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Replying To Square_B:  "Tell me you don't understand the GFA without telling me you don't understand it :rolleyes:"
I do. I don't support it for very reason it accepts partition.

That's the whole point of it. Border poll is red herring. Calling one is in power of NI Secretary and he has to have reason ro believe it would pass.

There is none. Parties who support unity get 40%. Same as in 1998!

Not a chance it would pass.

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 3932 - 20/01/2026 17:30:44    2652166

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Replying To tireoghainabu:  "I read the book in a while of an evening, neither writer wrote with much conviction, probably written for the Christmas market.
Who in god's name ever said that a unity vote in a border poll would ever romp home?"
I definitely know some people who think that it's a done deal if/when a border poll is called. They tend to be younger people granted, with little grasp of all the nuances involved.

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 10203 - 20/01/2026 18:06:31    2652172

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Replying To updwell:  "Barney what about convincing the middle ground in the North that joining the Republlic makes more sense to them than staying part of the UK. That to me seems like a more viable and long term solution to a peaceful transition rather than just forcing ourselves on the North and pulling them screaming and roaring into a United Ireland. There will be a percentage in the North who would threaten violence and probably do something but the larger majority that see their future down here the less chance violence would continue. I would love to see a United Ireland one day but the more peaceful the transition the more likely it would last and be stronger."
I'd love to know the percentage of people in the North that at first wanted to be a United Ireland but do not want to be in the EU. Also if you were getting a pension from England and the Border went away would you still be receiving your pension you paid into?

SouthGalway (Galway) - Posts: 174 - 20/01/2026 18:22:38    2652177

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Replying To Freethinker:  "As I would expect, you are correct. A simple majority in polls both sides of the border will suffice. Under the GfA framework, in the event of a vote being defeated it should be at least 7 yrs before it can be reintroduced."
Good auld tireoghainabu and yourself have neglected the politics of it. You're correct however that is not what I was saying at all. Brexit is a good example of what happens when the decision is 50% + 1 vote. If you want the DUP and the likes to be questioning the legitimately of the vote, go ahead and run the vote at the first smell of a win. But if you want it to be legitimate in the eyes of everyone involved, it must have a resounding victory and be done once. Our friends over in Scotland have proven this, they had one shot and blew it. Now it may never come back on the table.

Square_B (Leitrim) - Posts: 1683 - 20/01/2026 18:30:57    2652179

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Replying To SouthGalway:  "I'd love to know the percentage of people in the North that at first wanted to be a United Ireland but do not want to be in the EU. Also if you were getting a pension from England and the Border went away would you still be receiving your pension you paid into?"
Didn't the North vote to reject Brexit.
There would have to be a lot of negotiations between Dublin, London and Brussels but I'd imagine the British would be happy to give a lot of sweetners to get rid of the 6 counties.

updwell (Limerick) - Posts: 938 - 20/01/2026 19:45:55    2652198

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Replying To Square_B:  "Good auld tireoghainabu and yourself have neglected the politics of it. You're correct however that is not what I was saying at all. Brexit is a good example of what happens when the decision is 50% + 1 vote. If you want the DUP and the likes to be questioning the legitimately of the vote, go ahead and run the vote at the first smell of a win. But if you want it to be legitimate in the eyes of everyone involved, it must have a resounding victory and be done once. Our friends over in Scotland have proven this, they had one shot and blew it. Now it may never come back on the table."
I wasn't debating the pro's or con's of a border poll. I was simply stating that Tireoighn was correct in that by rule, all that's needed is a simple majority. I would be inclined to agree with you in that a sizeable majority would be the better scenario. 50% plus 1 could possibly only embolden dissidents - on either side.

Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 2034 - 20/01/2026 20:14:36    2652201

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Replying To updwell:  "Didn't the North vote to reject Brexit.
There would have to be a lot of negotiations between Dublin, London and Brussels but I'd imagine the British would be happy to give a lot of sweetners to get rid of the 6 counties."
Yes, you're right they rejected Brexit so surely some of them also want a United Ireland but that would mean jumping back into the EU.

