Northern Ireland. List what you think Unionist and Republican leaders have each most feared in trying to negotiate a compromise. What do you think the feared most from their own side?
Northern Ireland! Question about History!
- Thread starter Veronica
- Start date
Edric Streona
Ad Honorem
- Feb 2016
- 4,531
- Japan
Unionists-
Becoming part of the Irish republic.
Popery.
Republicans-
Being kept out of power in any NI assembly.
Always remaining British.
Becoming part of the Irish republic.
Popery.
Republicans-
Being kept out of power in any NI assembly.
Always remaining British.
Unionists feared that the Catholic Church would control society.
Republicans feared that Unionists would tear up any agreement as soon as they disarmed.
Republicans feared that Unionists would tear up any agreement as soon as they disarmed.
Despite the Good Friday Agreement of 1998/99(?) there are still tensions in N.I. There may be a fantasy in the Republic of Ireland that Brexit might result in the unification of the island. That is doubtful. There are too many economic and social differences that would probably aggravate those tensions. In any unification, N.I. counties would not have the British army to intervene if the "Troubles' reignited.
Can you elaborate? I think N.I. could get very messy if Brexit blows up the Good Friday "settlement" as it has been understood.
Its a I said. They have refused repeatedly to go back to Stormont. They attended for a few years but then decided to leave and have not went back since. That was about 3 years ago. My own opinion is that they realized that they were part of the British system and so they withdrew.
- Sep 2012
- 1,640
- London, centre of my world
Welcome to Historum, Veronica.
I assume you mean the political leaders and not the paramilitary ones.
What would they fear from their own sides? -
In the event of any compromise (or 'surrender' - a very emotive word in the region) this could result in the formation of hard-line splinter groups from the existing paramilitaries to carry on the violence, even against their own side, who would be seen as traitors.
Both sides had plenty of 'volunteers' unfussed about using guns and explosives, it was a plausible fear.
I assume you mean the political leaders and not the paramilitary ones.
What would they fear from their own sides? -
In the event of any compromise (or 'surrender' - a very emotive word in the region) this could result in the formation of hard-line splinter groups from the existing paramilitaries to carry on the violence, even against their own side, who would be seen as traitors.
Both sides had plenty of 'volunteers' unfussed about using guns and explosives, it was a plausible fear.
- Apr 2019
- 116
- Ireland
What Sinn Fein and the DUP fear most is more moderate elements of the Nationalist or Unionist spectrum ousting them as the main political parties. Devolution in Northern Ireland would be a lot better if this was the case. It may take a whole further generation for this to change.
For those who talk of people in the Republic of Ireland harbouring wishful thoughts of Irish Unification in a post-Brexit fallout, I can only say that there are a lot more people here (ROI) who don't want the responsibility of that - quite simply because a sizeable minority problem would then be transferred from the UK to Ireland. Sinn Fein have little support in the Republic and it's mostly their own rhetoric espousing a United Ireland currently.
For those who talk of people in the Republic of Ireland harbouring wishful thoughts of Irish Unification in a post-Brexit fallout, I can only say that there are a lot more people here (ROI) who don't want the responsibility of that - quite simply because a sizeable minority problem would then be transferred from the UK to Ireland. Sinn Fein have little support in the Republic and it's mostly their own rhetoric espousing a United Ireland currently.
We'll see what the coming election brings about. In the past on the Sinn Fein side there was a lot of personation which took place and got Gerry Adams elected. So the same could happen again.