The Irish protocol.

What's a 'southerner'?

Seeing as 'Southern Ireland' existed for about a year following partiition, and ceased to exist since 1922 when we left the UK, then yes it is a bit ignorant to use it still.

You mean Waterford or Wexford?

Threats have consequences.

Meanwhile the British are playing brinkmanship with medicines.

To think there are those who pretend Britain 'cares' about Ireland. How much more out of touch could they be?

Can only presume none of them want NI to enjoy advantages they themselves do not

I've no doubt what you say is true.

I've had grief from NI nationalists and unionists in discussions like this, manifesting usually as "shut up, you don't know what it was like".

A good chunk of me agrees with that, though I did travel back and forth across the border for two years chasing romance in Donegal and will always remember the surreal moment when the kid squaddie with the heavy machine gun (always one with a big gun, always) walked down the bus, clipped peoples heads because it was so big and apologised as he went with a big red face. Mortified on all sorts of levels. My mother stepped from Talbot Street onto O'Connell street just as the bomb went off. Ten seconds later and would not have been good. HUge numbers left Ireland because there were no jobs, a major consequence of events. It was no bed of roses.

In general though, I don't have any problem admitting that watching people 70 miles away being blown to bits on TV is not the same as living with it day by day and that my opinion on what should happen to NI is less relevant and valuable than someone who lives there.

But there is still a big knowledge gap on both sides of the border and in the case of the dominant strain of unionism, it's wilful and deeply dishonest. To acknowledge that Ireland is trying hard to be a modern, progressive country removes the central plank of their world - the UK is a better place to live than Ireland - even if the very freedoms enjoyed in GB are not enjoyed by all in NI. It's wrong thinking, no matter what way you approach it.

The dominant strain of unionism is relentlessly negative towards it's neighbour.

Any acknowledgement of a common position must aways be balanced by some reference to a sin of the past, a habit which is clearly demonstrated on this thread.

Makes everything worse. Makes everything impossible. No progress until it stops.

 V good posts from Mr bumble and Downcow.

Downcow has a point - there is undoubtedly prejudice in this thread against him and Unionism as a whole, that would not be acceptable if he was a member of say, a minority group. Imagine telling a gay person how all the gays really think, and how wrong that would be.

Far from being judgemental however, I am hardwired to share the prejudices of the Nationalist leaning posters on this thread.

I am somewhat aware of British history on this island, but my default belief is that modern unionism is not a movement that wants to be actually British (after all NI is far less tolerant and liberal than the UK), but whose primary aim is to be belligerent, antagonistic, humiliating and imperialist toward Nationalists. The parts of being "British" that gives them a stick to beat the paddies with is loved, the parts that don't allow it are rejected.

But, that's the thing with prejudice, we all think that we are justified in having our views, and it's very difficult to see past them.

And indeed when I do read quotes from Unionist politicians around the protocol and Brexit, and even when I read certain posts from Downcow, it reinforces the prejudice i have, my brain says it told you so :-)

Juxtaposed to this, almost all NI protestants I know (some of whom are now family through marriage) are lovely, kind people and miles away from my skewed perception I have.

As mr. Bumble said, it is impossible for us to put ourselves in the mindset of the Northern Irish on both sides of the divide who lived day in day out through the terror of the troubles. All that death and destruction has to have an effect, and that is worth remembering.

But in fairness DC by your own admission you're not a traditional Northern Unionist. When someone criticises you on your disdain of all things Irish or you you reply with "my father came from your country and used to sing the national anthem in Gaelic". You often lambast people who pigeon hole you as being a die hard unionist while claiming to be a die hard "Northern Prod" when criticised. You're the one showing huge disrespect to the unionist community by parodying their community just to make a point on an internet forum.

This is an interesting one. If most other countries were to conflict with core US values and goals they would face economic sanctions to hurt their economies. Putting an ally like the UK on a sanction list is inconceivable but this is effectively the same thing, only informal and under the radar. The US has passively sanctioned the UK which shows the strength of feeling behind the scenes