Northern ireland

[Tonge moor green jacket]

3 hours ago, fatolive said:

SinnFein are already “ in” 

its just a possibility they will come the biggest party , it means they’ll get the first minister post  it reality it doesn’t mean that much as deputy first minister has as much power and say but as we know symbolism plays a huge part there. 
they won’t push for a referendum on UI until they’re convinced they’ll win . Was a time that would have meant a majority nationalist or republicans, but the dreaded B word is making those who would from a unionist background weigh up the benefits, especially the farmers . 
I don’t think they will but the very prospect was unthinkable less than decade ago , now you would get some  who would vote that way . 
 

Quite, they are in, that's a given- but as you say (the big fear for some) is sinn fein getting the top job. 

Dup mon on the news admitting that much of this is self inflicted as the unionist vote has been sliced up amongst different parties.

That's democracy though- and the suggestion that they won't sit in stormont if SF do get the top job flies in the face of that process.

Maybe there is something in the new (non aligned) party that's attracting the young vote, and maybe its increasing success is indicative of the success of the good Friday agreement- the old divisions are no longer paramount for those who haven't experienced the troubles. 

[Tonge moor green jacket]

1 hour ago, Duck Egg said:

Does Ireland even want the north back? 

The way the UK Govt have treated Northern Ireland during Brexit negotiations we can't be surprised if there are greater calls to leave the union. 

Depends upon your view. The presence of the protocol was to protect the GFA. In essence it makes sense, just not some of the impracticalities. 

Like the main agreement, there will be fudges all over the place, and it's up to both parties to apply the 'spirit' of the agreement.

Unless there is a top secret will amongst some in Westminster to allow NI to gradually slip away (which I doubt) then eventually the protocol will have to be amended, or A16 will come in to play. Just not yet.

[Duck Egg]

3 minutes ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

Depends upon your view. The presence of the protocol was to protect the GFA. In essence it makes sense, just not some of the impracticalities. 

Agreed but Boris on camera saying there would be no checks or tariffs on goods moving from GB to NI did him and the UK no favours.  Many in Ulster were feeling marginalised as it was.

[Sweep]

12 hours ago, royal white said:

All those 1 x English team and either Celtic or Rangers are better referred as as Cat Molestors. Weirdos. 

Attention seekers. 

If you claim to "support" a Scotch team, as a second team, then you clearly don't really support your "first" team properly

[dave2980]

8 minutes ago, Sweep said:

Attention seekers. 

If you claim to "support" a Scotch team, as a second team, then you clearly don't really support your "first" team properly

I don't think we need to restrict it to Scotland or any other country for that matter. I think we can say the same about anybody who supports a second team

[Rudy]

13 minutes ago, Sweep said:

Attention seekers. 

If you claim to "support" a Scotch team, as a second team, then you clearly don't really support your "first" team properly

Applies to anyone having a second team. 
 

Volcano behaviour.

[radcliffe white]

23 minutes ago, Sweep said:

Attention seekers. 

If you claim to "support" a Scotch team, as a second team, then you clearly don't really support your "first" team properly

So strange

i can understand it through family connections maybe but amount of lads jumping on the Rangers bandwagon is crazy 

[Rudy]

7 minutes ago, radcliffe white said:

So strange

i can understand it through family connections maybe but amount of lads jumping on the Rangers bandwagon is crazy 

My Mrs has no interest in football, the other night she says to me, Have Rangers won a trophy? No why? Because everyone is going on about it on Facebook. Lads I went to school with , wearing shirts, anti Celtic posts. 
Weird behaviour.

[Nowack]

Very little interest in NI but it's not difficult to see why the DUP are shedding votes left right and centre. They are beyond modernising, relics both politically and theologically. 

[Sweep]

2 hours ago, Rudy said:

Applies to anyone having a second team. 
 

Volcano behaviour.

Indeed

[deane koontz]

House on our street suddenly has a Rangers flag hanging out of the window. Think he's a united fan 

[Rudy]

27 minutes ago, deane koontz said:

House on our street suddenly has a Rangers flag hanging out of the window. Think he's a united fan 

Petrol bomb it 

[Escobarp]

56 minutes ago, deane koontz said:

House on our street suddenly has a Rangers flag hanging out of the window. Think he's a united fan 

Kinell. What’s he like. @radcliffe whitetake it down pal. 

