Northern Ireland General Discussion

[Tetro Kornbluth]

As a random question, is there any type of support or movement in NI for complete independence from both the UK and Ireland, creating a sort of Republic (or whatever) of Ulster?

This has generally been a minority idea favoured by those loyalists who thought that NI would be better off governed upon (Pre-90s) South African lines. There are I suppose a few tiny, tiny movements that presently back this (though it was popular in some unionist circles in the 70s and 80s).

[Tetro Kornbluth]

Something I came across recently is that for whatever reason, there are more Mormons in Northern Ireland than in the Republic. I wonder what party they tend to vote for.

I imagine DUP given that I imagine this is connected with the rise of new forms of evangelical Protestantism in NI (of course, evangelicalism itself has a long history in the North as do denominational splits. Just look at Big Iain) and those are DUP voters (if they vote). That would also explain why there are more Mormons in NI than here, which is hardly surprising..

[Tetro Kornbluth]

Something I came across recently is that for whatever reason, there are more Mormons in Northern Ireland than in the Republic. I wonder what party they tend to vote for.

I imagine DUP given that I imagine this is connected with the rise of new forms of evangelical Protestantism in NI (of course, evangelicalism itself has a long history in the North as do denominational splits. Just look at Big Iain) and those are DUP voters (if they vote). That would also explain why there are more Mormons in NI than here, which is hardly surprising..

Mormons are not quite evangelical Protestants, though, and I'm not sure that the strident wing of the DUP, who would not consider Mormons to be Christian never mind Protestant, would have much appeal for them. I suspect sizeable numbers would go with UUP or Alliance (on the "none of the above" principle) or simply not vote.

Yes, I know, but they come from the same theological gene pool as the modern evangelical movement and certainly share more background than they do with Catholics. And I don't recall the DUP ever making comments against the Mormons (although given that I tend to ignore everything the DUP says, I can't be sure of that). Of course, if we knew where these Mormons lived, I would have a better idea.

However, the fact that there are more Mormons in NI than ROI (with c40% of the population) is revealing enough in itself.

[Tetro Kornbluth]

On a very important side issue I'm going to leave this here

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[Tetro Kornbluth]

Given that Northern Ireland is now plurality Catholic (and in fact outnumber Protestants in Belfast), does anyone see it becoming majority Catholic within the next few decades?  

It will under current demographic trends, and quite soon at that.

Not that I think that will change the constitutional situation much.

[Tetro Kornbluth]

Given that Northern Ireland is now plurality Catholic (and in fact outnumber Protestants in Belfast), does anyone see it becoming majority Catholic within the next few decades?  

It will under current demographic trends, and quite soon at that.

Not that I think that will change the constitutional situation much.

Could you elaborate for the reasons behind this? Immigration, Cultural Catholicism, Birth rates?

Immigration (rather Protestant migration to the rest of the UK) and historically higher Catholic birth rates (fears of being out-bred has been a part of loyalist rhetoric for ages).

[Tetro Kornbluth]

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...

Back in the late 80s, Iris Robinson complained to Ulsterbus on behalf of her constituents about there being Irish language signage on suburban buses.

The signage was an ad for language courses in the Alliance Française.

Along the same lines:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/478513.stm
(from 1999)

bwhahahahahahahahaha

This is my favourite.

[Tetro Kornbluth]

Some of the worst 'incidents' in the past 10 years in the North have been between rival loyalist paramilitaries - related usually to their 'share' of the local drug trade.

[Tetro Kornbluth]

That said, there's definitely a "Bible Belt" vibe in parts of NI, especially in County Antrim, and that goes beyond Paisley's church and would have provided a lot of the DUP's original base.

A majority of DUP members are also members of the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster.

So the voter base is significantly different demographically from the membership?

Massively. The membership is also tiny. A lot of them are also estate agents, would you believe.

I mean, it's an Irish political party so that is very believable.