" being the important word), greater freedoms, prosperity and easier trade will usher in a better future for the Irish people.
@@danielwebb8402Since Brexit, NI is increasingly trading more with the republic than Great Britain (UK), whether this would continue depends on if the UK wishes to align itself more with Ireland and the EU. Plus what products can a 60 million country have that a 450 million trade block can’t? A lot of NI trade is based on politics, businesses operating UK-wide, but once that changes they’ll adapt quickly.
@webb8402and we can thank ppl like you for brexit, worked out great didn't it
I hope it does and I hope it’s all done peacefully. Ireland deserves peace and prosperity from all the struggle they have gone through.
They do have peace and prosperity, pushing for something that basically only politicians want is going to end that peace. I'll guess you don't live here and just took some guys video as basis for your comment.
The Irish need to take revenge against the loyalists after the brits leave.
It's the people who decide the people vote for the man date the politicians lay out in their manifesto
I would love to see a united Ireland within my lifetime.
Not with this woke Sin Fein garbage party. This wouldn't be a united Ireland, it would be a Little Europe slave. Last thing Sin Fein said is they disagree with the will of the people and are gonna rerun the referendum we just had. Traitors.
As an Englishman, so do I.
Not if Ireland stays in the EU
NEVER
@@eliasbairamis6069TRAITOR
0:24 Fun fact, because of that line, this particular TNG episode was banned in the UK at the time. This was before the Good Friday Agreement, of course.
because, fun fact: england has never been a democracy. what a farce
They also banned/cut an episode of the simpsons that not many people know about. In it a british place with british flags blows up and Homer celebrates with Irish people in a drunken haze, its during a St patricks day part.
It's also cos of the 'terrorism works' angle to the discussion.
@@spankeyfishOne side's terrorists are another side's freedom fighters.
@@Kalenz1234 So then tell me how that altitude turned out for all of us with the 1980s Taliban?
That was one of the best quick explanations of Northern Ireland's history I have seen on a CZcams video.
Clover hat
Totally left out the IRA and the terrorism and all that….
@@Agtsmirnoffthey mentioned it? Lmao.
but its wrong at a vital point ...the IRA was formed when 13 unarmed civilians were shot dead by Brit Army .They were marching for human rights and equaly opportunity in their own country.
@@Rofflestomper timestamp?
If I were a younger person in NI, the prospect of being part of a progressive, non-sectarian Ireland that allows abortion, divorce, and gay marriage, and is a part of Europe would have a lot to recommended. Right now, people in NI, Scotland, and Wales are trapped in an isolationist UK that seems to want to re-live the glory days of a century ago.
The problem is the EU and the massive immigration into Southern Ireland. Even the the south is now rejecting it.
The most accurate description of the situation in Northern Ireland I have ever seen 👍
I saw young people in NI claim their Irish EU passport after Brexit. One girl said her grandfather had fought on the side of the Union during the troubles but she had grown up under the GFA so didn’t have the same views. I wonder how many people in NI also now have an Irish EU passport and see themselves as Irish? If the people don’t view themselves as British then that will end the Union
Nope
Some Irish people see themselves as Irish but wants too keep their monarch
I know quite a few that got the Irish passport at the time of Brexit to have more unrestricted travel freedoms. I imagine a diehard loyalist would never do so.
And of course that is just done out of convenience. It doesn't mean they'd vote in a referéndum to join the republic@@Cussie3
Born in England here and moved to N ireland. I want unification. This is how most immigrant English feel now because they didn't grow up in the troubles. Most people agree tho that economically it would be bad, however with the uk economy going up in smoke that attitude is changing
@@JamesHardaker I don't think Irish unification would be bad, it would take some working out of course.
Brexit has certainly sped up the cause of Irish unification, thanks Unionists 👏🇮🇪
Look at the polls and it tells a much different story lol
@@spoonkus5893 Yes it tells us that if the youth hadn't underestimated the boomers' determination destroy our economy before dying, we would have been a part of the better Union.
Yes, let's bring back Ireland into the UK.
@@user-ds8rj2vc4v Why do you hate the Irish so much? Why are you so hell bent on making them suffer? Why do want them to join a country worse than them in every single aspect of being? I genuinely want to know.
@@user-ds8rj2vc4v invading a sovereign country? Like Russia you mean?
Good job. Nicely put and balanced.
Been divided for too long
I would recommend putting the "earlier" columns on the left and the "later" column to the right in your comparisons of Census and polling results. Butting 2021 first then 2011 second looks wonky in a left-to-right language like English.
Not really. It doesn’t take more than a second to check the wording underneath the bars.
But what if you're driving on the left side of the road?
