What If Ireland United?
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- čas přidán 28. 04. 2021
- Check out my latest video from the "Alternative History" playlist: "What If Ireland United?" In which we explore the history of why Ireland is divided, as well as the great complexities involved in the proposal for a United Ireland.
Watch this video of Rudyard Kipling's poem "Ulster 1912" that perfectly summarizes the Unionist community in Northern Ireland and how they feel betrayed by England time and time again:
• Rudyard Kipling - Ulst...
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#NorthernIreland #Ireland #UnitedIreland #Brexit #SinnFein #Ulster #IRA #UVF #protestant #catholic #demographics #WhatIf #AlternateHistory #AlternativeHistory #History #HistoryofIreland #HardBorder #GoodFridayAgreement #Troubles
I am from Glasgow, a very good analyse young man. The catholic, protestant thing was part of my culture until I grew up at the tender age of 12, I had good friends whose parents were from Eire, my mother would not let them in my house, and she was a teacher. I blame old British governments, divide and rule. I am sure the people of Eire her sisters and brothers together would welcome you as a Wonderful Irish race in pure uniqueness, never met an uninteresting Irishman yet, Pddy or Billy. from a 72 yr old X squaddie.
To be fair Laurie, I'm always amazed at how open minded ex squaddies can be. As a southern Republican I asked one once if the whole shit show could have been handled better. He said absolutely. The British Gov completely messed things up. Ir esponded by saying the Irish gov didn't exactly play a blinder either.
@@RebelofIreland Some of the English soldiers had not a clue what it was all about, just here to do the job mate Horrible times.
@@shubbagin49 my own thinking is that the unionist ruling class was at fault. They created the conditions for conflct through disceimination. Inflamed the loyalist working class when nationalist asked for civil rights. Used the RUC to go against civil rights demonstrators. And finally used you guys as well. In my opinion yee were uninformed as to the situation. Very poor leadership by the govs, who needed to come together a lot sooner.
@@RebelofIreland As a member of the working class, and from my position as a free thinker, the UK government did not do my head any good.. The Irish problem is not a problem for me, Celts seem to be united in what we call freedom, who dare meddle with me is a problem.
@@shubbagin49 Fair comment. I reckon the Irish gov could give the UK a good run for its money in the gobshite olympics. We seem to do better nowadays but back then we had some real cretins in power. We have so much in common culturally. I liked Irvine Welsh’s idea of a cultural union rather than a political one.
It is soooo refreshing to hear an English voice with such a deep and erudite knowledge of Northern Ireland. Just plain facts. Well done sir. Great job.
Of course bro, I grew up with a deep knowledge of the Troubles, have travelled there twice and have many friends who live out there, so I understand the complexities and the need to solve this issue in a way that causes less hatred and tension.
@John G: Plain facts? Are you serious?
@@mickeencrua facts such as William of Orange hating parades taking the backstreets to avoid them, and the battle of the boyne not strictly divided by religion.
The Ulster flag being yellow with a red cross using the Irish symbol of a red hand not some flag invented in the 50s. Ulster being 9 counties.
@@skeletonkeysproductionskp I liked the video itself. But it’s a bit hard to claim “a deep understanding of the Troubles” when you have visited the province “twice”
My first carbomb was when I was 3 months old. I been held at gunpoint by the British army countless times. (Even stopped by the IRA a couple of times too at an unofficial vehicle checkpoint) I spent my childhood watching the parades on the 12th and laughing at the bowler hatted Orangemen.
Even 20 years after the GFA I still find myself internally assessing which community people are from when I met them for the first time.
@@CD.91 That is absolutely true. When taking about protestant / non conformists historically in Ireland there are major distinctions between groups "protestant" is just too vague. Covenanters cannot be compared to Quarters for example, who where one of the most helpful during the famine. Pity there are so few Quakers in world today, however their oppression is why they stopped evangelising / seeking converts.
I would think about Covenanter like this -> transplanted sectarianism. There had their issues in Scotland, and that was weaponised in Ireland.
It is not a clear cut issue becuase there were those protestant that pushed back against direct rule who weren't really Republican in the modern sense.
There were those that only pushed back when non-conformist were also discriminated against for not being in the established church (Church of Ireland/England).
As an atheist from a catholic background I'm kind of fascinated by Martin Luther. Not the myth of an angry guy nailing demands to door, which there is little historical evidence of, but they actual person who knew the church intimately and went to Rome to witness the corruption in the church he experience in his home town being mirrored there. Can't really blame him for having a problem with it.
He was more introverted then the caricature, he had tones of guilt and that is something he took with him from catholicism when he left the monastery.
I'm from Ireland and to see someone from England (I assume your English from your accent) talk about Irish history in a fair and balanced way like you have is very welcome and wholeheartedly appreciated. Thank you sir, you have well earned a follow. ps your script sounds great.
pps dail is pronounced dall (like doll with an a instead of o)
It usually sounds like 'doyle' to me ...
@@marconatrix You are closer than Dom...it is from the Gaeilic Dáil which phonetically might be rendered 'dawill' ..but if you allow for individual accents doyle hits near enough...though sometimes I think it's a bit of a doll with a corporate sycophant's finger shuas a thóin.
Dom GB: I was going to tell SKP that it's pronounced "Doyle" (as in Mrs Doyle from Father Ted), but I thought I'd better leave it to someone from Ireland, in case I got it wrong :-)
@@patchso Not too wrong...close enough.
I always describe it as it’s similar to the daal like the food hahahaah
As other commenters have said, this is a refreshingly unbiased, balanced, and well-researched piece that is genuinely rare among analysts outside of Ireland. Very well done.
Thanks, although you should see the level of vitriol in my other videos on Ireland to see that these people only like hearing what they want to hear and dont actually care to hear any view but their own.
Probably the most unbiased examination of the border issue i've ever seen. Well done!
Thanks mate, that's honestly the best compliment I could've hoped for in such a divisive topic! Appreciate it!
The border is the sea...
@@pgarland9714 Dream on Chuckie
@@asanulsterman1025 genuine question (honestly i am not trying to insult you or be inflammatory) but do you not feel as if the rest of the UK doesn't really care about Northern Ireland these days? That is certainly the impression i get from the Tory party and from most people in Great Britain
@@CraigHetheringsting I do feel that UK is tired of NI that's why its time for unionists to begin preparations for a fully independent Ulster. And an Independent U
Funny how things always go to hell when outside forces arbitrarily draw new borders.
Very true, look at the end of WW1, WW2 and going back further look at Africa
How do you think MOST borders were drawn? Look into it and you will find damned near every modern Border in the world was more or less drawn the same way, through agreement and conquest...
A highly short sighted view when one looks deeper into the history of various borders....
Very good point @alganhar1, although I don't think that its helpful to call other people's comments "short-sighted", I think that you are all in general agreement on this issue.
The treatment of German speakers in drawing up the post WW1 borders sure seeded a storm. The ‘re-shrunken Ulster’ map looked like repeating the whole divisive mess yet again.
Part 2 with a Q&A is out already, check it out and share it about and let me know your thoughts in the comment section!
I’m very impressed with this excellent short summary of the recent history of Ireland, (I’m Irish, from the Republic.)
A huge amount of people in this state haven’t a clue of the realities and implications of a “United Ireland.”
It definitely has the potential to be a “billion dollar train wreck.”
On the other hand if it’s with the due consent and respect of all the peoples it could be a considerable success.
Very true and thanks for that, stay tuned for Part 2 where I give my actual opinion on the issue (this video was more of a neutral brief overview)!
It's the opposite.. It's a billion dollar bonanza.
Why import 1.5 million migrants from Africa when we can import 1.5 million Irish from the north?
Very well done young man this is excellent work. I lived through much of the the history that you describe so fairly, once again very well done and thank you. Subscribed and liked.
Glad you enjoyed it! This is the best sort of compliment I can get: that I described it in a fair and balanced way! If you enjoyed this video, check out some of my other ones too and let me know what you think!
@@skeletonkeysproductionskp i will check out your other videos and let you know what I think. I really like to encourage young talent like yours. So I will keep watching and be in touch again. Best regards, Gérald from L’Hay-les-Roses near Paris.
