Ireland FTW

@Mason

I think it's possible to discuss a bit of the history without getting into a fight over which side was right or wrong as long as we keep it fact related (no flaming!).

My only worry is the small one of my inaccuracy in remembering the stuff. It's been years since I studied this and Ireland has a seriously convoluted political history. I won't even attempt to recount it in detail but just to beef out my original point.

There is of course a religious divide in the Ireland but it was only a small part in the split. You have to keep in mind that most Protestants in the North were descended from the Plantations (British settlings of Irish land) and thus had very strong ties to to Britain. Many of them saw themselves as British and of course they didn't want to be cut off. 

While they were part of Britain they were in the majority (both in religion and nationality) and that afforded them a lot of benefits, both in terms of trade and rights. At the time Catholics in the North were a minority and were seen as second-class citizens (problems getting jobs/education) with even a Protestant controlled police force keeping them in their place.

If Britain and Ireland had totally severed ties then that Protestant majority would suddenly have been isolated and would have undoubtedly suffered a backlash from the previously downtrodden Catholics. They would have lost their influence and income garnered from being in a privileged position due to their close ties to Britain. A double hit. And it wasn't just materialistic reasons, I've mentioned before their descendants and they were extremely patriotic.

And they would have got rough treatment from the Irish Free State as it was so heavily entwined with the Catholic Church. There were problems with religion (both practical and sectarian) and again of simple racism. At the time the English opinion of Ireland was extremely low (just look over the old cartoons that used to appear in Punch magazine) and the violence that had been rampant in the country didn't help that. 

Now, of course, I'm speaking in general terms here. I don't want to infer that all the English hate the Irish or any shite like that. There were many English politicians that did their best to improve Ireland's state and invite Irish politicians to play an active part in the British parliament. And likewise, many of the heroes of the (various) Irish uprisings and rebellions were Protestant and had come from Britain.

Now that's off the top of my head and is scarce on info so if anyone wants to add to it/contradict it then fire away. I can't believe how much of this I've forgotten and my memory could do with a kick in the arse.