Linguistically this comment is right. If it were an Arabic graph, perhaps it would be appropriate, but in this order the graphs are simply more confusing
As a Data Analyst I agree 💯
@@wilhelmbittrich88
Even in Asia they put it left to right when its a date that goes from old to new, are you that daft?
Really appreciate you referring to it as REunification
Why do you think by default Northern Ireland would join republic of Ireland and not be independent?
@@firstname4865cause it would crash and burn otherwise idiot?.
@@firstname4865 they have nothing to gain and much to lose from being an independent country
@@burp2019 Ireland has one of the highest gross debts in the world
@@firstname4865Ireland has one of the highest gdp per capita rates in the world. Also Ireland isn’t one of the countries with the most national debt, uk has more.
I hope so - and I say that as an English person.
Giving you a 👍 for including the clip from TNG. That's the first thing I thought of when I came across this video.
I hope they can make a decision based on the clear preference of the majority and peacefully pursue that decision.
Whatever that means
@@MiloAnglin05not hard mate just best to avoid another 30 years of conflict
@@danielb.3515why would that happen ?
@@MiloAnglin05 England
We tried that in Scotland in 2014 but the British government, civil service and MI5 all worked illegally to make sure it wasn’t a fair or legal ballot.
Also helps when all media is London owned and controlled from there. England loves its colonies!
Fermanagh and Tyrone had clear Catholic majorities at the time of partition. Armagh and Derry were almost 50/50. Down and Antrim had clear protestant majorities. Today, Antrim and Down are still majority protestant and still mostly unionist (with the exception of Belfast).
People forget a how many Catholics want to stay in the Union.
@@catfootball592 How many? Tell us where you've attained that information.
Yes yes, my young Fenian friend. But you seem oblivious the quality of the grouse shooting in Fermanagh and Tyrone, what what!
@@thomasoflaherty3520 Catholics I work with and know said they wouldn't vote because it was alot cheaper and less hassle they said with the amount of paper work that would be required would kill most of their small businesses
In a poll conducted in 2022 and published by the times newspaper, 21% of catholics in Northern Ireland said they would vote to stay in the union, 55% would vote for reunification, 3% were undecided and 21% replied don't know.
What truly Needs to be in the Heads and Hearts of the Irish..is simply this in a Republic minority rights ARE protected.. in a Democracy you vote daily if they are under protection.. Example ,you have one sheep and two Wolves. And they get to vote what's for dinner. But in a Republic minority rights are protected. I'm of Irish Decent and Love Ireland..
As I commented in another place I believe that if the UK and USA provided serious funding for say 10years after unification, I believe the Unionists could be brought to the table to negotiate a new Ireland which protected their interests.
What is most important if there is to be a united ireland, us that you need to tear up "them joining us & us joing them" and the whole politucal structure hasbto be changed to a United Ireland not "north joining republic". This state must ensure that it is inclusive of all residents, including protestants.
5% of the Republics population is Protestant, have you ever heard any of them complaining about exclusion? The sectarian divide isn't a thing in the rest of Ireland.
@@yermanoffthetelly for sure, but sinn fein need to make this point to the undecided voters clearly as they will be those that get this over the line
@@yermanoffthetellyit will still be a bit of a shock for the ROI. Unification might mean a violent lurch to the right… that’s the simple truth
There are 7 million people on the island of Ireland, 6 million identify as Irish that's 85% of the people on the island and that figure is increasing annually....Ireland is heading towards unification and there is little anyone Unionist or otherwise can do about it.
No! Irish people are for the most part politically moderate, there are a few head bangers around but they are confined to the fringes and their dangerous narrative only available on social media. In a United Ireland those British Unionists will be respected and involved but after a generation or two it is likely that they will be absorbed in the general Irish population.@@lighting7508
It's interesting that after the war counties Tyrone and fermanagh want to join the Republic but Britain kept them as they feared the block would be too small to become viable
Unionist greed a century ago led to their shooting their descendants in the foot. The historic province of Ulster had nine counties, four of which had a Protestant majority. Putting six counties into Northern Ireland meant there was a substantial Catholic minority. Fermanagh and Tyrone had mainly Protestant landowners and mainly Catholic labourers. A bit like the old East Prussia with its Protestant Junkers?
They minimised the effect of the Catholic numbers by gerrymandering. NI had extra votes for owning another house and for owning a business for decades after those privileges were abolished in Great Britain. Those rules have gone now in NI too. The rich in NI were mostly Protestant so they had most of the extra votes.
@@faithlesshound5621 The majority or the poor where also protestant.
@@robert6106 I would be surprised if the majority of the poor in a Catholic-majority county of Northern Ireland were Protestant, considering that the main reason for holding onto it was their Protestant landowners.
Hope so. Wish we in Scotland could join them too!
