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DUP leader Arlene Foster. Yui Mok

42% of people in the North want a united Ireland - poll

In a rare result, the poll puts those who want a united Ireland almost on par with those who want to remain as part of the UK.

THERE ARE ALMOST the same number of people who want a united Ireland as who want to remain as part of the United Kingdom, according to a poll of Northern Irish citizens.

An online survey conducted by Lucid Talk for the BBC found that 45% of people in Northern Ireland wanted to remain as part of the UK, while 42.1% said they would like to join the Republic of Ireland. 12.7% said they didn’t know.

The result represents a much closer percentage than a Queens University poll which put the percentage at 21% in favour of a united Ireland. According to the BBC, Lucid Talk’s Bill White believes the online survey method may catch more “shy” united Ireland supporters than face-to-face interviews used in the Queens University study.

Traditionally, support for remaining under British rule has been the majority viewpoint. But since the UK voted to leave the European Union, there’s been a discussion that a referendum on Irish unity could be held in Northern Ireland in order to remain as part of the EU. The North voted to remain in the EU, and there are concerns that there won’t be a solution to the Irish border issue, causing difficulties for the day-to-day lives of those in Northern Ireland.

There were a number of other interesting (though not concrete, let’s remember) findings in the poll:

  • Fewer people in Northern Ireland think of themselves as British than in any other UK region. Just 46.7% see themselves as being British, compared to 58.6% who call themselves Irish.

Poll BBC BBC

  • More than a quarter of people said that the UK’s decision to leave the EU has made them more likely to vote for a united Ireland.

Poll2 BBC BBC

When asked whether they agree that politicians in Westminster reflect their concerns, 62.4% of Northern Irish citizens said that they “strongly disagree”, with a further 18.9% saying they “tend to disagree”.

Today, an audio of British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson was released where he said that it was “unbelievable” that the UK government was allowing the Northern Ireland issue to control the Brexit deal the UK wants.

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    Mute David Giles
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    May 28th 2014, 9:35 PM

    This is an excellent idea as it will remind people of the great achievement of John Redmond and his colleagues in the Irish Parliamentary Party in securing Home Rule for Ireland in 1914 just before the outbreak of the First World War. The Implementation of the Act was suspended because of the war but nevertheless it was a great achievement for Redmond and his predecessors as leaders of constitutional democratic Irish nationalism such as Charles Stewart Parnell and Daniel O’Connell “The Liberator” . But then two years later, the Easter Riding occurred and the tragedies of the Troubles and the Civil War followed. ” All changed utterly and a terrible beauty was born”.

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    Mute David Giles
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    May 28th 2014, 9:36 PM

    I meant to say Easter Rising of course.

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    Mute Trealoch O Loinsigh
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    May 28th 2014, 9:40 PM

    The Easter rising must be seen in context against the backdrop of the home rule efforts. A terrible beauty indeed!!

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    Mute Paul Roche
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    May 28th 2014, 9:40 PM

    The Easter Riding is going to attract a few chuckles… Sadly, this will take away from your otherwise excellent post.
    If only we could correct the spelling errors which we suffer as a result of auto-correct features…

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    Mute PaoloFreire
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    May 28th 2014, 9:56 PM

    It was an achievement but a few observations (in the light of the Rising comments):

    1. If Redmond was so sure that Home Rule would be granted, why did he feel the need to encourage thousands of Irish men to fight and die in WW1 to prove our loyalty and guarantee HR?
    2. I’m not 100% sure that we can say that people preferred HR to a Republic e.g. women didn’t have a vote for starters; I assume there weren’t Republican candidates in many constituencies and people often vote for what they imagine is possible in the short term, as opposed to what they may feel is utopian.
    3. The Rising took place in the context of European nationalism, jingoism and militarism and as there had been a Irish Parliamentary Party majority in Ireland for years- on what basis did the British deny self-determination in this context.
    At what point can one legitimately resist the refusal to respect democratic wishes. For some it came down to if they trusted them to implement this Act or not.

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    Mute crankyrider
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    May 28th 2014, 10:24 PM

    Yeah as the old saying goes ” auto correct I’m sick of your shirt”

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    Mute Diarmuid
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    May 28th 2014, 10:36 PM

    Could Home Rule have been implemented without a civil war and/or partition?

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    Mute Trealoch O Loinsigh
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    May 28th 2014, 10:48 PM

    Probably not. The UVF were already arming themselves against the prospect of home rule and Redmond has already agreed to partition. What was different in 1914 is that the British establishment were behind home rule and were willing to use force against the UVF to ensure its implementation.

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    Mute T Beckett
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    May 28th 2014, 11:33 PM

    @David

    Do you have a reason as to why the British refused to introduce Home Rule after WW1?

    Do you think the War of Independence had something to do with the British aversion to leaving other peoples’ countries or their aversion to democracy when it doesn’t suit them?

    Also, I think you meant to say War of Independence, not “Troubles”.

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    Mute T Beckett
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    May 28th 2014, 11:46 PM

    ” it was a great achievement for Redmond and his predecessors as leaders of constitutional democratic Irish nationalism”

    I hate to break it to you but the 1st Dáil Éireann WAS democratic Irish nationalism.

