I live in Ireland and I am interested to know what people, who don't live in Ireland, think about Irish republicanism.

What is it?

Irish republicanism is a political ideology based on the Irish nationalistic opinion that Ireland should be a republic, allowing the Irish people to control the country instead of the British government controlling it. Have you ever heard of the Irish Republican Army?

The IRA - it's not just a tax deduction.

Since the US is a republic, I am partial to the term. However, I think it will take a millenia for Northern Ireland to give up the ghost of Protestantism to reconcile with Ireland.

Irish republicans in the Six Counties (Northern Ireland) don't want to "reconcile with Ireland," they want to create a revolution that will destroy both of the illegal states: the Free State (Republic of Ireland) and the Six Counties and then establish the Irish Republic.

It's almost a century since the Republic emerged. That's Ireland. Ulster needs to give up the ghost.

I think Ireland and Northern Ireland should all be united under one country under Irish rule.

Do you think that the Six Counties isn't Irish territory?

Well, why do you think I wrote that Ulster needs to give up the ghost?

I concur. I'd love to see a United Ireland in my life-time. Although I don't know how realistic that'll be

The only way deal to deal with the Ulster question is not to deal with the Irish question: we must devolve as much power to Ulster as possible, government from Belfast is the only answer; we must encourage cross-border co-operation between North and South and to make the power sharing agreement between the Democratic Unionist Party and Sinn Fein work as it is doing so right now.

I am a life long British Unionist and will always remain so; I should add that I am also Catholic. It's not just Protestants who believe in Unionism and Northern Ireland as part of the United Kingdom; any more than saying all Protestants are automatically Unionist.

I can never forgive the gunmen of IRA/Sinn Fein, but I can set those feelings to one side for the sake of peace and to avoid more bloodshed.

Can't all Irish Republicans give peace a chance?

The politicians onboth sides are too entrenched. Why would Ulster give up anything? What does Ulster get out of it? There's peace now, so that's no longer a carrot. It receives revenue from the Parliament. So, why join Ireland?

There would have to be a referendum in the six counties, and I doubt it would pass. As far as I am concerned they should let it be. There is a lot of devolution going on in Europe these days, and this trend may continue. The Basques and Catalonians want to break off from Spain, The former Czechoslovakia has split into two countries, Scotland has its own parliamient and a greater degree of autonomy, theFlemish want to break from Belgium, and there is talk of Northern Italy forming its own country to be rid of everything south of Tuscany because it is considered an economic burden.

Last year Ireland's GDP was greater than England's for the first time in history.

As Ireland becoms more prosperous and if the six counties remain tethered to a faltering UK, then perhaps we may see unification, but I doubt it.

I agree with Don T.

Although, W does have 7 months to go. Maybe he could get us involved in another civil war that's none of our business.

Nobody told me the UK was faltering......

That's it, i'm emigrating!