They really need to angle the discussion on economics. Being part of the EU and the Schengen Zone is crucial for any nation in Europe. While a case can be made for Britain to go it’s own way as a major power, tiny Northern Ireland would only benefit from continued integration with the EU.
With secularism sweeping the whole of Ireland, religion is not the focal point anymore. To make a convincing case Dublin needs to make the conversation about economics and must highlight the British recession and hardships due to Brexit.
The U.K. parliament has lots of Scottish nationalists in it, the local parliament in Northern Ireland are now run by an Irish party and England doesn’t even have a national parliament. I mean, can it get anymore ridiculous.
Sinn Féin are the largest party but they definitely aren’t ‘running the local parliament’. The NI Executive (which is what I’m guessing you meant) is formed through mandatory coalition, so currently it’s run by Sinn Féin, the DUP, Alliance, and the UUP.
England has no national parliament because the Tories are dead set against devolution of any sort. They refused to allow regional assemblies: the nearest we have is regional mayors based in a few of the largest cities. That's because they want decision making to stay in London, where the money is. If there was an English Assembly in the middle of the country it would be in Coventry.
The Parliament that sits in London is England's national Parliament. Always has been and always will be.
@@warrenpaineit’s fundamentally such a flawed system and I say that as a guy from London/Essex 😂
@@faithlesshound5621And now they've changed how regional mayors are elected to a FPTP system so that they can win without majority support. 🤮
Well done guys, you handled what is a sensitive topic very well.
Great to see a well informed and objective piece of journalism which for a British media outlet is refreshing and new. Pity about some of the comments tho...
We'll take it back, watch.
Time tje REPUBLIC of Ireland left the European Union
You are still occupied and unfree😂😂😂😂😂😂
We'll take it back,come and try
Great report as usual guys, keep up the good work.
According to STar Trek this is the year of the Bell Incidents and the Irish Reunification
It may indeed be an ugly year for America
Self-fulfilling prophecy’s gonna self-fulfil
@@purgruv yes, lest The Time Wars begin again
Unless the Borg invade and assimilate everyone into the collective. "It's Life Jim but not as we know it".
A very good overview of the history involved...
Tyrone and Fermanagh had Catholic majorities from the start in 1920. Now Armagh and Derry also have Catholic majorities. So 4 out of the 6 counties of NI have a Catholic majority, 7/9 Ulster counties and 30/32 counties on the island of Ireland have Catholic/Nationalist majorities.
If that's what the people living there want 🤷 so be it, it should be their choice
It isn't. Look at the polling.
@@malehumanperson7901it is. Look at the polling.
@@malehumanperson7901 colonialist bot, proceed to ignore
Don't get mad at me. Get mad at the polling data.@@MajoraWaffle
@@MajoraWaffle Just because of what he said doesn't make him a colonialist bot, just a british person, what's wrong with that?
If there’s gonna be a referendum this year then let’s go!
This video was OK as far as it went...but it didn't go far enough. What I'd like to know more about are the underlying economic, social and cultural drivers of the changes discussed.
The video is simplified. The channel is literally about simplifying news, its in the name.
Maybe The Economist or a recent book might have that kind of information. Or a think tank type website.
The Star Trek fans are gonna love this.
I would suggest the vast majority of English people could not give a toss one way or the other
Indeed, most little Englanders don't care for or know much of anything outside England.
@@stevoc9930kek absolutely this
Many English people do not know that Ireland (the Republic) is actually politically separate from the UK....I know an English guy who could not understand why Ireland had not got a day off for the late Queens funeral!.
@@fitzstv8506😂😂😂😂😂
In a twist of Irony Northern Ireland now has a more Celtic population than Ireland kek. Dublinistan is Germanic (Scandinavian) and it shows, that's why it's a parody of londonistan. Anywhere vikings touch town and influenced are turning into the middle east
gotta love that the video threw in that "banned" phrase from Star Trek: The Next Generation
A key consideration is demographics. A majority of those under 45's want unity while over 70% of OAPs identify as unionists. Unionists are dying (due to old age) at a far higher rate than nationalists. They are replaced as voters by those turning 18 - who tend to support reunification.
In 20 years, support for reunification would be overwhelming (everything else being equal), however, the point at which a majority would support reunification (in principle) is likely to be reached during the coming decade.
It's worth noting that while the signing of the Anglo Irish Treaty in 1921 created the Irish Free-State, the Government of Ireland Act 1920 had already split Ireland into two separate territories.
Indeed. But the 1921 Anglo Irish Treaty was for the whole island, North and South of the border. However, NI opted out, as it was entitled to do under the treaty.
I think, had the Government of Ireland Act 1920 been passed in 1912 all of Ireland would still be in the UK. But the Loyalists were too stubborn about home rule, which pushed the rest of the island towards independence.