@@geraldcapon392 Thanks for that Monsieur, that's very kind of you to say! Makes me know that I must be doing something right to get so many nice comments from people like yourself!
Nice work on this one. As a Derry man, this is refreshing to hear anyone educated on the history of the North. Fair play. Maíthu. 😀
Glad you enjoyed it, stay tuned for Part 2 (which you might not like as much, as I'll be giving my own opinions as opposed to here where I just gave a very neutral overview).
Great video With a great break down of everything,. Thank you for your time and hard work on this video,👍🏻
Thanks and sorry for the super late reply!!!
Point of order - Ireland did not strictly speaking get independence in 1922. They became what was then the ‘Irish Free State’ which required an oath of allegiance to the Crown. It was only in 1949 they became a republic.
That was a really interesting and well developed explanation. Well done, I really enjoyed watching this.
Awesome, thank you!
Superb evidence-based piece that steers clear of polemic. Well done! This is the content I love - well researched with facts. I’ve subscribed.
Thanks for that, really appreciate the kind words! Ive subbed to you too, just as I always try to do with my supporters! Check out my other videos too and let me know what you think of them too!
Me too.
@@CollieJenn thanks
Rely enjoying your content and in particular your videos on Ireland and the history of its partition. Factual and unemotional. Keep it coming sir.
Thank you, I wouldn't call it "unemotional", but I get what you mean in that I like to think as rationally as possible.
A most excellent examination. The impact of a migration wave from N.I. really interesting and not something I’ve heard before. The big difference in the leave/remain vote between middle and working class Protestants coats was something I wasn’t aware of. Thanks man.
So sorry for the super late response, was snowed under by the number of responses!
Part 2 with a Q&A is out already, check it out and share it about and let me know your thoughts in the comment section!
Thanks for the comments everyone! Stay tuned for Part 2 which should be out in the next few weeks, where I'll be replying to common comments and giving my own views on the matter (so not as balanced as this video, but hopefully still as enjoyable!!!) Much love and take care!!
Great video, thanks for your hard work.👏
Much appreciated, finally getting around to replying to everyone haha
Great video, I enjoyed it!!
A balanced, honest explanation of the complex issues involved. A valuable contribution to the debate. Solutions acceptable to both communities are more likely to emerge when the debate is led by reason rather than driven by passion. Very well done.
I was born and raised Protestant in Northern Ireland back in the 50's, 60's and 70's. I left the island for a new life in America in 1979. I remember as a young boy growing up in a housing estate all us kids played together and we never really paid any attention to the fact we were from different religions. We pretty much had an idyllic childhood even though we were all quite poor. That however, all changed when the Troubles started. I was only twelve years old at the time. From then on it was nothing but bombing, maiming and killing. People became hardened and long time friends were torn apart by the rapid change in Northern Irish society. As a twelve year old in those days, I really couldn't grasp why this was all going on but as I went through my teenage years. I began to resent it because I felt that instead of enjoying my teenage years as in normal peaceful society. We found ourselves living in a place where you could get clubbed to death by other teenagers because you were from a different religion. As time passed bombings, shootings and mutilations became part of normal every day life and some of the children I had once played with as a child became very bad adults indoctrinated into a regime of hatred. I hope and pray that Northern Ireland never reverts back to the sort of violence I remember from those years. That said, with what is happening now I would not ever rule it out because I grew up there and know the people.
I see this sort of crap coming up more and more often. It's a time honoured British unionist ploy to don the clothes of those they persecuted in an attempt to play the victim. The exact same scenario was enacted in a James O'Brien radio (LBC) broadcast where one from the british community waxed lyrical about "those beautiful times" pre troubles where all us children hopped on a unicorn blah blah blah. Complete rubbish and probably written by someone on the shankill Road. They forget about gerrymandering, the pogroms, innocent catholics being murdered on the Shankill in 1966 (3 years before the troubles). I could go on like this ad infinitum. Don't believe a word of it. Pick up a reputable book and see for yourself.
@@monty0289 Watch this "Eye witness-the burning of Bombay Street" (you Tube). Then ride off on your unicorn to fairytale land.
@@monty0289 No. Love dismantling your fairy tales.
@@TD-yk8bf dismantling my fairy tales? ok, well enjoy!
@@monty0289 Already enjoyed. Job done. Bye!
A very impressive presentation. As an American of Irish descent (there are about 40 million of us in the US - second largest ethnic group in America after German Americans), I have always been interested in this topic and I feel that I now know more than I did 25 minutes ago. I also always appreciate unbiased presentations that allow the viewer to make determinations for themselves - your video was as close to such paradigm as I have seen on CZcams. Thank you.
Thank you so much for that, genuinely appreciate praise like that, as the greatest compliment I can receive for a topic like this is that I'm unbiased and balanced. I mention the German-American diaspora in some of my other videos ("What if the British Empire Never Existed? Part 2"), and think I briefly mentioned the Irish Diaspora too. Also, check out my recent Israel/Palestine video, in which I similarly tried my best to be unbiased (although for that one it was a little harder to stay neutral). Even if you don't watch any more videos of mine, thank you for taking the time to watch this one at least, your time is very much valued!
2 of you can make 2 idiots, enjoy
@@corsai7506 What? Makes no sense loool
@@skeletonkeysproductionskp obviously your cut price talent, senseless in extremis
It would be worth noting that when the Unionists were afraid of their rights being "trampled on", they were simultaneously "trampling on" the rights of Catholics/Nationalists.
Very key detail that was missed in the beginning
As did the south with the Protestants left behind. We lost 70% of our people while Catholics in the big bad north grew from 250,000 to 900,000 so not that bad eh. My and my wifes gran parents like thousands of Protestants were forced/burnt our of the south be Devs Bigoted fascist Catholics state and laws refusing to even recognize Protestant marriages. Go look it up.
@@jamesdowson3673 wouldn't pretend that the Republic were whiter than white tbh but it doesn't negate the fact that Irish citizens were seen as 2nd class in the Orange state. Though in the South can you really be surprised that after some 300 years of brutality and attempted cultural genocide that people would want to take their pound of flesh?
Not saying its right but you can half understand the thinking behind it
We can’t change the past,. But we can change the future Soon we’re going to have an opportunity to make a new ireland😄😅
They wanted the irish to stay in the south. And ROI is actually more economically richer now than NI.
If a united ireland happened right now there will be war again.
@@steve00alt70 would be more than slightly ironic that those who lambasted the nationalist community for taking up arms would then in turn do the same. Though I think their reasoning would be fear of possible retribution instead of civil rights.
Very nice video! Good luck with your script, a movie I would definitely watch.
One option for unification could be to just pass sovereignty from London to Dublin, but keeping Stormont and the NI assembly going. This way the unionist can still have their say and have a form of independence from Dublin. It wouldn't be a complete unification but could keep the status quo and peace going. Obviously those born in the 6 counties should still be able to have either passport.
Good question on who's going to pay the 16% GDP. Can the EU help?
Thanks for that, really loving the support! I love hearing that people want to see my scripts being turned into films, that's the whole reason why I set up the channel in the first place; to build a platform to promote my films rather than having to beg agents to give my scripts a chance.
I agree, more likely than not there'd have to be autonomous status given to "DUP Country" in Antrim & North Down whilst officially being governed from Dublin. The EU would likely help (although I'm opposed to the EU as a Brexiteer, I recognize that it might be a good thing for the Irish if they consent to it), although tbh its the market place that will close the gap, not central planning from Brussels. Ireland became rich by low taxes and competitiveness, NI is poor because of the tensions and the fact that businesses don't want to invest in a warzone. A combination of autonomous status combined with free market policies will quickly lift NI to the same/similar standards of RoI.
As a 5th generation Australian of 82% Irish/18% Scottish DNA, 7 convicts, a fine old Anglo-Norman surname and Famine refugees I must congratulate you on this balanced report. I was christened Church of England, won prizes at Presbyterian Sunday School and raised in the Catholic School System, so I am fairly broad-minded. My observation is that the Republic has become radically less Catholic, more secular, in just the last 20 years. The educated in the North have read themselves out of Religion long ago. So the hope is that a tolerant majority of both "Irelands" will see the common economic, cultural and political sense of uniting to form One Ireland, free of Church interference and foreign indebtedness. Just look at the bright young, secular Irish kids making these 'As Ghaelighe" You Tube clips.