SouthGalway (Galway) - Posts: 174 - 20/01/2026 20:46:55    2652205

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Replying To Freethinker:  "I wasn't debating the pro's or con's of a border poll. I was simply stating that Tireoighn was correct in that by rule, all that's needed is a simple majority. I would be inclined to agree with you in that a sizeable majority would be the better scenario. 50% plus 1 could possibly only embolden dissidents - on either side."
Do you think 50% minus 1 is ok for the status quo to remain?

gunman (Donegal) - Posts: 1215 - 20/01/2026 21:32:13    2652212

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Trump has offered to buy Greenland or else he'll just take it, I think I'd take the first option If I were in Denmark's shoes given the power the USA has.

Tirchonaill1 (Donegal) - Posts: 3660 - 20/01/2026 21:41:18    2652213

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Replying To gunman:  "Do you think 50% minus 1 is ok for the status quo to remain?"
It's really a moot point until if and when a poll is called and the votes are counted. What I think of plus or minus one is neither here or there. At this particular point in time, what ever kind of country we have or haven't is under more economic threat from the shenanigans over Greenland. If this goes belly up, we will be in a cold dark spot for a year or two.

Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 2034 - 20/01/2026 23:03:34    2652227

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Replying To Tirchonaill1:  "Trump has offered to buy Greenland or else he'll just take it, I think I'd take the first option If I were in Denmark's shoes given the power the USA has."
Oh really, give into a bully. Right got ya :rolleyes:

Square_B (Leitrim) - Posts: 1683 - 21/01/2026 04:52:05    2652230

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Replying To BarneyGrant:  "There was an overwhelming vote for Irish unity and independence in 1918. Brits refused to recognise it and partitioned country to ensure a majority in six counties for staying in UK.

A border poll held on that basis would not be legitimate and in any even would not pass. SF keep on about it as it distracts from what they are doing: Running part of Ireland under license from Westminster.

Of course Greenland shouldn't be taken by the Americans. Mad stuff. Just as mad as England claiming part of our country. Except they are already here!"
I assume you are always referring to the 1918 General Election? Correct me if I am wrong but was that not an general election to elect representatives to UK Parliament? I am not sure how they could recognize something that didn't happen. 1918 was famous for a few things - I believe it was the first time that working class men over the age of 21 and women over the age of 30 could vote. You could vote twice in the same election in different constituencies, I think it had to do with if you had a business in one and lived in another. The same candidate could stand and be elected in multiple constituencies - not sure how that worked in voting in parliament. Dev stood in three but here is the thing, even back then things were not as simple as they seemed - he was defeated in Belfast by the IPP candidate. All that said SF got just under 50% of the 1st preference vote and the IPP under 25% - although both believed in self determination they had very different views on how it should be achieved. Here is the odd thing, the largest support for the IPP was in the six counties. There is an argument that because the Catholics in Ulster lived with the Unionists, they understood the need to have a representation in the UK Parliament more than the people of the rest of Ireland. Did they understand the unionists in a way the rest of the country could never, had they a choice would they have selected the course events took? the election had one major impact that is not talked about much and that was the conservatives were the biggest winners and it effectively sealed the fate of Ireland. The die was cast at that stage on patriation.

zinny (Wexford) - Posts: 2146 - 21/01/2026 08:23:15    2652233

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Replying To Tirchonaill1:  "Trump has offered to buy Greenland or else he'll just take it, I think I'd take the first option If I were in Denmark's shoes given the power the USA has."
The UK has offered to buy the Republic of Ireland. I think we should accept their offer and they would crush us in a military exchange.

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11880 - 21/01/2026 08:25:23    2652235

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Replying To Tirchonaill1:  "Trump has offered to buy Greenland or else he'll just take it, I think I'd take the first option If I were in Denmark's shoes given the power the USA has."
Disagree with you completely here mo chara.