@@konstantinosnikolakakis8125 You're probably quite correct.
It would perhaps have remained in the UK for perhaps a few decades more but ultimately Ireland would have gone it's own way.@@konstantinosnikolakakis8125
@@konstantinosnikolakakis8125 "the Loyalists were too stubborn about home rule"
And who'd have thought over 110 years later and THAT would still be the main f'ing problem!
I don't think it will happen for a long time, if ever. NI joining the Republic is so complicated. Does NI stay devolved but in the Republic? What do you do about all the angry unionists that may be a minority but still a minority that refuse to be Irish? Even getting to a referendum would require probably many years of 60% plus saying in opinion polls they want to join the Republic. And the centrist, not strongly republican or loyalist, type of person has reason to fear the turmoil of leaving the UK and joining the RoI which makes them er toward staying in the UK.
50%+1, that's what the treaty says. Turmoil? It's been nothing but turmoil for 100 years because it was designed as a apartheid sectarian statelet. They'll actually have stability for a change when it's run like a normal country again.
Deport them to Belfast.
Absolutely agree and for some reason people are overlooking that very very key point... Theres a lot of people living in the north that dont want to be part of the Republic..Doesnt matter why...Thats irrelivant !!! What are you going to do.. Tell them your no longer a british citizen ? Or better yet ask them to leave and move to England ?? !!! Dont think so...
False. The GFA is very clear on the threshold, which is a majority. So 50+1. It’s Happening, it’s happening soon, and anyone who thinks otherwise has their head in the sand. In from a unionist background but my wife’s from south as are most of our friends. I don’t fear it, plus f*ck it, means my £40k student loan won’t be paid. By me at least.
Edit: Petrokemikal. The situation you described as being unlikely already happened when the North was partitioned. Catholics were told if you don’t like it move South.
The situation you describe between catholics been told to leave is somthing akin to walking around a building site in the 70s with no hard hat and no boots.. That wont work in todays culture..Those days are gone Mate..@@JayM-wg7dd
Hopefully they will get their independence once and for all, they are overdue on independence, stand for freedom and independence 😊
Missed out on the very important point that when you take the over 65 voters out of the polling data there is overwhelming support for a UI. The 18-30 vote is overwhelmingly in favour of a UI. This suggest a trend as older voters pass away and younger people become eligible to vote then in 5-10 years there will be a significant swing and growing momentum for a UI
Until they need to go to the hospital and realise they'd have to pay for it themselves
Until they own their own home and don't want to pay ROI taxes
ROI doesn't have any kind of home taxes
@@user-oh8qm1gk9z this isn’t true. Hospital care is free. There is a charge to visit a gp which is subsidised for those who cannot afford it. Free education, no rates (which are going up in Ni), basically all social and economic outcomes are better for a kid in Louth as opposed to a kid in Armagh, unfortunately
@jimmyryan5880 everything has sky high taxes in ROI
One last point, SF didn’t increase their vote numbers by any significant margin to claim top spot. The DUP voters stayed home in protest of their handling of the Brexit negotiations. They were down over 60,000 votes; more than enough to leapfrog SF. The issue is that their base is pro-Brexit, but the party funders are pro-EU, leading the party to be very quiet during negotiations.
Most DUP voters I know "hold their nose" while voting, just as long as the party "do, as best they can, to protect [their] place in the Union."
778 when will the DUP and all the other unionist parties realise that the English could not care less about them
@miakeogh6844 could you be more specific, please? What do you mean by the "English"? What do you mean by "could not care less"? I lived in England for 6 years in various places, both North and South, and never met anyone that wished to see Northern Ireland removed from the Union against its will. In fact, whenever the subject came up, a lot of the English were very passionate about making sure we had the right to stay.
Thirdly, what does this have to do with my point?
British have been looking to dump it for years, it's been a headache ever since it's beginning, the southerners would be crazy to take on that place
If that were true, we wouldn’t have had to fight hard to get that piece of paper that said "one day maybe"
@@gabealtf As an American, I can kind of understand what the opening comment was saying with regard to a region being a headache in a way that counters the whole fighting over it issue. We in the United States have been trying to give Puerto Rico independence for years (it currently sits in a become state, become independent or status quo). If Puerto Rico had an armed revolt for independence, we'd fight those people over that. However, if they voted to leave us we'd probably have a sigh of relief. The UK seems to want to dump NI in the way we want to dump PR. For you, NI is part of the UK despite the UK giving them plenty of referendums to leave. For us, PR keeps wanting to join as an official state even though we give them every chance for an out. So yeah, I can understand what they mean.
