How many people in the south care???

[Harry]

Is it possible to put a figure on how many residents of ROI actually have an interest in NI?? Now most of the chaps i've met from ROI haven't a care about it and are just ordinary fellas, proud to be Irish but with no interests in the going ons of the North. I'd put a estimate that less than 40% of southern people really care whether Ireland is United and at 40% i'm pushing it!!! How do Republicans from up here view their comrades from the south and vice versa?? I've always had a feeling that there is sometimes some friction in regards to those who had to endure the troubles and those who merely offered support from the safety of home???

Now the FF have decided to beef up their representation in the north does this indicate a shift and maybe shows that more people care down south than i thought??? With SF poor showing down south and with them being the only party pushing the border issue i see this as a better indication of support in the south and it pleased me greatly to see it ;D ;D,

[Republic]

Very good question Harry.
I think most northerners view southerners with a little bit of contempt for not helping them during the troubles or for not showing enough support prior to the troubles. IMHO anyway, I could be very wrong on that.

I saw it posted on another forum that southerners view the north as an embarrassing member of the family. Its like a drunken violent brother or uncle. You love them and consider them part of the family, but you are embarrassed by their actions and have decided to wash your hands of them until they have got their act together.
I think that is a fair generalisation of how the south views the north.
I'm not saying it is right, but I do think that is the general opinion.

A good indication of it is indeed the elections. The border is not an issue come election time, there are at least 5-10 more pressing issues for the southern electorate than the border.

I think there is a gulf between northern Irish and southern Irish- one example is the way each community views SF and the IRA.

[Jim]

I had a reply written out to this but it didnt work because my internets being the bollocks.

I dont hold southerners in contempt, everyone knows that if the Irish army had of crossed the border during the battle of the bogside it would have been an international incident with people on Britains side because its technically their territory. Instead they done what they could across the border giving aid to people caught in the violence.

That opinion of the north is the same opinion the English and the Scottish have so its not very worrying. They're probably a bit harsher infact.

Honestly, I dont think its near 40% at all for a favour of a united Ireland, the Good friday agreement was a question of consent, 90 something % of people who voted, in the south, voted yes, everyone north and south that dropped their vote into the box knew it was ultimately about "if a united Ireland is going to happen through consent, will you accept it". The border is not an issue come election time because the issue has been resolved to a fair degree and even in the north we dont focus on the border as much anymore, last election Sinn Fein and the DUP won the most seats honestly because they tried the hardest, the UUP and the SDLP done fuck all electioneering apart from putting a few posters around belfast city hall.

Even in a united Ireland the border is going to be an issue for a few years because its existed, its fact, its there and its unfortunate but its not something thats going to deter a lot of people from saying no to uniting the island. Sinn Fein and the IRA are only one version of republicanism, in the south republicanism can have a whole different meaning, the PDs are republicans by default.

[Wasp]

in the south republicanism can have a whole different meaning,

I have to agree with you here Jim.

[Jim]

They'll agree to it when we retake the name for the tallest building in Ireland

[Republic]

setanta said:

80% in the last poll seemed to think it'd be in their interests dude!
archives.tcm.ie/businesspost/2006/04/02/story13121.asp

Setanta if I see that poll quoted once more I'm going to go fucking crazy

Its a poll of 1,000 people.
1,000.

Its a sunday business post poll.

If you're going to criticise the sindo for being anti-SF (which it is), then at least apply the same standards to the SBP for being pro-republican (which it is).

Now I wouldnt take either paper at face value, as they seem incapable of unbiased opinion IMO.

''Almost a quarter of voters - 22 per cent - believe that ‘‘delivering a united Ireland should be the government’s first priority’’.''

Do you really believe that? One quarter of the southern electorate?
Come on


The opening statement ''The great majority of Irish people are nationalists to a greater or lesser degree'' is hardly groundbreaking.

Most people do care to an extent, but they have greater priorities.

However, if we were given a UI with no political turmoil or violence, I would say 98% of the population would vote yes.