    Such a shame, those British nationalists weren’t too democratic in recognising that.

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    Mute Oisín Ó Cuilleanáin
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    May 28th 2014, 11:57 PM

    The tragedies of the troubles? How condensending, In 1918 Sinn Fein won 73 out of 105 seats in the election, that gave a mandate for an irish republic, the British establishment refused to recognise the democratic will of the irish people by deaming Dail Eireann illegal, the war of independence had democratic backing, it is insulting and ignorant to say it was merely a troubled period. We also must remember that john redmond convince thousands of irish men to be slaughtered in a imperialist war between two cousins which culled a whole generation of young Europeans, but to be fair to him, he did come close to getting home rule.

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    Mute Diarmuid
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    May 29th 2014, 1:08 AM

    It was called “The Troubles” in the 1920s.. “The War of Independence” was a later creation and is now the accepted name… The 1918 Dáil, though “democratic”, was illegal under UK law.. A partitioned version of Home Rule was legislated for in the Government of Ireland Act 1920.. “Northern Ireland” ran with its parliament until 1972, the “Southern Ireland” parliament had one meeting, was suspended indefinitely, then abolished under the Treaty.

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    Mute Kevin Kaa
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    May 29th 2014, 8:15 AM

    Wasn’t it the other way around…? I believe the North met once and opted out of a union with the south and instead chose to be reabsorbed into the UK.

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    Mute PaoloFreire
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    May 28th 2014, 9:37 PM

    That headline makes it look like Carson was a Home Rule leader.

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    Mute T Beckett
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    May 28th 2014, 11:30 PM

    The stamp forgets to mention that Carson was a sectarian bigot, who used to fan the flames of orange bigotry.

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    Mute John Michael
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    May 29th 2014, 12:09 AM

    Carson was a unionist who feared for his community if it were to become part of an Irish free state ruled by a catholic majority. Sectarianism was around for years before he came to power. He didn’t invent it. He just played by the same rules of both sides. You should read up on him before castigating his heritage. P.s. I’m an Irish catholic.

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    Mute T Beckett
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    May 29th 2014, 1:06 AM

    Carson used to have his stage lined with Protestant clergymen. Google image it if you like.

    He also supported gun running to stop democracy.

    (This was not the same with Redmond and Catholic clergymen).

    The first few years of Carson ruled NI resulted in thousands of Catholics being forced out of their homes, usually to Dublin.

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    Mute Sean Montgomery
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    May 29th 2014, 6:35 AM

    Well said.

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    Mute Inigo Montoya
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    May 29th 2014, 8:50 AM

    Carson was not sectarian – he believed in a United Ireland under British rule… read a book rather than relying on google images – how many ‘catholic’ leaders used clergy to further their aims? and campaign with them… Carson for example was one of the original people to set rules to hurling and played it in Trinity before the formation of GAA. He was a unionist and a protestant… he was also against partition until it became clear the rest of the country was going to push for sovereignty.

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    Mute Inigo Montoya
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    May 29th 2014, 8:52 AM

    Also Redmond was responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of Irish men for calling on them to swell the ranks of the British army to fight in the wrong war.

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    Mute Doc
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    May 29th 2014, 9:31 AM

    You say fight in the wrong war Inigo, which was the right war ? please tell me.

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    Mute Inigo Montoya
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    May 29th 2014, 9:57 AM

    The war for Irish freedom.

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    Mute Tommy Whelan
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    May 29th 2014, 10:31 AM

    Inigo Redmond could not have known that ww1 was to last upto 1918 with 50000 Irish dead . It was predicted the war would have been over by Xmas . No one believe the war would have turn into the slaughter that it became .

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    Mute Tommy Whelan
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    May 29th 2014, 11:28 AM

    The right war is when Irish men fight for the wish of the Irish people . During Redmands time there was more support for homerule then there was for independence . The view of the Irish people that live in Ireland at the beginning of the century is very much different then the views of the people that live in Ireland today .

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    Mute T Beckett
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    May 29th 2014, 2:26 PM

    @Inigo

    I have read books on this, and they all reach the same conclusion.

    Carson stoked the fires of sectarianism when it suited him to ignore democracy and use violence to stop his beloved Westminster.

    It is generally accepted the Home Rulers gave scant regard to the unionists and did not engage in the same fear mongering.

    Fear mongering and idiocy that the nutter loyalists still peddle today.

    Regarding Redmond, I agree.

    But to put it another way, the anti-war nationalists i.e. Trade unions, IRB, Sinn Féin. – all were proved right that Redmond was wrong to tell young Irishmen to go to war.

    He was betrayed aswell.

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    Mute Denise Friary
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    May 28th 2014, 9:42 PM

    It should be John Hume and Gerry Adams on that stamp and in my opinion Carson was a traitor he was born a Catholic from Dublin

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    Mute Jamesy Boy
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    May 28th 2014, 10:08 PM

    Why Gerry Adams?

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    Mute alwaysrightokay
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    May 28th 2014, 10:12 PM

    Actually Denise it should be john Hume and David Trimble. Adams is a murdering toerag.