Trust Data, Not Lore
You win the Internet. With extra credit for a clean double entendre'.
Nah, Data can be skewed and manipulated.
I pray there will be a united Ireland. It would be a great thing.
They should have put the Star Trek clip of what Data said in the section titled, "What Does the Data Say?"
Just FYI, That's not where Dublin is. Also, the Republic government is required to provide funding and work cross border. So the A5 money isn't us trying to bring a poll closer.
The Republic doesn't fund NI Britain funds it.
Casement park
Thank you for excellent information on changing identifications in Northern Ireland.
I wish there was a local Irish or northern Irish-based CZcams channel that made similar, high quality, explainer videos about local politics.
It's great to see Ireland as a normal country where tollerance and cooperation took root as a matter course. Best of luck!
In reality, Ireland is falling apart due to mass immigration. The people have had enough. Are you not paying attention to what is going on all around you ?
I really, really hope so. I'm English, a former British soldier, but one who wised up and refused to soldier when I came home from Afghanistan - I would never fight on behalf of rich old capitalists ever again.
Anyway, I digress, my first deployment as a young soldier was a NIBAT tour...we did Dungannon, Augnocloy, South Armagh, Besbrook Mill and Crosmaglen, finishing in Portadown as reserve company. When I eventually refused to soldier and do my duty, I was a Sergeant and had not long came home from a deployment of Afghanistan but my scepticism of service began in 2003 in Iraq. Fast forward to now and I believe Ireland should be united. How can any nation lay claim over the home of others? Isn't that what Israel is doing to innocent Palestinian men, women and children? What we are doing in Ireland is absolutely no different. Our government, historically, has used working class English men to oppress our fellow man/woman in Ireland, how can that possibly be right? I can't take my service back, but I can stand up for what's right now, and try and make amends as best I can.
I truly hope Ireland gets their independence back and are unified. It's the only, humanist and fair outcome. The situation of a separate north should never have happened in the first place; it's built on ideas whose time should never have come.
I have more in common with a bricklayer in Dublin, or a factory worker in Belfast than I EVER will with the rich, landed gentry in the city of London who hate us all.
Well said. Born in Britain, I served in uMkhonto we Sizwe the people's army which helped liberated South Africa. I love Britain but can NEVER support British imperialism. I view the British ruling class as my hereditary enemies. So happy with the victory of George Galloway.
Unification and independence are different things , Southern Ireland (Eire) has its independence. The UK doesn’t have any power over it the EU on the other hand…
Thank you brother💚
@@ianbeddowes5362 Brilliant words, and neither should you, or any humanist, support British imperialism, or US imperialism happening right now or any other kind. People should be united in humanity, not at each others throats because some snob wants it that way.
Likewise, a win for Galloway, whilst brilliant in and of itself, was a real punch in the face for those ruthless individuals in Westminster currently. I hope it's the first of many victories for normal people everywhere.
Much respect and peace to you my friend.
@@Irishman0855 Anytime my Irish brother, and thank you for taking the time to reply.
According to my dad who was in the Burntollet march, the first protest they had:
In the north, Catholic (mainly identity as Irish) used have almost no voice politically. Since the right to vote was per house/establishments you had, and there were mainly owned by Protestant (mainly identity as English) people where there were given lands by England.
I enjoyed your videos about important International studies
Good video. Just one nitpick: all violent struggles are also political, because they involve humans having grievances against other humans.
UVF was formed in 1966, before the IRA resumed its activities
And the Troubles ended in 1998. Let the dead lie.
Not the point. The average Brit thinks it just happened in a vaccum.
The IRA killed people in the 1950s and early 60s
Was it not 1913?
That would be amazing
I am impressed with your balanced, informed understanding of this topic. Very rare for 'outsiders' to do that. Well done! It was well presented, balanced and accurate. If only the larger media outlets could learn from you!
As an American with Irish and British ancestry (meaning I don't really have a dog in the fight) I can only say that a unified Ireland would be good for Ireland in the long term if not a little painful in the short. Also, perhaps, a stronger, unified and friendly neighbor would benefit the UK as well.
Sorry totally naive. ‘ A little painful’ would be armed insurrection. Truth is neither London or Dublin wants the North. All it does is drain taxpayer money and generate conflict. We do not have a United Ireland because Lord Carson had a 100,000 militia to oppose it. That was 100 years ago but things have not changed that much. The sectarianism is horrible.
Your last sentence is the big question, would it be stronger, unified and friendly?
Instant like for the TNG reference. (It was originally banned from BBC 2 broadcast, before the peace process)
It wasn't. Or, if it was, someone didn't get the memo. I watched it in 1987 in England I recall it distinctly because I thought it probably a good idea at the time.
It's a thin line you've just walked- well done.