Yes, I think that's very true, however the Loyalist community form more of a nationality than just a religious group now, and so they'll either have to move to England or else will be a thorn in the side of Irish politics in a United Ireland.
@@skeletonkeysproductionskp they have other choices too
The divided schools is a curse.
@@givenfirstnamefamilyfirstn3935 I don't think there is any legal reason for it. Unfortunatley it is what a lot of people still want.
@@OhEidirsceoil I'm not sure that ordinary people want the divided schools.
Great vid and good luck with everything you do in the future 🇮🇪
Thank you! You too! Really means a lot when people send such lovely messages! Also check out some of my other videos and let me know what you think of them!
Great piece of work. Excellent presentation.
I live in the republic and I'm all for Irish unity but I think people here don't realise that unity is not simply an extension of the republic, rather a new country with a new flag, national anthem and massive changes across the board.
Exactly.- and I’m only for it if there is a majority for it up north, and we cater to the unionists.
Yes I think thats fair, although tbh I think while the moderate Unionists could be included into RoI and would be catered for properly, the hardline Unionists/Loyalists will never accept Dublin rule. Stay tuned for Part 2 where I cover this in more depth!
Nothing wrong with that at all if it brings peace and inclusiveness
Why should the Republic of Ireland adopt a new flag when it had alread include Protestants/Unionists in the flag despite their opposition to joining a united Ireland?
The Republic had more than its share of massive changes in recent years. And none for the better.
@@str.77 Because unionists burn it every 12th July, they won't suddenly embrace it.
Very good information and accurate, this is kind of interesting and informative advice that is needed now, 👍👍
Glad it was helpful! Really appreciate that bro, thank you and much love!
Charming man. Great presentation.
Much appreciated, finally getting around to replying to everyone haha
As a Tyrone man …. You give a very balanced well researched video.
Much love and glad you enjoyed it! Stay tuned for Part 2 (which will be less balanced as I will be giving more of my own opinion on the matter, but should still be worth a watch!)
Part 2 with a Q&A is out already, check it out and share it about and let me know your thoughts in the comment section!
According to the Good Friday Agreement if there was to be a border poll, the options would be to remain in the UK or become a United Ireland. There wouldn’t be an option for segregation of Unionist / Nationalist areas of NI. I believe that most politicians will try to find ways to make the country more inclusive and we are hearing more of this lately even from parties such as Fine Gael who wouldn’t have traditionally been seen as pushing for Irish unity. As you say, a United Ireland is probably more of a when now than if and even Fine Gael are starting to recognise that and attempt to reach out to unionists.
True, but this was an inherent problem with the short-term thinking of the GFA, as regardless of the result of a Border Poll, partition of some kind (whether it be an independent state consisting of "DUP Country" in Antrim and North Down, or whether it be that region as an autonomous region of the RoI) is inevitable.
Agreed. The shift in Fine Gael is a highly significant change.
Much of what u say the GFA good friday agreement a border poll at some time it doesn’t say you will mix of some more counties annexed off ,Irish stte Vote leave in England got their way we thought it remain inside of Europe it’s only a matter of time go back 188? aprox. It cused a civil war ! Catholic where s not the are not the not only ones the protestants that fought and and died togeter.
There no check for goodsto Briton 1in 6 items from briton get checked
More checks ess drugs!!£ Australia I don’t want their food standard.
@@skeletonkeysproductionskp can’t see how segregation will form any solution should there be a border poll. Firstly it would require a referendum to be passed in both NI and ROI which would never happen on that issue. Secondly splitting off a section of community has never worked in NI and has led to where we are today with decades of hostility. I can see the majority of politicians in ROI trying to reach out to unionists to make this island as inclusive as possible rather than dividing further. All of this could be years away or never at all but if there is a border poll it would be a simple Yes/No on Irish reunification.
@@philiporeillycork Mmm potentially true, I just think the Irish Question lies entirely in the hands of the Unionist community and how much of their 400 year old hertiage they're willing to put aside to be governed by Irish Catholics, however secular or inclusive they might now be.
Fantastic presentation. It’s so refreshing to hear an English person who has taken the time to understand Northern Ireland.
Of course, love it there and have been there twice, have friends out there and have been raised knowing about the history there.
The plantation of Ulster was a combination of ethnic cleansing and social engineering
Sadly very true.
And maybe an other factor was a trial and error/testing out in planning for Future British colonies in North America,Carribean, South Africa and Australia New Zealand area. A hint in this direction is A Cavan town has the same name as US State of Virginia. Just saying a possibility.
@@davidorourke4311 During the Plantation, Aghanure, "Achadh an lúir" ( the field of the yew) was named "Virginia" after Queen Elizabeth I.
The Scottish elites in Edinburgh, dukes and lairds and the King, even tried to plant the Gàidhealtachd in Scotland with protestant non-Gaelic speaking south east lowland Scots loyal to the Scottish monarch and the Calvinist reformed Kirk of Scotland. Various attempts were made. One was to Lewis and the attempted planters were called the Gentlemen Adventurerers of Fife. It failed.
@@dannymcintyre3819 Oster Protestants used to speak Gaelic the state was set up and they took it off state school pupils catholic and Protestant and changed all the names townlands of places to English check out the videos from P are 0NI and orange Gaelic speakers it would surprise you
Well done. Nicely explained.
Excellent work thanks for an unbiased upload 👍
My pleasure and thanks for the support!
as an irishman from belfast i found it very balance until the last few minutes. When you mentioned that we would go from a persecution of the catholic minority by a protestant majority to the reverse. I think that is very very poorly thought out. The government of the republic has for well over ten years recognised there will likely be a future united Ireland (UI) , they have quietly been holding talks with all parties including the Unionists and the british on what this UI would look like. They have likely also been holding talks with the USA and EU about this and their funding of it. As we are now closer to any vote there has been a lot of outreach tot eh unionist community. Some have reacted violently some will quietly be talking. Ireland has a written constitution and is a liberal democracy within the EU which has a number of important laws protecting all citizens. The unionists/ protestant will be fully protected by laws of the EU and ireland. The irish are asking to sit down and discuss with the unionist all matters including flags anthems NHS etc etc etc . Ireland has now offered to pa for all children from the 6 counties to say within the Erasmus higher education scheme. Ireland is holding out an open hand but finding many unionists with a clenched fist. Ireland is now going to pay for a bridge and road connections over the peninsula near warrenpoint. These are just some of the many schemes being fully funded by Ireland .THERE WILL BE NO PERSECUTION OF ANYONE in a UI
Im not saying that there will be, only that the Unionists feel like there will be. Thats whats important, its the perception of it, thats why they oppose it and have every right to Self-Determination if they see fit (also, why talk about the EU when a majority of Unionists voted for Brexit?)
@@skeletonkeysproductionskp Northern Ireland voted against Brexit.
@@lindarenaud2907 ....so did London , Birmingham , Scotland.....
@@skeletonkeysproductionskp The Republic of Ireland facilitated a 30 year ira campaign of murder and mutilation against NI Unionists...
@@lindarenaud2907 I'm well aware of that, but Unionists voted for Brexit by 60%, whilst Nationalists voted for Remain at 85%.
Great video... I've never heard someone with an English accent show this much knowledge and understanding of our history before. If only there were more in Westminster or English TV/radio with this level of understanding
Thanks for that, and yes definitely, most of us Englishmen dont have a clue about NI.
One of the highest quality CZcams videos on history analysis I have ever seen. I take my hat off to you sir. Thank you from Canada.
My man, much love for that!! If you liked this, check out the rest of my channel and stay tuned for Part 2 of this one!
As an Southern Irish person, I applaud your presentation. Very fair. Very informative. 👍
"southern Irish" lol
Glad you enjoyed it, check out some of my other videos too if you enjoyed this one!
@@johnmcgrath5813 Express reader prolly lol.
@@johnmcgrath5813 I say the same when people say "Northern Irish"
@@661shivers yep
WOW 59K VIEWS!!! Thats amazing! Keep up the good work, you're doing so well!! Hopefully one day i can do as well as you! :D
Thanks, its crazy, I'd been running the channel for 10 months and in the last month, one video propelled the whole channel. Its all about tagging and sheer luck. This video did nothing for its first 50 days, so a song you posted months ago could suddenly blow up!