[Spider]

Members of my family have season tickets at rangers.

The whole Celtic rangers thing is rooted in a sectarianism that they never want to be rid of. Without that, it’s no bigger than the Sheffield derby.

Move on, maybe.

[ErnestTurnip]

Outsiders looking in see unionists refusing to accept a republican first minister like someone losing their first game ever and then deciding that you no longer get 3 points for a win.

Regardless of what you think of him McGuinness saw this was going to happen and knew what it would do to the GFA and he suggested the deputy and first minister should have the same title because like FatOlive says they have the same power but SF went against that.

The reasons they did are pretty obvious if not practical in the short term bit I've ventured into politics and I'm here for football, nips, and music.

Edited May 7, 2022 by ErnestTurnip

[Tonge moor green jacket]

3 minutes ago, ErnestTurnip said:

Outsiders looking in see unionists refusing to accept a republican first minister like someone losing their first game ever and then deciding that you no longer get 3 points for a win.

Regardless of what you think of him McGuinness saw this was going to happen and knew what it would do to the GFA and he suggested the deputy and first minister should have the same title because like FatOlive says they have the same power but SF went against that.

The reasons they did are pretty obvious if not practical in the short term bit I've ventured into politics and I'm here for football, nips, and music.

Aye, could get messy. 

Unionists only have themselves to blame though.

[fatolive]

20 minutes ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

Aye, could get messy. 

Unionists only have themselves to blame though.

Indeed 

thing is Northern Ireland was specifically set up and designed for unionists , for years they had total control and dominance,in every aspect of life and there was open discrimination against catholics .After years of horrendous troubles now there’s power sharing , some unionists accept it , some don’t know how to handle it , some just can’t reconcile their beliefs with acceptance of equality of nationalists , the DUP fall into the latter. 
 

[Spider]

Let the Irish have it.

Even I’d be more comfortable with a Brexit that didn’t have this needless sectarian boil on its arse.

 

[frank_spencer]

11 hours ago, Rudy said:

Applies to anyone having a second team. 
 

Volcano behaviour.

Only 'acceptable' 2nd team is if you've moved away and have adopted a local side to go watch. 

[Escobarp]

15 minutes ago, frank_spencer said:

Only 'acceptable' 2nd team is if you've moved away and have adopted a local side to go watch. 

👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

[Leyther_Matt]

Not biting on this second team lark. What I will say though is that my situation is starkly different to the ones flooding Sports Direct for new Rangers tops in that I actually go to watch my ‘second team’. If that makes my Mrs and I less of a Bolton fan then so be it, but we’ve got about 5 grand spent between us this season that says otherwise, I reckon. 

[Traf]

7 minutes ago, Leyther_Matt said:

Not biting on this second team lark. What I will say though is that my situation is starkly different to the ones flooding Sports Direct for new Rangers tops in that I actually go to watch my ‘second team’. If that makes my Mrs and I less of a Bolton fan then so be it, but we’ve got about 5 grand spent between us this season that says otherwise, I reckon. 

I think you escape the volcano and cat molesting allegations by actually going regularly. It's this influx of Rangers "fans" that are weird.

[Leyther_Matt]

4 minutes ago, Traf said:

I think you escape the volcano and cat molesting allegations by actually going regularly. It's this influx of Rangers "fans" that are weird.

Never mind going regularly, we’ve forked out hospitality for the St Johnstone game next weekend. £135 apiece to watch Ali Crawford 😬

[Traf]

2 minutes ago, Leyther_Matt said:

Never mind going regularly, we’ve forked out hospitality for the St Johnstone game next weekend. £135 apiece to watch Ali Crawford 😬

I'd want Crawford to pay me to watch him, the useless cunt.

[Escobarp]

3 minutes ago, Leyther_Matt said:

Never mind going regularly, we’ve forked out hospitality for the St Johnstone game next weekend. £135 apiece to watch Ali Crawford 😬

How fucking much???? You must be losing your marbles.