Worth a note that Methodists in the Southeast of Ireland mostly had no problem with joining the Free State; and that the original Republican movement in Ireland was begun by middle class Presbyterians during the French Revolution while the Roman Catholic church was discouraging revolution. This has been about identity not religion.
The Presbyterians also saved the Gaelic language in Ulster. They continued to speak it despite being punished by the British govt for doing so.
The Presbyterians were the original Revokutionaries in Ireland - the United Irishmen. A fact conveniently ignored by many.
@@susanbarnard1410Not all of the United Irishmen were Presbyterians; Wolfe Tone was an Anglican while many of the Catholic Committee were also members.
@@susanbarnard1410did catholics in ulster not also continue to speak Irish?
@@susanbarnard1410Proddie revolutionary? This sounds made up
Hopefully Ireland and Northern Ireland will someday unite but I don't think much of the idea that a political entity should drastically change its status because on a particular day 51% of the people who turned out and voted said that they wanted drastic change.
When change is going to be complicated, expensive, wrenching and very difficult to reverse one should have a solid majority voting for that change - 60% or at least 55% -
not 51% or 50% plus one vote meaning that if another vote was held a few days later the results might very well be reversed.
Brexit was an example in which it was absurd to go ahead with it and turn everything upside down and cause chaos based on a tiny majority yes vote which was so close that by the time Brexit was implemented enough yes voters had died off that they had become a minority.
Another example is the Quebec independence referendum of the 1990s in which by a couple of percentage points Quebec residents voted against independence or
sovereignty association or the right of the Quebec government to try to
negotiate sovereignty association with Canada (whatever that means).
If the Quebec vote had changed by a couple of percentage points then
based on a tiny percentage majority Quebec might have separated,
a result that might have been reversed if another vote had been
held the week before or the week after.
One thing that concerned people who wanted Quebec to stay in Canada
was that the 1990s referendum was the second Quebec referendum on independence
and they wondered if pro-separation Quebec politicians would just
keep holding referendums until they got the result they wanted
and then they would ignore all the referendums in which they lost
and demand the right for Quebec to separate.
What if over time there are three straight referendums in which the
voters of Northern Ireland reject joining Ireland
and then in a 4th referendum 51% of the voters of Northern Ireland
vote to join Ireland.
Is that enough of a mandate to make such a major change?
Ireland northern will be loyal ylto uk because of Protestant haritage Magna Carta glorious revolution
I was visiting as a tourist in Dublin, Galway and Belfast recently and seems everything was almost 50% cheaper in Belfast. I wonder what will happen should there be reunification.
This is not a good thing. It means that the average income in Ireland is far greater than in NI. Possibly double the income
Ireland GDP is 4x NI GDP. But the real earnings for people in Ireland should be much closer to other EU countries and the UK. This is evident by the living standards, which are not much higher than the UK or France. Thus the median salary in Ireland is 45k€ and the average 42k€. In NI the numbers are 42k median and 39k€ average.
Not that much different, but Ireland would definitely face challenges when it comes to taxation of multinational corporations when supporting Northern Ireland. It would not be easy and compared to the status quo there would be little economical benefits for either side.
Dublin's always been touristy and expensive. I doubt that would be where you would see change happening. Look for change in other areas.
@@AndreVictorGoncalvesincome is pretty similar, with north a good amount cheaper.
@@rkan2
"reland GDP is 4x NI GDP."?
More like TEN times, actually.
About one sixth the size of the UK's, with a population about 1/13th of the UK's
"...but Ireland would definitely face challenges when it comes to taxation of multinational corporations when supporting Northern Ireland"?
No, Ireland would definitely NOT "...face challenges when it comes to taxation of multinational corporations when supporting Northern Ireland"
Corporation Taxation is simply NOT an issue when it comes to re-unification.
The Irish state, in 2022, had an overall income from taxes, rents, dividends from semi-state companies, and other things, of more than €83 BILLION.
And why do you assume that we will continue "....supporting Northern Ireland"?
There would be a need for a cash injection to bring the economy of Northern Ireland(NI) up to Irish productivity levels.
There will NO need for "....supporting Northern Ireland" once its economy has been brought up to scratch. All available research indicates that the all-island country would be looking at a 'Unification Dividend' of €30-35BILLION after ten or 15 years.
"...there would be little economical benefits for either side"?
Automatically regaining full EU membership status would be a MASSIVE "...economical benefits..." for NI.
Just a production critique: your bar graphs aren't intuitive. You're talking about increases, but the dates read from right to left. I think having 2011 on thr left and 2021 on the right makes more sense when you're talking about increases or decreases over time.
England thought Brexit would lead to a resurgence of nationalism and a return of the empire. In reality it tore the nation to pieces.