@@skeletonkeysproductionskp yeah it is so crazy!
As an Ulsterman (from one of the 3 “southern” counties) this is a very good explanation of the background to the situation we find ourselves in now. Kudos to you sir.
Thanks for the kind words and much appreciated, good to hear from an Ulsterman from the RoI
Welcome fellow Ulsterman. Pray tell me, are you happy with the neo liberal direction your country is taking under EU rule? How do you rate your affinity to Ulster vs ROI?
@@asanulsterman1025 so you admit that Ni does equal Ulster or vice versa. Ya gobshite. You acknowledge finally that they are not interchangable. I would say that this particular Ulsterman is proud to be an Ulsterman and Irishman as he should be. I would geuss he would love tp see an end to partition in our country and an end to British rule in the exact same way as a Muster, Leinster or Connacht man would. If I am wrong I am sure he will let me know.
There is no conflict of interest in having affinity to ones Irish province and ones country
@@OhEidirsceoil In Ulster we say 'gabshite' so that should be 'ya gabshite' and even better 'ya manky wee gabshite' back at ye Chuckie.
@@asanulsterman1025 That Neo liberal direction has lead to us becoming an extremely rich country....pray tell me,seeing as we are 6th in GDP per capita(as in what the average person earns),and the north is 30th(behind Oman) are you happy remaining poor,once your precious royal family remains exorbitantly rich?
you know
seeing as they are unelected,german bureaucrats after all
For me the main issue no one discusses is class. As the issues Ireland has faced in our history has been social, political, economic, and religious. Now we have made great strides in all of these areas but not completely. One major aspect of the creation of the statelet of Northern Ireland is the idea of class and wealth. Now in the 1920s Northern Ireland had a booming industry of ship building, farming, and linen mills and clothing factories particularly in Belfast and Derry. The owners of all these industries and all the massive acres of farmland were majority protestant and unionist. And after 1916 they were afraid because many of the leaders of 1916 and Irish republicanism at the time was thought if by by socialists and communists who wanted a 32 county socialist Republic, for example James Connolly was one of these. So they were afraid that people were going to rise up against and demand better treatment in the workplace if not going as far as seizing all of their wealth too and fearing something similar to the United Irishmen of Wolfe Tone in the late 18th century which United many Catholics and protestants and it's consequences of major land reforms and redistributions all across Ireland. Now in 1919 Sinn Fein was not running around the country with guns and bullets; as many believe; instead they fought and won an election that was more radical and leftist that any other party in Britain or Ireland has ever campaigned in. And they won the majority of the votes, and since it was their party policy they refused to take their seats in Westminster and instead wanted to set up their own independent Irish Parliament. So therefore, the people of Ireland democratically voted for independence. And only 2 and a half counties in Ireland had a clear substantial unionist majority, these being Antrim, Down, and Armagh. The rest either voted for independence of had a significant nationalist majority that wasn't a clear cut majority. So the unionist working class through the threat of violence and arms tried to oppose this and began to fear monger the protestant working class man who was equally as poor as the Catholic working class man to fear him. They said "Dublin rule was Rome rule" and that they will all be oppressed and have pogroms against them in an Irish republic (which is what happened to Catholics in the north). And they needed to do this because economically they would not be able to uphold a state smaller than 5 counties otherwise their state would collapse. Now fearing further violence and fearing bloodshed the Irish government at the time were willing to give them the entire province of Ulster, yet they refused. Instead taking the 6 protestant majority counties of Ulster and leaving 3 behind because they'd a significant Catholic majority to protestant minority. So the British government said hears your 6 counties. And for 50 years the ruling class have sowed the seeds of discontent between the 2 communities pitting them against each other and keeping them poor and down low while favour one group slightly more because they vote the right way. So in the 20s you had pogroms and tit for tat killings and state killings of Catholics after the partitioning, you had pogroms against the Catholics in the 30s during the depression and hunger marches because the Protestants were told that the Catholics were taking their jobs and were too lazy to work and we're taking all the state benefits, there was pogroms against the Catholics in the 40s when the south stayed neutral in ww2, and pogroms in the 50s when the IRA had an unsuccessful campaign of attacks along the border. So in the early 60s/late 50s the civil rights movement was started yet failed to get anywhere, and it was started with the sole idea of Catholic emancipation. Then in 1964/65 they took to the streets and began marching peacefully for civil rights and to end housing discrimination, job discrimination, police discrimination and heavy handedness, and to end various special powers acts which included the power to jail people without trial. It wasn't until the much more radical student group 'Peoples' Democracy' got involved that they got anywhere. The student group and its most iconic member Bernadette Devlin were more socialist in their beliefs and pushed the civil rights movement to be more radical, to not follow any particular political ideology to unite people from various backgrounds, and to campaign for all people not just Catholics. The movement had been scrutinized by poor protestant people who were alienated by the main focus of Catholics when they too were suffering, so Bernadette and many others sought to unite the whole of the working class. The marchers eventually took on a series of long marchers from Belfast to Derry and across the whole province in which they were attacked and stopped by police and mind if angry unionists who again we're fearmongered into believing that the civil rights movement was strong for the IRA. Eventually the protestors began to get tired of being stopped and best of the streets and began to responded to the violence with violence, this then turned to mass riots across the province and the troubles began. The idea of the border being drawn wrong or being redrawn or the peace walls or trying to separate the two communities doesn't work and creates more division. And this has been the case for all of British colonialism and every time it has been their own downfall. Just look at Rwanda, just look at South Africa, look at India and Pakistan, look at Israel and Palestine, or look Yugoslavia after the collapse of the Soviet Union or turkey and the Kurds. The problems of people affected by colonialism both settlers and natives aren't solved by separating the two, one conquering the other, or god forbid ethnic cleansing. The real solution, I believe, is through the working class asserting itself as the democratic majority and as the people who do all the work campaigning for unity amongst people and for better economic and social rights and protections because the main aim should be to give people enough so that they can live good lives. And if people are happy and live good lives then they'll have no reason to be angry and no reason to see armed struggle as an option.
Class does not answer the Ulster question.
Identity and nation are what matters to the people in Northern Ireland.