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    Mute Trealoch O Loinsigh
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    May 28th 2014, 10:13 PM

    And Wolftone was a Protestant; the relationship between Ireland and Britain are far more complex than the narrow sectarian view.

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    Mute Ben Smith
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    May 28th 2014, 10:49 PM

    Carson was a Protestant, although I don’t see how someone being a Catholic or Protestant makes them more or less of a “traitor”. He was a patriot who thought Ireland’s best interest lay within the union. Ironically, despite the statue of him outside Stormont, he saw partition as a bitter defeat.

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    Mute Denise Friary
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    May 28th 2014, 10:51 PM

    OK I will agree on Trimble instead of Adams

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    Mute Trealoch O Loinsigh
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    May 28th 2014, 10:53 PM

    And Carson was very vocal against the execution of the leaders of the rising.

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    Mute Denise Friary
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    May 28th 2014, 10:56 PM

    Ben, Carson was born a Catholic and became a protestant and you omitted to agree that he was born in Dublin.

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    Mute Ben Smith
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    May 28th 2014, 11:22 PM

    He was not “born a Catholic”, his family were Anglicans and Carson himself was even a member of the Orange Order, so I don’t know where you got that idea from? And I omitted to agree that he was born in Dublin because it’s irrelevant.

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    Mute Stuart Broomfield
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    May 28th 2014, 11:31 PM

    Really can’t see why being born a Catholic (don’t think he was btw) or being from Dublin, would mean that he was a traitor for having unionist politics. For example, Scotland are debating independence at the moment, good people will disagree on what road they should take, but would it be fair to say that a catholic no-voter from Edinburgh must be a traitor, and a Protestant yes-voter from Glasgow a patriot.
    Surely Carson did what was right by his lights, and Redmond the same

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    Mute Sean Montgomery
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    May 29th 2014, 6:42 AM

    Carson was not a Catholic!

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    Mute Bobby
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    May 28th 2014, 9:38 PM

    Angela Merkel will be next. Ireland’s saviour.

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    Mute Pickart Solny
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    May 28th 2014, 9:41 PM

    ‘The Act emerged after Catholic Emancipation’ The Home Rule Act was passed in 1914 but the Roman Catholic Relief Act was passed in 1829. That is a gap of 85 years.

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    Mute Neal Ireland Hello
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    May 28th 2014, 9:26 PM

    History ‘n’ shit.

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    Mute Tony
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    May 28th 2014, 10:20 PM

    A great comment Neal. ( Hope you don’t think I’m patronising you)

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    Mute Seamus O'ceadagain
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    May 28th 2014, 11:17 PM

    wasn’t Redmond a west brit?….he was looking for cannon fodder for the brits

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    Mute Seamus O'ceadagain
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    May 28th 2014, 11:26 PM

    Wolftone was a true Irish Hero….Adams well….he can disappear into the night before the next free state elections….

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    Mute Seamus O'ceadagain
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    May 28th 2014, 11:48 PM

    I personally believe after the hungerstrikes and Loughgall etc that adams himself told a story or 2 to mi5

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    Mute Stephen O'Sullivan
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    May 29th 2014, 4:34 AM

    If that was true, I suspect that it would have been leaked by now

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    Mute RiobairdOMaingain
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    May 29th 2014, 4:41 AM

    They should put Paisley on a stamp if only to wind up the loyalists

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    Mute Seamus O'ceadagain
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    May 28th 2014, 11:22 PM

    ….suddenly….everyone is claiming the ground that sinn fein once claimed….weird

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    Mute Rodger 5
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    May 29th 2014, 9:32 AM

    Perhaps no need for a bloody failed rising or war of ‘Independence’ or civil war…has the country been run by the descendants of these unnecessary terrorists??

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    Mute Sean Montgomery
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    May 29th 2014, 6:49 AM

    To be honest I enjoyed reading these comments and auto correct fails. Some of you do need to learn more about your Irish history but overall very good. Would love to see if there is a group out there that you can debate the same topics. Anyone know of any?

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    Mute David Giles
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    May 29th 2014, 9:29 AM

    Edward Carson was a Dubliner, born at No 4 Harcourt Street. His family were members of the Church of Ireland. He was educated at Wesley College, then in St Stephen’s Green, and at Trinity College, Dublin. He became a barrister and a King’s Counsel (equivalent to a Senior Counsel). He was never a member of the Orange Order, he opposed the executions of the leaders of the 1916 Rising and he refused to become Prime Minister of Northern Ireland in the formation of the government of Northern Ireland He was an Irish Unionist rather than an Ulster Unionist and therefore opposed the separation of Ireland from Britain. John Redmond on the other hand believed in Home Rule for all of Ireland.

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    Mute ragnar daneskold
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    May 29th 2014, 6:32 PM

    He also led the prosecution case against Oscar Wilde for being an alleged homosexual.
    After the trial and non stop public villification of Wilde he stated .”Have you not tortured the poor man enough by now”

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    Mute Sheila Kelly
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    May 29th 2014, 7:48 PM

    Sir Edward Carson had a cat that sat upon a stool, and every time he caught a rat he shouted no Home Rule. At least that is what they taught in History classes.

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