Northern Ireland?

[Dan]

When I told my elderly Irish neighbor that the girl across the street WASN`T Catholic, I thought I`d have to call 911(that`s the emergency phone number Kirstie) from the look of horror on her face. As far as she`s concerned, the world is Catholic, everyone in the world is Catholic and should be in Catholic church.

hahaha! thats hilarious....bless her soul!! thats the ONe thing  i want to do before I die, go to Mass dunno why all churches are boring haha!!

My elderly neighbor that was born and brought up in Dublin said when she was little, she wasen`t allowed to play with anyone that wasen`t Catholic. 

that's how it used it be, and that's what it's gonna go back too, like i'm protestant, and my best friend is catholic, and i wouldn't change her for the world!-we all have a laugh about it, shes wraps me up in a tricolour, i wrap her up in union jacks, its how we roll... the rest of this messed up country needs to cotton on!

Can we get you two upta Stormont? Marty and Peter could learn a thing or two! 

haha YES i vote for us to run the country, it would be a shambles but no riots over flags lol!! where are you from Dan?

I live in America. My family is from Armagh and Cork, though.

[kirstie_x]

ooh cool

[Dan]

I just read an article either on BBC NI or the Telegraph, but I saw where Martin McGuinness started a dialogue with the flag protesters--are the protests still going on? It seems like after two months they've stopped reporting on it.

[kirstie_x]

they are still going on, but now they are a lot more peaceful, sometimes they are resulted in riots! which isn't to good

[Dan]

they are still going on, but now they are a lot more peaceful, sometimes they are resulted in riots! which isn't to good

That's better to hear, I guess. I'm an avid reader over at Politics.ie and it seems that in the rest of the UK flag flying is only on designated days, so Belfast City Council technically brought the city in line with Britain. I also think these riots are pointing to a bigger problem than just a flag, though. Sadly this group of people has been kind of left behind in the "new" Norn Iron. If it's truly meant to be a shared future, then it should be for all sections of the nationalist and unionist communities.

There, rant done.  Were my grandparents alive, I shudder to think at their reaction to this still going on. 

[kirstie_x]

they are still going on, but now they are a lot more peaceful, sometimes they are resulted in riots! which isn't to good

That's better to hear, I guess. I'm an avid reader over at Politics.ie and it seems that in the rest of the UK flag flying is only on designated days, so Belfast City Council technically brought the city in line with Britain. I also think these riots are pointing to a bigger problem than just a flag, though. Sadly this group of people has been kind of left behind in the "new" Norn Iron. If it's truly meant to be a shared future, then it should be for all sections of the nationalist and unionist communities.

There, rant done.  Were my grandparents alive, I shudder to think at their reaction to this still going on. 

Yeah, it seems to be getting better, wish they would stop now though. Yeah I get that every where else only flies the flag on designated days, but our flag has been flying for 100 odd years, and never seemed to cause offence. I get that we should be in line with the rest of Britain, but theres to much history. Which leads on to the riots pointing to a bigger problem, the bigger problem is that certain political parties want a United Ireland, they don't want us to be a part of Britain, which is why the flag is so symbolic to the protestant community, because people have fought in families for their nationality - my friends tried to tell me I should be taking part in protests because my grandad fought in WWII, I didn't even mention that Irish soldiers fought  within the British Army during the war. But yeah, life goes on, I think protestant communities need to grow up (literally half of the rioters are kids!) and get with the times, which have changed drastically, we have no need for this. but I also believe that Catholic communities need to stop trying to get a United Ireland, no matter what each side is going to disagree and it will end like this. Until now I did believe we had changed as a country, and moved on, but obviously I was wrong.

I don't even know if that relates to what was said now, I kind of got lost in my rant, hahahaa!!!
 

[Dan]

Here's to hoping it's just one little blip on the radar. In all fairness, I feel like both national flags represent both communities. At least that's how I've always been raised to see it! Living in County Donegal with Ulster Scots heritage didn't negate the ties some family felt to GB, and others living in Belfast under a Union Jack in a part of Ireland (the island) that is still part of the United Kingdom didn't make the other family members any less Irish.

As for Gerry babbling about a border poll, I feel like Arlene Foster had the best reaction. She's a favourite of mine. :p

[kirstie_x]

The flags really shouldn't make a difference, and more often than not don't make a difference... until situations arise. Although I think they are to represent both communities, well the Tricolour is, I think it's green for northern ireland, white for peace, gold/orange for Ireland, I could be very very wrong about that though, so don't hold me to it 

[Dan]

The flags really shouldn't make a difference, and more often than not don't make a difference... until situations arise. Although I think they are to represent both communities, well the Tricolour is, I think it's green for northern ireland, white for peace, gold/orange for Ireland, I could be very very wrong about that though, so don't hold me to it 

Flip it round, and you've got it right.

[kirstie_x]

haha knew it was something like that, never really paid attention when I was told

[Kevin R.I.]

Too bad the Irish people are sooooo comitted to one religion or another. In America it`s difficult to understand that " they`re Catholic or Protestant so I can`t assiaciate with them. Isn`t religion supposed to bring people TOGETHER?  I must be missing something here 

[kirstie_x]

It's so silly, I'm fed up with it all, it shouldn't be that way anymore, and hasn't been for a while until now lol!

[Kevin R.I.]

My 85 year old neihbor from Dublin can`t understand why EVERYONE isn`t in church......doesn`t matter if you`re Jewish....you SHOULD be going to church ....to her EVERYONE on the face of the earth is Catholic.

[kirstie_x]

hahaa, bless her ! IT's been quiet for ages now, still got protests going on, but no trouble! hopefully they're getting bored

[Dan]

Hey, Kirstie--I've a completely random question. Do the number plates on cars in NI have a GB, IE, or both on them? My brother and I have been arguing that. I say GB, he says IE.