Well Said Jack
@@raymondhaskin9449 class is not the end all and be all of the issue in Ireland in that sense you are right. However, I don't think the factor of class should be if ignored and that it has significant underlying attributions to the issues in Ireland, I think I could've specified my point a bit better. What I mean to say is that you simply cannot solve some of Ireland's issues but not the rest otherwise you risk creating a different framework of issues and making the issue unsolved. Because in my view, politics isn't as simple as the odd economic or political issue and the odd reform or bill one ought to make. Because everything is linked and everything that effects a man's life is linked from what food he eats, to his house, to his job, to where he lives etc. And the issues effecting Ireland and especially northern Ireland are all linked. And the various uprisings and trouble we've had here have been brought about because all of these issues social, political, economic, and religious and religious have too much for people to bear. And it simply isn't solved by moving something from one box to the other, my view is that the entire system and socioeconomic state of things must change. Moreover, the colonisation of Ireland resulted in not only the social, cultural, national, and religious subjugation of the Irish people by also the economic subjugation of us. For example, the fact that English land lords owned thousands of acres of land here even though they had not set foot here for generations resulting in impoverished tenant farmers paying money to them and that there was barely any land left for the native Irish to own which cause the Land league to be formed. Or how about all during the famine when we were starving and immigrating in our millions due to the potato blight only for other Irish produce like grain to either be stockpiled and guarded from us and/or exported to English and that the poor Irish peseantry had to flee. And there are countless other examples. And these issues were massive in Ireland, and are massive parts of Irish identity and history so this did effect us and did cause the background reasons of which the framework of Irish nationalism is built. Moreover, identity also plays into economic and class oppression in Ireland when we think of how Catholics were oppressed here. Think of the "No Irish Need Apply" signs for jobs, think of how before the land league there were limitations on what Catholics could own and sell an example being horses worth over 15 pounds I believe (not exactly sure if the weight). Or in northern Ireland, how about when Catholics were discriminated against in jobs, housing and policing? Is this not classism built on a foundation of sectarianism in which one religious class is treated differently from another? This is significant in my opinion as this lead to the civil rights movement which lead to the troubles. Moreover, I would like to provide more modern examples. I live in the North and recently at Easter we had riots all over the country largely due to the Bobby storey funeral and the NI protocol, these weren't the sole issues, but indeed the main issues and the ones that broke the camel's back. Now when you look at the footage and pictures of the rioters the thing I notice is that they're all working class kids from working class and disadvantaged areas out rioting. If it was solely an identity issue then why was there no rioting in middle class or rich unionist neighborhoods. These kids from disadvantaged neighborhoods have likely been hit bad by the economic crisis cause by the Coronavirus pandemic and that they're frustrated and scared and don't know what to do and the only thing they can fall back on is to blame the other side. And the North was in a bad state before the pandemic too with a homeless population at around 25,000 and the number of people living below or at the poverty line at roughly 300,000 people Which is half our population. Similarly look at the riots we had from 2011-2015 after the economic crash in 2008 in which our hosting market was hit badly. Now these riots also coincided with the flag issue and the protests around that, but before this was an issue people were already angry, again this was just the straw that broke the camels and made people say enough which gave them an outlet to voice their frustrations with the system. And just look at the troubles too. Why were the paramilitary strongholds all in working class and disadvantaged areas? Ykno big rich Jim up the Malone road (a rich area in Belfast) wasn't running to join the RA or UVF. But wee Jimmy and Sammy from the shankill and ardoyne did. At the end of the day I think we have to ask who does it benefit to have working class Catholics and working class Protestants divided and hating each other to the point of a civil war? It benefits no one. But it does benefit the factory owner who then has a distraction from the question as to why his employees wages are too low, or the landlord as to why his rent charge is too high, or from the politicians or can pick a side and rile them up to get votes and thus political power. I'm not denying that you are right in saying that identity, culture, and the national question are the big issues but I believe there are underlying issues that aren't spoken about as much that equally cause so much more frustration and historically have been major factors in Irish politics and have shaped out national identity, politics, and culture to this day. I hope this makes more sense and clarifies my point a bit more. : )
Thank you for that very in-depth take on this issue. I would say however that this represents the common blind-spot that most Leftists have; Its not the Economy, stupid, it's Values. The Unionists and Nationalists could be rich or poor, working or middle class, and it wouldn't make the slightest difference in the fact that one wishes to live and be governed under one flag, and the other under another.
Borders ought to reflect People, not the other way around, and if the Unionists in Ulster do not wish to be governed by Dublin, then they ought to have the right to Self-Determination, just as the Irish Nationalists in Ulster ought also to have the right to Self-Determination.
Thank you for your take here, although one cannot look at protests and riots as a representation of the entire community. Middle class people don't tend to riot and are reluctant to protest (unless it's for very safe, non-divisive issues). This is also the case for older people as well. That's the reason why you see working class kids rioting, because they are the ones who are most likely to, whilst the Great Silent Majority of Unionists in Ulster, be they middle or working class, young or old, are in agreement and common cause with them.
Thanks that was so clear
Thanks for that, glad that you liked it! If you like that one, check out some of my other videos too and share!
I'm really impressed. It's a very difficult subject to cover. And an Irishman I have to thank you for how open and respectful you have been.
One issue also worth discussing.
Attitudes to unification in Ireland (the Republic). These actually vary person to person and it's interesting to see how attitudes towards unity differ amount pockets of Irish society.
Thanks very much for that, that's the best kind of compliment that I could get from a topic like this which can be so divisive. I did mention about RoI attitudes with regard to paying extra taxes etc, but it would indeed be interesting to see what regions and demographics in RoI who would be for or against reunification.
The 19th Amendment referendum in 1998 (GFA) was supported by 94% of Irish people, and was over 91% in every constituency, so I doubt that there would be much of a sizeable population or segment of the country that would be strongly opposed to it, only tepidly anxious about it.
Ian,the economic cost to the ROI is an issue whether we like it or not.
@@margodalton2608 Very true
Hmm particularly when it comes to nitty gritty things like national anthems, joining the common wealth and my favourite one the flag, has our current flag does in fact represent both sides, but understandably there are those who don't see it like that.
In terms of economics of course its going to cost us, but I believe Westminster will have to contribute also. Moreover, I welcome the fact that it will force the Irish government to finally look at the sate of health care. Roll on the Irish NHS!
What didn't get a mention is how the Republic has changed in those 100 yrs. The Northern protestants were very fearful of a catholic dominated country. Church scandals, travel, immigration etc etc has changed Ireland. Divorce, abortion and gay marriage. It has become a much more secular, Liberal and tolerant that the North. Massively less to fear for the protestant/British population. As Northern protestant I'm looking forward to a united Ireland.
There are many like you who see the progression in the Republic, I am from the North now living in the South believe you me you are better off, much better off, financially, kids education, standard of living, a health system where you can actually see a doctor, time to start dispelling some myths, the fact is in time the island and all it's people would prosper, isn't that what life is about, we live in beautiful island full of potential if only everyone could see it.
As an Irishman I knew most things but you did a brilliant job of explaining this stuff and it’s great to see that your actually unbiased I’m sure you have your own views but hopefully we can unite the island and move on from the past
I myself am pro Irish unification, but from this guys vocabulary and presentation of the video as a whole, he seems to be pretty biased on our side. I don't care really but wouldn't call it completely unbiased
As a Protestant, living in the Republic of Ireland, I can confirm that there would be no ethnic cleansing by the Nationalist community (nothing to do with religion) against the Unionist community. I have not encountered any bias towards my religion since the late 1980's. I am a patriot to my Country (Ireland) - and once they realised that, religion was forgotten about. The divide is not all about religion, especially since all the scandals that came out about the Roman Catholic church. Most Irish are non-practicing Roman Catholics.
My biggest fear of a united Ireland would be violence from the Unionists, and bringing it down south of the Border.
They need to understand that they were betrayed by the Tories, not Dublin, not the EU, but Westminster, BoJo and his team. But there's no "fun" in that fact for them (Unionists).
Good man well done and great explanation
Thanks!
When East Germany was absorbed in to West Germany it was a strain on their successful economy. But it was the right decision.
Ireland can do the same.
You will have a bloody war with 50,000 dead as we will DIE before uniting with these killers!
@@jamesdowson3673 Not what I would like to see happen. But if that is what it takes to bring the sorry saga to a conclusion...
@@jamesdowson3673 Jesus man you must be a lovely well rounded educated person
@@jamesdowson3673 so 3000+ killed in 30 years but you claim it will end up being 50K dead? Sounds rational..........
Many would be killed and the troubles return for many years, but this time Dublin would be the target......not what any sain person would want....but that is the most likely outcome.
The other issue is financial, the Republic cannot afford to finance the North and the North do not want to pay for the debts of the South.....
Very well presented and very balanced. Well done! GRMA
Thanks for that, really appreciate comments like that for such a divisive issue, it's the best compliment that I could get! If you liked this video, check out some of my other videos on topics like Scottish independence and Israel/Palestine, and let me know what your thoughts are!
@@skeletonkeysproductionskp if the majority of people in Britain understood as much as you do (as I believe Tony Blair and his government may have done in the late 90s) then there would be much greater cooperation between the Irish and British governments on this issue. In fact this level of understanding and introspection represents the better part of British society. I just wish it was the dominant thread in the UK body politic.
I look forward to your next releases, SKP. Keep up the good work!
I’m from the US and as an outsider have struggled to understand this topic. I think you’ve done an excellent job of explaining it in terms not too simplistic nor too complex. Thank you!
Thanks for that, my goal is always to explain my videos in a way that even a teenager could understand (helps that I used to work in a school, so I have experience of making complex topics simple but interesting!
@@skeletonkeysproductionskp yes, and as a teacher to hit that sweet spot informative yet entertaining enough to hold one’s attention. I think you’ve hit it.
Great video. Subscribed
Thanks for the sub! Right back at you!
Very very well explained
Straight and unbiased
Thanks, much appreciated!