However, that will not be the case and it is then that people will start questioning the strength of their nationalism.

[Republic]

The article makes one good point which sums up the feeling of the population in general

''Overall, the figures show the enduring strength of the Irish people’s attachment to the ideal of Irish unity - even if most of them are in no hurry to achieve it in practice.''

That is as close to the truth as you will get.

[Jim]

Ack for fuck sake my post didnt show up again. Feckin internet.

Opinion polls are shit, there was one on a united Ireland I think a few years ago done in a part of belfast, somewhere between Sandy row (heavily loyalist), Lisburn road (loyalist but also commercial) and the Queens area/Malone (posh). You can guess what the result was.

The only opinion poll that counts is a referendum, nothing more or less.

[Republic]

jim said:

Opinion polls are shit,

The only opinion poll that counts is a referendum, nothing more or less.

Quoted for truth. ;D

[Republic]

So the Sunday BusinessPost is pro Republican Socialist, Sinn Féin?
and this shows up where?

But the sunday independent is independent.
What a terrible argument setanta, the name of the paper doesnt mean a thing.

Do you have a poll to contradict it? Do you have anything other then your myopic reasoning to contradict it?

No, polls are shit. They dont prove a thing.

as for the 22%, well most people I hang out with think it should be. See differnet circles, differnet views.

I'd say the people you hang out with are all moderates alright

the fact that the vast majority of Irish People vote for people that are in the Republican Spectrum tells me the same.

The vast majority of people vote for parties that are nominally nationalist.
Which proves the statement
''Overall, the figures show the enduring strength of the Irish people’s attachment to the ideal of Irish unity - even if most of them are in no hurry to achieve it in practice.''
is true.

Nationalist/republican in theory, and would take a UI if it involved no hassle, but not very nationalist/republican if it involves a bit of hassle.

[Wasp]

This topic is quite interesting so I would like to add to it. I was recently over in the Downings where I met an old friend for a drink. Back at his house we all sat and chatted about the current situation. Now this friend of mine comes from a republican background and well his views of N.Ireland were at times laughable which he admits himself. That all changed though when he lived here himself for a while.

His mum who hates politics and who is one of the nicest ladies you could ever meet said herself she always worried incase her son got involved in something stupid because of the company he had been keeping as well as the fact some of his relations were involved with the republican movement.

Anyway even though he supports sinn fein and would like someday to see a UI etc, he now says things should be left as they are as everyone has got a bit of what they want. A few in the house felt it was better to leave us to it and let the people in the republic get on with there lives and let those in the north get on with theirs. Only one person kept up the arguement for a UI, but the rest had little or no interest in general which they said was echoed by alot of there friends and relations.

[Republic]

setanta said:

OK bottom line. What is it that makes you believe that the majority of people in the 26 Counties don't want Unification?

They would oppose unification if a majority in NI didnt also want it, IMO.

There are a number of factors which may influence any future poll, eg, paramilitary threat, economics, changes to the constitution, flag, etc.
It is impossible to say what issues would arise, and which of these would cause problems.

I never said that the island as a whole would not vote for unification.

The problem for you is getting NI to vote in favour of unification.
Seeing as you like polls so much, here is one showing how only 23% of the population want unification with the ROI
www.ark.ac.uk/nilt/2006/Political_Attitudes/FUTURENI.html

The original Q was, does the south care?
Are you saying that as a whole, the south is very interested in the everyday workings of NI?

[Jim]

That poll was from 1230 different people.

[Republic]

jim said:

That poll was from 1230 different people.

It was to counter setantas poll.
I have the same opinion of polls as you do.

[Republic]

setanta said:

My poll was in the 26 counties dude.
Plus I never intimated that the people in the 26 would go for a United Ireland contrary to the wishes of the people in the 6. Everything I have said has been based on democracy and the pricible of consent.

And from what I see in your poll is that support for a United Ireland has RISEN since they did the last one. And that the younger generation are far more likely to vote for a United Ireland which bodes well for the future, which is what I'm building for,

how far in the future?
30, 40, 50 years?