We might get a unified Ireland before we get GTA6
I got the chance to visit Northern Ireland (and also the Republic of Ireland, England, Wales, and Scotland) about 15 years ago, and the sense I got from people was that the status quo was fine, much better than the violence of the Troubles, and while some people wanted reunification and some wanted to stay part of the UK, the sentiment was very much that making that decision should be a peaceful and democratic choice.
Brexit threw a wrench into things, because when the UK was in the EU, travelling between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland was quite easy, they were different nations, but they were part of the same union and as a result, the different administrations wasn't honestly a huge deal. There was a lot of concern that brexit would cause a lot of problems at the RI/NI border, and it seems they've managed to handle that situation reasonably well so far, while there may be problems there, none of them have been so severe that the news made it to an outsider like myself. My read on the situation is that Northern Ireland would be better off with reunification and being part of the EU than continuing with the UK post brexit, but the difference isn't so huge as to be worth creating or escalating tensions.
I think as long as the UK honors its commitment to letting the people of Northern Ireland decide, Ireland will eventually reunify, which will be a good thing. In the meantime, Northern Ireland appears to be doing ok as part of the UK, they are not facing the oppression of times passed, so until a majority wants to reunify, things as they are are fine enough.
Your analysis is better and more honest than the analysis of some from either Northern Ireland or the Republic.
WHEN THEY DO---IT WILL RE-TRIGGER THE INDEPENDANCE DRIVE, FOR THE SAME FOR SCOTLAND AND WALES.
I'm going to be alive when Ireland unifies, what a day to be alive!!!
I want Northumbria to be its own country like it once was
Yes, but then you'd have to take Yorkshire (Cumbria, Lancashire and Lincolnshire) with you. Are you ready for that? 😅
Greetings from Mercia.
If we did this now we’d probably be one of the poorest nations with some of the worst infrastructure in all of Europe.
ATP I’m convinced half the reason thatcher and the Tory’s don’t develop the north is because it means they can continue to fuck us over knowing that we can’t do anything about it.
Kernow/Cornwall. Englands first and last colony! Language and culture destroyed in the process.@@johnm2714
I lived in Geordieland for a few years so all power to your elbow. I come from the land of the Angles but we don’t want to be part of anything that includes Norfolk
Why not? Like the rest of the UK it’s been shafted by Westminster in favour of the south of England.
What doesn't get a mention is the growing animosity toward the UK by the English themselves. England isn't united; there's a clear north/south divide that has been an issue for many generations.
South east*
@@Carl-hs420athe dirty secret is the south has been shafted by Westminster too! Only the rich southerners are thriving most of us normal people can’t afford to do anything in the south. Tell your average homeless southerner about the “north-south divide”.
Mind you it definitely exists, I’m just saying that as a people we should unite on class rather than region.
I get the impression this question is often talked about from the perspective of NI, or by British media. Not as often from the perspective of people living in the Republic of Ireland. It takes two to tango.
No, it goes on in both places.
As someone who obviously doesn't have a horse in this race, BUT who has visited Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Britain, I can honestly say that in my opinion, NI would most likely benefit a great more by joining ROI. The UK had suffered a MASSIVE blow to its economy and society similar to what happened in the USA back in the 1980s when Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher forced the insane and barbaric Trickledown "economics" on both countries. Ireland has been doing much better since then and should continue on that path. NI should jump from the sinking HMS UK and join Ireland 🇮🇪
You get bonus points for the Star Trek reference
The demographics of Northern Ireland make it inevitable particularly as the people of Northern Ireland come to see the advantages of being in the EU
Thinking Irish Unity is "inevitable" is the most dangerous attitude that an Irish Nationalist can take. Irish Unity is not going to just drop in your lap.
@@warrenpaineOr in your head?
This is a great opportunity to bring back The Troubles.
A great opportunity to have a successful Ireland where sectarian bigotry is consigned to history.
Funded by soviet arms.
because everyone can get AK's for some reason.
And last i checked the Irish army doesn't have much if any experiance fighting against partisan warfare.
And doubt british army is going to be willing to help em.
Exactly. I think many commentators really believe this 5 minute report tells a story..
Since 62% of NI voted to remain in the EU, i suspect that Brexit has contributed quite a bit to the shift for reunification and thus re-entering the EU.
what a time to be alive lads
I served in the army, I never referred to Derry as Londonderry, always Derry. And I never favoured prods over Catholics. Maybe because I grew up in a part of London that had a huge Irish community.