Well done, very balanced - Dail rhymes with Fall
Thanks lool, you and many others have corrected me on this, I'll never forget now haha
@@skeletonkeysproductionskp Don't bother from here in Ireland as an ex Brit I can tell you that there are half a dozen different versions of this word to rhyme with fall, oil doll, and others. watch some RTE news broadcast and you will hear the posh version, like BBC English.
Superb channel, I can see this sort of content doing very well.
On this topic I keep hearing Unionists warn of a return to violence if a United Ireland happens but the Good Friday Agreement sets the possibility in stone. We can't shy away from it due to a threat.
Most Loyalists don't recognise the GFA today, and a fair number of Unionists too. We were duped by Tony Blair into accepting it, we haven't benefitted from it, terrorism has. If there was a vote on the GFA today, which I believe was written into it, to revisit it after a period of time, I believe it would not succeed.
Excellent analysis - very balanced
Thanks for that, very much appreciated!
Very accurate summary. Don't forget how many of us in previous generations went to Britain, that should contextualise your analysis further.
Thanks, and can you explain more how that contextualizes anything please?
Very best interesting ... Thanks!
You are welcome! Much appreciated!
great job thanks
This is a very good summary and thought provoking good luck on the screen play 👍
Fantastic!
Much appreciated, thanks for that!!
A GREAT PRESENTATION ,HOWEVER, two points: 1 The Border poll would have to be taken in conjunction with the ROI in such a referendum. 2 its not quite as simple in NI, Protestant and catholic -one unionist,one nationalist..There are an incresing number of people in NI that do not identify by faith, but no faith; agnostic etc or wont say, and an increasing though small number of non-christians
Which has its own issues, as a future election may find Alliance as the 2nd largest party in N.I.
The “loyalist/unionist” vote could be split between DUP, PUP and TUV.
Subscribing! Very interesting stuff.
Right back at ya with that subscription!!!
Well that was impressive. Excellent communication skills; logical conclusions from bald facts and recognition of the fact that a solution to the national question in Ireland has to be both democratic and sensitive to the existence of those who don't think like you.
Brilliant video
Thanks bro, much love!
Very informative and unbiased. An excellent video.
I'm from Tyrone and grew up in a nationalist family. I was always fine with the status quo but now that Brexit's happened it seems like the unification question has been put into overdrive. I worry how loyalists will react in the coming years and sincerely hope that peace will prevail.
How loyalists will react? The majority of them won't.
Quite soon after the ceasefire,loyalists turned their backs on the DUP,as they were sick of their policy's being based upon anti Irish rhetoric,instead of improving the community's of the very people that fought,killed,and died to keep those politicians in power.
Once loyalists see that a United Ireland,will lead to more prosperity,more safety and zero change towards their culture(as in Donegal for instance) they will leave their ancient hatreds behind.
@@colloquialsoliloquy6391 Good luck with that!
England doesn't want the loyalists
Really great non biased piece on the NI / Unification issue ...great use of charts, graphs and stats! One thought came to mind ...the concerns of elderly Unionists (and some Nationalists) as to accessing state pensions and NHS healthcare in the eventuality of a Unified Ireland as a major concern that will need to be adddresed?
In terms of the pensions issue, thats really not an issue since you don't have to live in the UK to draw a pension. Think of it as being the same as if a pensioner decided to retire to France. They'd still just draw their pension the same. (Actually they could even end up getting a little more as the UK gives additional benefits to Pensioners living abroad in some cases). Healthcare is a bit trickier, I'll say that, but the NHS and the HSE are both consistently ranked as some of the best health services in the world, so its not as though they'd be going from the NHS to like the USA system or something like that.
I'm from the Republic and I learned from this, excellent video
I love comments like this, I hope that you enjoy part 2 of this as well!
Very interesting & informative analysis of a complex problem!
Thanks for that, really appreciate the support and kind words!
A very accurate analysis. Thank you.................. [ The Pied Noir problem].
Thanks, much love for that!
Yes. However, I doubt the Irish would give a “suitcase or coffin” option to their fellows.
An excellent primer for this subject, have pinged it to a few folk to help aid their understanding. Hats off!
As an immigrant from England *to* Ireland myself it's been very interesting watching this slowly develop.
I guess one of the big questions in my mind is whether Ireland is wiling to change much if the north is going to be absorbed into the republic.
De Valera and chums quite specifically designed a country, constitutionally and institutionally to reflect their dreams of, what even then was a bit of a fantasy of a homogenous, rural catholic idyll.
With Ireland globally at the forefront of socially liberal change, the rollback of the church constitutionally and in daily life, and most importantly a confident young, increasingly multicultural country no longer defining itself as in opposition to the auld oppressor but as a thriving member of the European family, I wonder how politically acceptable it will be to change some of the symbols of the Republic as a gesture of inclusivity for the protestants in the north.
I think a new flag, anthem and some tweaks to the constitution could go a long way to reassuring them that they could actually be better off in a united Ireland than as historical adjunct to a union that isn't looking like it might last much longer anyway; but I have no idea how that would play, especially among the older generations.
Thanks for sharing it about!
While its true that RoI has beome more tolerant and secular over the decades, I dont think its enough to persuade anyone but moderate Unionists. Hardline Unionists/Loyalists will never accept Dublin rule, but Im covering this in more depth in Part 2, so stay tuned!
So true, well said
Thanks for that! Much appreciated!
Very well done
Much appreciated!
Pretty good. Most of the southern unionists in the 20's threw their lot in with the political party that eventually became Fine Gael... they're a centrist party with some right leaning tendencies, I don't know if that would happen now, in Ulster the unionists were and are that bit more firm in their convictions. I don't know if something like that would happen again but who knows. It will be interesting to see.
Alliance party have moderate Unionist which I could see enter Irish politics. DUP and the TUV are the hardline which never would.
@@TheSWCantina maybe, only time will tell
I'm here pretty late, but fair play. Brilliant nuanced take 👍
Much appreciated!
Good show. Well done. Is there anything you can do to prevent the subscript from blocking out the bottom part of your presentation ?
Thanks for the feedback, but what exactly do you mean by the subscript? You mean the text that I put on screen?
@@skeletonkeysproductionskp that's it. When I watch your show I get two sets of text, one over the other. I'm not sure which one is yours and which one is being generated by some software somewhere I don't know anything about
I've checked it over, I can't see this problem on screen and haven't heard it from anyone else. Sorry that its like that for yours, but I can't see the problem from here. Best of luck with it though!
@@BennyPoppie Turn off the subtitles using the button in the bottom right (hover over the buttons to see what they do: do this on a computer, not a phone!).
@@TomDore thx. Tried that but it's possible on my tablet. Subscript is already turned off.
I was born in one of the six counties in '59 and left in '80. It was a very formative upbringing for both sides. I will never forget what happened, and neither will the other side. There'll be ructions in the not too distant future. There'll be ructions everywhere, soon. I thank God I'm going on 62 and not 26.
Thanks for telling us about your story, much appreciated!
Good analysis. Using the word "when" rather than " if" is unhelpful if avoiding street violence is to be considered. I'm 82 years old and predicting the future is still difficult. By the way the Dail( Irish Parliament) is pronounced dawil. M D
No its not.
I am a young protestant from Northern Ireland. I have many catholic friends and am quite open minded when it comes to our politics. However, I will always consider myself British and reject the idea of a united Ireland because I was born in Northern Ireland and love the country I am from, as it is. We live in a very unique position where you can choose your nationality and I think there's something quite special about that.
Thanks for that, and sure thing, I've changed my mind over the past few weeks when it comes to a United Ireland, stay tuned for Part 2 of this video coming out in the next few weeks where I give my full opinion (this one was just meant to be a neutral one). Quick question: as a Unionist, what if the option for being British wasn't there (i.e. if the UK split up completely)?
How would you and others vote if the choice was between becoming Irish or becoming an independent Northern Ireland?
@@skeletonkeysproductionskp as a Protestant who's family who comes from all 4 countries with most men in my family from all sides have served in the Army, Navy or Airforce. Most of us identify as British and not English, Scottish, Welsh or Northern Irish but only British. So if Britain were to break up i would still continue to refuse to call myself any of the other nationalities i named before but continue to call myself British no matter what.