Being frank about it, the incumbent has the mentality of a school yard bully. He talks and acts exactly like that. His latest presser was the umpteenth such example. Incoherent, narcissistic ramblings yet again, crying nonsense about the 8 wars he's ended and the Nobel Peace prize. It's so tiresome at this stage.

What do we always advise our kids to do with bullies? Stand up to them.

The Canadian PM showed the balls that all the rest of the Western leaders are lacking in his speech.

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 10203 - 21/01/2026 09:04:07    2652240

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Replying To Tirchonaill1:  "Trump has offered to buy Greenland or else he'll just take it, I think I'd take the first option If I were in Denmark's shoes given the power the USA has."
Your posts are embarrassing.

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8722 - 21/01/2026 12:36:06    2652291

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I predict Trump will not TAKE Greenland. Maybe he will make some kind of deal with Denmark, I'm not sure. What I'd LIKE to see is a vote for the Native Greenlanders of whether they want to be with Denmark, the USA, or straight up Independence. I remember reading some years back that Puerto Rico had some kind of vote for Statehood, continue as is, or Independence and they voted to stay as is. It was peaceful and not even a single beer got spilled. I still believe this is just Trump poking at China and Russia.

SouthGalway (Galway) - Posts: 174 - 21/01/2026 14:19:33    2652323

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Replying To SouthGalway:  "I predict Trump will not TAKE Greenland. Maybe he will make some kind of deal with Denmark, I'm not sure. What I'd LIKE to see is a vote for the Native Greenlanders of whether they want to be with Denmark, the USA, or straight up Independence. I remember reading some years back that Puerto Rico had some kind of vote for Statehood, continue as is, or Independence and they voted to stay as is. It was peaceful and not even a single beer got spilled. I still believe this is just Trump poking at China and Russia."
Agree Trump won't take Greenland, Im assuming he just wants to see what sort of balls Europe has!
Do you think Europe has being taking advantage of the United States ever since the liberation of Europe after WW 2?

katser (Galway) - Posts: 2777 - 21/01/2026 15:40:09    2652343

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Replying To zinny:  "I assume you are always referring to the 1918 General Election? Correct me if I am wrong but was that not an general election to elect representatives to UK Parliament? I am not sure how they could recognize something that didn't happen. 1918 was famous for a few things - I believe it was the first time that working class men over the age of 21 and women over the age of 30 could vote. You could vote twice in the same election in different constituencies, I think it had to do with if you had a business in one and lived in another. The same candidate could stand and be elected in multiple constituencies - not sure how that worked in voting in parliament. Dev stood in three but here is the thing, even back then things were not as simple as they seemed - he was defeated in Belfast by the IPP candidate. All that said SF got just under 50% of the 1st preference vote and the IPP under 25% - although both believed in self determination they had very different views on how it should be achieved. Here is the odd thing, the largest support for the IPP was in the six counties. There is an argument that because the Catholics in Ulster lived with the Unionists, they understood the need to have a representation in the UK Parliament more than the people of the rest of Ireland. Did they understand the unionists in a way the rest of the country could never, had they a choice would they have selected the course events took? the election had one major impact that is not talked about much and that was the conservatives were the biggest winners and it effectively sealed the fate of Ireland. The die was cast at that stage on patriation."
Sinn Féin stood on a platform of NOT going to Westminster, On this day in 1919 they met and declared independence.

Do they not teach that in school anymore?

SF would have won 75% of vote if anyone had contested the constituencies where no one stood against them. Besides, I don't think there's ever been a UK election won by a party with more or even close to 50%.

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 3932 - 21/01/2026 15:56:00    2652350

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Replying To katser:  "Agree Trump won't take Greenland, Im assuming he just wants to see what sort of balls Europe has!
Do you think Europe has being taking advantage of the United States ever since the liberation of Europe after WW 2?"
The USA has had numerous deals in history for territories: the purchase of Alaska from Russia, the Louisiana Purchase, etc., this isn't new. I would still prefer to let the Greenlanders decide for themselves via a fair vote.

SouthGalway (Galway) - Posts: 174 - 21/01/2026 15:57:11    2652351

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