I agree wholeheartedly. Our media is pseudo-republican. As are most of our political parties. They're republican when it suits them. Of the 4 main parties, Fine Gael, Labour, Fianna Fáil, and Sinn Féin; only Sinn Féin runs in the north, and seems to be the whole party who actually cares about the people of the north or a united Ireland.

I've met some ignorant cunts who haven't a clue about the history of the north. I recall one situation where a friend of mine called a fella a "proddy bastard" behind his back despite him saying he was from "Derry". I doubt many people here could tell you the first thing about the United Irishmen or Wolfe Tone, let alone that they were almost entirely Protestant. Or that Protestants were quite a large part of the Gaelic revival and involved in republican matters up till partition.

I've also heard people saying that a united Ireland would be a bad idea because it would be bad for our economy; despite the fact that the unifying of our economies and public services would be amazing for the island in a few short years.

The governments of the north and south have done a fantastic job of alienating the people. Things like this election make me hopeful of the future though. If we can cast off the cancer on politics in this island that is religion (not saying I want to get rid of religion. I just want it out of politics), I hope people will open up to the idea of a united Ireland for all the people of this island. It shouldn't be an "us vs them" situation considering the diverse backgrounds across the island, Anglo-Saxons, Gaels, Ulster-Scots, Normans, Scandinavians (even if the actions of the British and Irish governments since partition made it so, to the point that it persists to this day).

I didn't mean for this to turn into an essay so sorry if it got preachy. Just don't judge the south on the actions of the ignorant.