And my family would vote to be an Independent Northern Ireland rather than Reunite as none of us feel Irish anymore. Even stories I've heard past down from generations from my Great Grandad who himself refused to call himself Irish after the rebellion in 1921 and continued to serve in the British army after WW1. Also i feel as if Ireland as a whole will never reunite as the divide has gone on for so long and the views are so extreme against each other on both sides that we hate each other because of it.
But i feel as if i would claim Irish nationality again if ROC rejoined the UK and would claim to be Irish-British again but that seems highly unlikely. But i cannot vote if this came to the decision as many of my family moved out of Northern Ireland and now reside in England and Scotland.
@@skeletonkeysproductionskp Independent Northern Ireland. It would not go down well here though, although there is now a catholic majority there are still many Loyalists who would never accept leaving the UK without a fight. Ofcourse nobody wants that but it would almost certainly come to that.
Part 2 out this Thursday (26th August 2021), so stay tuned for it!
You can't really look at religion as being a determining factor politically these days in Northern Ireland. For example, many of those once deeming themselves as Protestant no longer identity that way and list themselves as 'Other' or 'None' in the Census. This brings down the % of Protestants but doesn't bring down the % of Unionists, because those Prods who now describe themselves as Other or None are still Unionist.
Meanwhile Catholics are still much more likely to call themselves Catholic even if they aren't at all religious which keeps the Catholic % figures high, but that doesn't mean support for a United Ireland. Many Catholics today (20-30%) when polled explain they would vote to remain within the United Kingdom.
The Unionists viewed it as a sectarian war (back to 1690 and all that)which suited the British military framing of themselves as 'neutral peacemakers' holding the ring between the primitive paddies, thus erasing the civil rights argument against the apartheid tribal state£et p£anted to keep Ireland divided, and thus conquered, in perpetuity.
Simon Wiggins - would love links to reputable sites that back up your claims, thanks.
@@damienflinter4585 If you're going to make a bigoted and hateful comment, you could - at the very least - make it more intelligible. (Or perhaps you're simply too primitive - with little grasp of basic English grammar - to make it any clearer.)
@@maskellmaolseachlainn6347
Any chance of an example of that 'hate and bigotry' from my above comment, Maskell?
I'd suggest you are projecting your own preconceived psychology.
As for my grammar, I've master's degree in English from TCD, so perhaps you should lodge your peevish whinge there.
I'm also old enough to have been a teenager as Paisley unleashed his hate and bigotry through the 1960s; and internment, torture, and the shoot-to-kill Para and asSASsination squads were unleashed on peaceful demonstrations.
I also spent time on the ground, from the Belfast streets to the walls of Derry and Garvaghy Road trying to explain to kids caught in the Unionist war-trap that they served nobody but Sandhurst and the status quo.
I also have a degree in history, so I'm not regurgitating hearsay. TCD is hardly a nationalist stronghold, and one of my lecturers was an Enniskillen Protestant who seldom had to contradict or correct my views.
Try sobering up, reading what I wrote, and replying without the reactionary knee-jerk.
Slán.
@@damienflinter4585 spot on 👍👍
Thanks for another good video.
Anyhow, I think that there is probably one important mistake (time stamp 14:18) when you're telling: "... having this border down the Irish Sea means that goods going to and from Northern Ireland..."
It's only "to", not "from". The border is from GB to Northern Ireland, not other way around: NI can export to GB like ever before.
The UK Gov -website page "Guidance Trading and moving goods in and out of Northern Ireland" tells: "There are no changes to how qualifying Northern Ireland goods move directly from Northern Ireland to Great Britain."
This is why now NI has really good position for companies located there: free access to both the GB as well as to the EU.
Therefore I don't understand the stubbornness of DUP. Do you really know what they want?
Thanks for that, and yes I had misspoke when I said that, it is indeed only GB to NI and not the other way around. Thanks for the correction!
@@frankaczmarek3042 To me (an outsider) it looks like DUP is not trying to find what is best for Northern Ireland, they simply try to keep NI as close as possible to the rest of the UK (and as far as possible from the ROI). No matter what damage this might do for the people in NI.
DUP is talking as if they presented all the population of NI. They got 30,6% (loss of 5.4%) of the votes in the 2019 in the general election in Northern Ireland. Yeah, it's big, but far from the majority that they try to make it look like.
@@poronkieli Thank you very much for the answer. I had similar suspicions that they saying NO just because.
I'm Polish-Canadian but Irlend's situation always was very close to my heart Especially my interest was awoken when Margaret Tatcher allowed young Irish freedom fighters to die on a prison hunger strike. Since that time I read everything I could find about the Irish struggle.
Similarly, I feel for Scottish people.
But it doesn't mean I don't like English people. Most of them are wonderful, unfortunately, some are not.
@@poronkieli One more thing. recently last DUP leader lost his position because his party is not allowing the Irish language to be recognized in NI. This is such a sad story because this is Ireland but Irish the language of the land is still not allowed.
I would have considered myself a unionist, and still very much identify as British. However, now that I have a family and want them to have the best possible future, I simply cannot support continued Union with GB. The future here is a united Ireland, and after an initial shock to the system, I am sure most would settle into the new reality. With that new reality the prospect of a national government with a real vested interest in the prosperity of this place is very very appealing. Great video, it is well informed and above all focuses on the facts.
Hi Alan - the orange in our flag is for your people.
@@finishedarticle7953 Thankfully I was taught that at a very young age, unfortunately some others simply refuse to understand our shared history. Also, 'My people' are your people. Until we all think in those terms unification (unity) will take a very long time.
@@alanbailie5458 What unionists need to understand is that republican history is peopled by Protestant advocates (not least Ulstermen and women) and that southerners identify with their British history and culture far too much for political health. We have no problem acknowledging the genius of Swift, possibly the original internal rebel, an Ascendancy Protestant at the heart of empire. English people know our contribution to their literature better than many Irish people too busy watching the football and soap and, thanks to a savage education, alienated from their own Gaelic teanga almost as much as the DUP reactionaries. Spike Milligan's Puckoon and Dave Allen's comic genius spring to mind. Besides, its time to get planetary and escape these flat-earth delusions before the Borises f£atten it permanently with their mega£omanic war toys.
Or are we already too late?
Thank you very much for this comment, it's great that its from the heart, however I must say that I'm somewhat disappointed (from my own narrow selfish position), only in that you are the first and only Unionist that I can see anywhere on the comment section for this video, and yet you have now come around to the concept of a United Ireland. Can you please spread this video amongst other Unionists so that I can get their take on this also?
Unless of course most other Unionists are like you say, hostile to the concept, but will slowly but surely adapt to the new change relatively easily haha?
A lot of people despise the orange-green labelling, especially if they are half-breeds.
Even if we were united we would never be united.
Brilliant way of putting it!
@@skeletonkeysproductionskp Cheers Man!! Also if I had you as my history teacher back in the day I would have definitely got an A+ 😉
It'll be grand.
Eventually we will be united. Protestant and catholic doesn't matter. Wolfe Tone, Robert Emmet, and other Protestant figures were Irish nationalists. Connolly and several others had no belief in religion at all and believed it was divisive to segregate people by faiths.
Eventually we will be united. All of us. One irish people.
@@AM-xh9iq or ROC could unite and join the UK again because i refuse to call myself irish again and no i do not hate catholics or irishmen as my dad is catholic who served in the british army in the troubles. But the divide has gone on for so long i dont feel irish but British
Let's just say Brexit screwed the best option for peace and tolerance that Ulster could ever had.
It just threw a huge chunk of crap into the vent, and "good luck: have fun!"
Very much disagree, Brexit did nothing but just warm up a frozen conflict. There was no peace or prospect of real peace and there won't be until the issue is finally resolved properly. Stay tuned for Part 2 where I'll be discussing my opinions on what the solutions ought to be.
@@skeletonkeysproductionskp The EU took nationalism and unionism out of the N.I.field of view, all the crap would have gradually died away. Cameron, the yellow belly just pandered to one loud mouthed English fraction and waved the arse-hole flags in NI all over again, he was a prat.