The other main thing that changed, is that for the first time again, the Republic of Ireland has become the bigger union, as it part of the EU, and the richer country. Heck, there is even immigration from other UK parts to Dublin, mostly based on economic factors. While Scotish independence has become a little less likely in recent months again, the UK is still in a process of shooting itself repeatedly in the foot, and not even just with Brexit related policies, and threatening to tear itself apart. In comparison the Republic of Ireland has become much more stable and pluralist in comparison to the past, removing also fears of negative consequences of a reunification. There are still extreme positions on this in significant parts of the population on both ends of course. At the moment an outright flip for reunification without any issues by 2030 seems a bit ambitious, but unless the UK, and let's be honest that mostly means England in this context, changes course significantly, it seems eventually inevitable. Then again, I don't think even most people in England think things can continue the way they have gone, as polls also clearly show. Maybe we are going to see the Tories disappear first, or even EU rejoining, at which point the exact details of whether NI is or isn't part of the Republic of Ireland would matter much less again, and it would be less of a priority as well.
Richer only in one section of gdp in the other the Uk is far ahead
@@gothicgolem2947huh? There are sections of gdp?
The only thing that matters when it comes to gdp is the amount per capita ppp, and the ginincoefficient.
You will find numerous countries that leave the UK (far) behind, Ireland especially.
I wouldnt say ROI is the bigger union, the uk is still one of the richest countries in the world and thats not gonna change any time. I highly doubt northen ireland will join ROI it will cost ROI i imagine taxes would go up, some have even est that it would cost the goverment €6.7 billion to €15.7 billion annually.
Ireland is not as rich as it seems, I moved here last year and the infrastructure is shockingly bad, no metro in Dublin, very little rail service, complete over reliance on buses. Rent is insane, and people here have a lower quality of life than people in many other EU countries
Uk membership of the EU is at least 30 years away.
Sound like Irish reunification will be done and dusted way for that .
Funny how the English populace are never asked if they want NI to continue to be part of the UK. As someone born in England I would be very happy to see unification with Ireland.
Why would the English populace get a say on the future political status of Northern Ireland?
The role of the English populace has already been defined, cough up £13bn per annum to keep Northern Ireland afloat. If you want a bigger say, then that will obviously come with a higher price tag.
@@GerryAds"Why would the English populace get a say on the future political status of Northern Ireland?"
Give them a break. They're English. They can't help it. 😔😉🤣
Little Engerlander your country is ivet run with Muslims and foreigners. You have more important things to concern your self with😂😂
Already has.
Since Brexit,if you’re from northern Ireland you can apply for a Republic of Ireland passport.
I have a mate who is a Belfast-born and believes in northern Ireland being a part of the Uk but now carries his Republic of Ireland/EU passport so he can work in the EU.
That makes everyone from northern Ireland a EU citizen and a Republic of Ireland citizen.
Brilliant!
Do the brexiteers know this? Does it matter to them?
People born in Northern Ireland were able to get an Irish passport long before Brexit. They can hold dual citizenship.
@@GerryAds That’s a win then.
That’s a reunified Ireland then. 👍
The “will of the people” in Northern Ireland was remaining in the EU and with a majority catholic population leave the UK.
Total win then.
@@Brentboy111 there is not a majority in Northern Ireland that have indicated that they wish to leave the United Kingdom. In fact, if they implement the Windsor Framework fully, then it is likely that the numbers who wish to remain in the UK will increase.
Don’t get too caught up on unification as it is unlikely to happen anytime soon, if at all. Nothing wrong with the status quo.
Free Ireland from palistine 🇵🇸❤🇮🇪
You meant Free Ireland from Palestinians?
If that’s what the majority there desires, then the vast majority of Brits have no problem with it.
The times, they are a-changing!
That part about the fact that for the first time in its history it has more Catholics than Protestants... what story? Because before the English invasion, everyone was Catholic, or even before, when everyone in the British Islands was Catholic?
Irish Border? It's the British imposed border in Ireland.
Only a matter of time... and the end of a headache for Britain.
The beginning of a bigger headache.
@@lervish1966won't be Great Britain's problem though
@@FionanOMurchadha Removing the Irish Catholics from Britain and taking refugees from Ireland would be a big problem.
@@FionanOMurchadha it will. Because it’ll fuel Scottish and Welsh independence as well as English independence.
@@alynwillams4297 Thats their problem because its their Island, Northern Ireland is my problem because it is on my island
StarTrek predicts all, even the most unlikely
The thing about United Ireland Polls at present is nobody knows what it'll mean except 1 Country, everything else is just speculation. I'm Irish in Ireland and I don't know what it'll mean bar 1 Country. Mary Lou has said that a United Ireland needs to be addressed, discussed and planned for before a referendum can even think about being called for. Once this work has been done which will begin when Sinn Fein are in Government (by March 2025 ) then people in the North and Rep. of Ireland will know what they will be voting for and then Polls will be more meaningful.