Michael D Higgins insists he is President of Ireland, refuses to commemorate partition

Factually incorrect again.

1) It is called the Irish fa because when it formed the island was One region of the Uk and it followed England etc

2) everyone in the north is not Irish

3) OWC used the name NI in the 70s

but sure you know this anyhow. You are just playing silly games

Mostly fearmongering, possibly misguided but nonetheless harmful to multiple communities.

You still haven't answered why you think it happened.

This issue involving Michael D. (President of 'Ireland') and the NI state. Is a problem created over decades of linguistic contortions in how those in the ROI view the state of NI. And how those in Eire view themseleves. It has been caused by various parties in the ROI 

- from Dev's clever non use of the word 'Republic' in the Irish constitution after FF was in power. To facilitate the 're-integration of the national territory' (Art 3 since removed by the GFA)

To FG's ROI act in 1948 and SF's current linguistic contortions encapsulated by SF's 'mild mannered' Blackrock educated Eoin O'Brion.

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From the article above:

"The linguistic contortions extend to the party’s more mild-mannered housing spokesman Eoin Ó Brion. 

In his book Home: Why Public Housing is the Answer, he calls the Republic “Southern Ireland” - the same name given by the British to the shortlived entity which was created as a result of the Government of Ireland Act (1920) as a counterpoint to Northern Ireland.

Ó Broin explains: “Throughout the book the term South of Ireland refers to the entity officially known as the Republic of Ireland. Given that I am a Sinn Féin TD and committed Irish republican, I doubt you need me to explain the rationale for this.”

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Previous Linguistic contortions in the 'ROI' with the ROI Act 1948

From the article above:

"The third change brought in by the act was the new title "Republic of Ireland". This proved controversial in two respects, constitutional and political. 

At the constitutional level, some argued that it conflicted with Article 4 of the Constitution, which defined the name of the state as "Eire, or, in the English language, Ireland".

This was circumvented by a peculiar device: the name of the State continues to be Ireland, but its "description" is "Republic of Ireland".

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In this day and age you have to wonder who is codding who?

Are people just caught up in a linguistic game they cannot get out of? 

Do people not feel idiotic in this day and age using such linguistic gymnastics?

Or is it part of the craic of it at this stage?

Personally, I find it both amusing and a bit of eejitry from some at this stage. Even otherwise intelligent people, are still playing a childish linguistic game after nearly 100 years of the foundation of both states.

I think its a fair question considering how many times its been an issue. Was one of the causes of the split in the football associations.

Apologies to Mike Nesbitt. He got it right. Its the UUP's newsletter in its introductory paragraph that got his title wrong. You would think they would know better.

Look, I do agree with you that there are many shades of unionism in NI, with possibly many of them who do not vote. What I don't understand is the support the the DUP/TUV get. The TUV even make the DUP look liberal. Why do these parties have so much support from the unionist community in NI?

Its would be just another historic event. That its a possible future event is irrelevant.

Unless of course you've zero imagination or being particularly obtuse.

Its seems like a event for 100yrs of Partition, or Unification. May not be as unbiased as people are trying to imply. Considering all the "what if and but ifs" being thrown around.

Very well said, I have come to the same conclusion in recent years, the future for NI is clearly unification and better sooner rather than later, the UK in it's current form was mortally wounded by Brexit and there is no road back, the next chance the Scottish get they will vote to leave the union and at that point NI's place in the union will become untenable with a growing desire in westminster to offload the problem child they won't take much persuasion for another border poll. Expect a vitriolic response from "loyalism" but that is something we will have to unfortunately endure at some point.

This is one of the most hyperbolic posts I've read on this site since someone claimed Leo as one of the most evil people in the world.

Perhaps on reflection you might realise that whatever personal dislike you clearly hold towards Higgins is clouding your rationality on this one.

A political extremist and as dangerous as Trump....christ almighty.

Engaging with the DUP despite their duplicity and hostility, risks normalizing being treated that way.