Reasonably accurate except, I would find fault where you said after the 1916 Rising Ireland switched from wanting devolution within the British empire to wanting full blown independence. I can see where this misunderstanding arises, but it isn't correct. The Irish people always wanted complete seperation from Britain. It was what they fought for in 1798 and in 1641 and in a thousand other battles. But as long as they pursued this ambition via constitutional means (with the Home Rule party) the only way to achieve it wasn't just to secure the support of Irish people - which was a given - but also of a majority of the House of Commons and the House of Lords. There was no way on earth, the British parliament, at the height of it's power were ever going to agree to complete independence at a time when empire was an ideology and the King's writ extended across on quarter of the globe. So the parliamentry party campaigned for dominion. But that does not mean that their true end goal.
Think of it like a captive's negotion with their kidnapper. As a captive, you might ask your kidnapper to let you walk outside in the garden under supervision, instead of being cooped up in the basement all the time. That doesn't mean that was all you wanted. It just means those were the best terms you had a shot of securing.
Except polling at the time showed just that, a majority didn't actually want to be completely independent. It was the ham fisted execution of the "ring leaders" of the Easter Rising that turned public opinion. Noting that Home Rule was all agreed and ready to role but was on hold due to this things called WWI. No WWI, home rule would have come in 1914 and there would have been no Easter Rising. Germans have a lot to answer for.
@@jonathanbuzzard1376 That's completely untrue. Opinion polling didn't even exist in Ireland at the time. You made that up.
@@eoin79 That's because you have been taught a distorted view of history as the victors have re-imaged history as they wanted it to look. The idea that there was prior to the Easter Rising in 1916 anywhere near a majority in support of an independent Ireland is like thinking the Bolsheviks where in the majority in 1917. Nice story, completely fabricated.
Concise and accurate.
Loving the support, thanks for that!
Idk if I’m just a naive biased Irishman but idk how you can back England when they essentially started all these troubles by coming here in the first place
I back England because I'm an Englishman. Ireland wasn't Eden before the English came, but we wasted a whole lot of time, men and resources occupying an island that had little strategic value and has continually been a thorn in our side with very little to show for it.
Prayers for Ireland.
Indeed, they need it
The Irish Republic will become whole & we will annex the North soon
@@Ceiteach.O.Duibhir Annex isn't the word I would use, annex implies forceful taking over
Wow, what an intelligent person
My man! Thanks for that!
Great presentation, you must be the first English person to actually care enough to understand north Ireland! 👍
Thanks for that, I grew up knowing about this conflict, have travelled there twice and loved it, and have mates out there as well from both communities, so I understand how important it is to get this right so that everyone can live in peace and happiness.
@@skeletonkeysproductionskp you dont need to say "mainland Britain" though when refering to trouble spilling into GB, as Ireland is not in Britain.
@@OhEidirsceoil Actually Ireland is part of the British Isles and it is normal to use the term mainland Britain to refer to the biggest island.
@@asanulsterman1025 the term B, isles has been rejected in recent decades by both WM and our parliment in Dublin. It is not usual to say Ireland is British or part of Britain. But It is perfectly normal to refer to Great Britain though. There is no confusion as to what or who this refers to. It is perfectly obvious.
It’s Northern Ireland. Not north of Ireland, north Ireland , 6 counties etc
Good work! The one thing that I would suggest would be to mention that the GFA rules out any repartition. Either NI remains as a whole within the UK or it joins the rest of Ireland as a whole.
Thanks for that, and yeah I'm well aware of that, but as I always say "Laws were made to be amended", and once the political reality of the GFA coming into effect, the next step will likely be a repartition based along the voting lines of that referendum, with Unionist communities being given autonomous status within the RoI.
There could be a big autonomous traditional unionist theme park in some dreary town between the hills on the west side of Lough Neagh. It could be plastered in _orange only_ signs like in the good ole boys days below the Mason Dickson line.
Have a nice day Y’all.
To Laurie Campbell, Laurie that was One of the Best Answers I have heard, we need More Men with Your Train Of Thought. you are a Good Man and I would like to Thank You Sir for your Fantastic Input... P O'Neill
Glad it was helpful!
We Celts are sometimes our own worst enemies, at least we seem to have some kind of soul, God bless you sir.
You could have something like a federal setup for a while...this would give the north a semi independent status
Yes exactly, I'd say that would be the optimal solution, kind of an autonomous region status in which most of Antrim and North Down govern themselves.
@@skeletonkeysproductionskp kicking the can down the road won't help, needs to be addressed from day one.
@@skeletonkeysproductionskp Nope, SKP...it's like any racist apartheid mentality...it needs decommissioning. Tory neoimperial Borisitis is a varient virus.
I think the North should be given the exact same government by the South as they have now in the UK.
@@skeletonkeysproductionskp There are many Catholics living in Antrim and North Down who might not be happy with this arrangement.
Well done sir. I fully realise you'd 22 mins to try to produce a digest of the Irish issue, and you have done a grand job. It would be a very good "dummies guide to...." no insult intended but people are absolutely clueless and maybe your video will get them to think it through a little more
Class analysis of the situation here in the north 👍
Thanks for that, when I first read your comment I thought you were saying it was an analysis on Class loool
@@skeletonkeysproductionskp 😂 I understand the confusion
Northern Ireland wasn't given a second thought when borris and his buddies were banging the brexit drum ...because they don't care about Ireland. Never have done, its a hangover from their colonial past . They would gladly wash their hands of it in the morning . I genuinely feel sorry for the unionist community...I hope they realise they have nothing to fear from a united Ireland. Think they would be actually better off in the long run. Being able to control their own destiny. The poorest areas on the island are protestant working class areas so it couldn't be much worse than it is now .
Definitely agree that most Englishmen don't care about it and see it as a hold over from our colonial past. However, stay tuned for Part 2 of this video where I discuss the matter of Unionists/Loyalists and their thoughts on a United Ireland.
I feel like an ideal situation would be a referendum taking place, then if united ireland won, it would be decided by British and Irish governments that a decade would be needed to gradually transition. In that decade a dialogue between people of the island (the republic uses citizens assemblies, they’re democratic and have proven great at coming up with solutions to divisive issues) the citizens assembly could also include British members or perhaps another citizens assembly for the future relationship between these two islands could take place too, so within that decade we’d have the beginning of a consensus on how we govern the island and how we address the relationship between these two islands. The common travel area would have to be made permanent, British rights in Ireland would have to be on par with Irish rights, identity on the British side would have to be allowed to pass down from generation to generation, we would probably need a new flag, and a new anthem. Irish would probably have to be more discreet and more of a second language with English being the first. Consentions on both sides would have to be made. The British government would have to slowly reduce fiscal support as the Irish Government takes up fiscal responsibility for Northern Ireland, we’d also probably need a loan package from the IMF and the EU to cover infrastructure disparities - but I would say that after a period of time, the island would have a stronger economy and a wealthier population, and if done right, in terms of our relations with our neighbours it could also be a catalyst for proper and lasting peace.
The Irish flag would also have to be changed to reflect the British population in the North. Possibly a Union Jack ensign like Australia.
Some excellent suggestions here, if only more people in Govt were of a like-mind to yourself! I would say that the timescale of 10 years would be too much though, a transition period of 2-5 years is already more than long enough (as someone who lived through the Brexit negotiations, the general public become agitated and frustrated about processes taking more than 3 years to implement). Other than that, couldn't have come up with a better set of proposals if I'd come up with them myself!
I doubt that most Irish, North or South, would be happy to end British rule in Ireland only to adopt it on their flag (plus the Union Jack would have to be changed to, as it would no longer have the Cross of St Patrick).
People who love flags ARE the problem!
Naw it is much simpler than that...the Protestants will kill lots of Catholics and the Irish Republic will think do we really need this hassle
As a Irish person you have covered a topic that generally most English people view that the Irish people potatoes didn't grow and why Irish people ended up dying because of that potatoes blight or moving to the UK is generally the answer I recieved regards to their general knowledge of Irish history across the board whatever part of England or Wales visited but slightly different emphasis in Scotland on Irish historic events since the "Glorious Revolution".
I'm a very very staunch republican, and I don't think there's a single point here I disagree with- good job here mate, by so so far the best evaluation of the situation I've ever seen from an Englishman, including those that have been living here since the middle of the troubles.
Thanks for the compliment, glad that you enjoyed this video!!