I read an interesting article published in the rebellion papers from the New Statesman entitled “if the Germans conquered England”, which was written by an Irishman who painted a picture of England under German rule where exactly every detail fitted the case of Ireland in 1916.
He mentioned how England would be constantly irritated by the lofty moral utterances of German statesmen who would assert quite sincerely that England was freer than she ever had been before, the railways, farms and colleges were flourishing and point to the contingent of MPs who would be permitted to sit in a permanent minority in the Reichstag.
Children would be coming home from school with new ideas of history and how England had been an unruly country constantly engaged in civil war and schoolbooks asserting the notion to every child that the history of their country was a thing to forget with the one bright spot the fact it had been conquered by cultured Germany.
Any revolt would be met with German statesmen making speeches about disloyalty, ingratitude and how the reckless agitators would wreck the country’s prosperity.
Prussian soldiers would be camped in every barracks with English conscripts sent over to Germany to be trained. England would be exhorted to abandon her own genius in order to imitate the genius of her conquerors, to forget her history for a larger history, to give up her language for a universal language. England would be an England without a soul, without even a mind, nation of slaves even though every slave would have a chicken in their pot and a golden dish to serve it on.
One hundred years on and the article has lost little potency or relevance, but its real genius is that it is a satirical analogy that the English and even unionists can understand.
Unionists in Ireland even today seem to genuinely believe Northern Ireland is a separate country from the rest or Ireland. I imagine the author of the above has hit the nail on the head in relation to the use of schoolbooks to implant such beliefs in the unionist population.
I wonder could a more modern analogy perhaps explain the folly of this thinking.
Based on recent census reports, it is expected that Muslims will soon hold majorities in certain boroughs of England including London.
Since unionists justify partition because it gives an electoral majority in the gerrymandered electoral border, I wonder what they would make of a new separate Islamic state within London; say the largest Muslim borough there,the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, which includes part of the docklands.
They could implement sharia law, ban pubs and create a mini Muslim state which could hold its own elections and be a nation within a nation. A Muslim state for a Muslim people. Perhaps even their own football team, The Islamic State of England though it would still use the union flag and play the English anthem at games so it could still benefit from the NHS and welfare state.
Of course they would risk Muslims choosing instead to play for the England team whom they would then accuse of stealing their players.
What a mixed up world we live in.
I am currently exploring a new chain of thought: that the Unionists turining away from everything Irish may have been a backlash not to republicanism but to the famine and a sense of shame assosiated with identifying as being Irish. We saw in the book The Famine in Lurgan/Portadown that northern Protestants suffered as much as a result of the potato failure as did their catholic countrymen. Did a sense of shame have a part in them seeking to forge a new identity as Ulstermen as opposed to Irishmen?
Even more complexity for you to consider Colmán
The penal laws actually discriminated against the unionist planters and favoured the English soldiers who took the lands from the planters that took it from the Catholics so it is pretty messed up stuff. Unionists weren’t always anti Irish, it was religion was the main sticking point for unionists who have centuries of inbred bigotry and sectarian hatred to deal with.
The anti irish began with partition when there was a free irish republic
Jude, Germany lost the war, twice but, they won the peace, that was what Nice 2 and Lisbon 2 were all about.
As to Sharia laws, this is already implemented, substantially, through use of the Arbitration Act however, the same is true of Jewish laws in similar legislative vein and, of course, British and Irish law’s, where applicable.
The big problem would arise in relation to Wembley and Wombleton.
Good points, Mark – but better directed to Jessica…
Ta, agus ta bron orm mor!
Fadhb are bith, Mark…
Mark, The German analogy was a piece of satire was written in 1916 by an Irishman which was published in the London New Statesman.
The English saw it as outlining the bad things that it would have meant to the English had Germany won the war, but it was written in satire so if you swapped the word England for Ireland, and the word Germany for England, the similarities with Ireland in 1916 were identical.
I attempted a similar analogy to the justification of England partitioning Ireland for the benefit of unionists, in terms of Muslims wanting a separate state within England for similar selfish reasons.
Perhaps not very well. Lets hope pastor mcconnell doesnt misinterpret my poor efforts also. 🙂
Unionists in Ireland even today seem to genuinely believe Northern Ireland is a separate country from the rest or Ireland
Er yes it is Jessica I would advise you read the GFA once again Its your inability to grasp that simple fact which astounds me.
Perhaps we need a commemoration every Easter to remind people of the contents of the Good Friday agreement.
“Perhaps we need a commemoration every Easter to remind people of the contents of the Good Friday agreement.”
Please do BYC.
Here is a summary you can use to refer me to the appropriate section.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_Friday_Agreement
“Perhaps we need a commemoration every Easter to remind people of the contents of the Good Friday agreement.”
The 12th July too BYC, they definitely need reminding, that much has been obvious since the minute it was signed….
“The 12th July too BYC, they definitely need reminding, ”
I need reminding myself Ryan.
I cannot see anywhere in the GFA that it made northern Ireland an independent country.
Perhaps there are special orange tinted goggles you have to wear to see those bits of the accord.
Separate countries tend to have complete control of all their finances etc. Remind us again where the tax money goes to before it’s divvied up?
“Er yes it is Jessica I would advise you read the GFA once again Its your inability to grasp that simple fact which astounds me.”
Neill, I think it was the great Michael Collins (or maybe it was just Liam Neeson from the 1996 movie) that said “Our greatest weapon is our refusal”. Nationalists refuse to even mention the very name of this failed state, never mind recognize it.
Since your keen to quote the GFA Neill, remember that there’s parity of esteem here for both British and IRISH. The agreement also acknowledges the Irish dimension and Britain itself will distance itself and let the people of IRELAND (Yes, that includes the 6 counties) to resolve their problems. It also acknowledges as legitimate that the vast majority of the people on this island supports Irish Unity.
But as I said to you before Neill, we don’t really care what some agreement says, Michael Collins didn’t care either, the Good Friday Agreement, the Anglo Irish treaty of 1922, etc they are simply seen by republicans as a stepping stone to further Republican objectives.
So you don’t care that you signed an agreement that is internationally honoured and accepted better tell the Americans then hadn’t you?
“So you don’t care that you signed an agreement that is internationally honoured and accepted better tell the Americans then hadn’t you?”
Well the GFA hasn’t even been fully implemented Neill and Unionist parties are at the forefront at trying to dismantle it. Why would I tell the Americans??…
Neil, if the occupied part of Ireland is a seperate place, albeit not in most things, even for unionists, why did they forgo orange parades during the second war, was it because so many of their members were away fighting for the German king or, as will soon be publicly available, they were, largely just ‘stay at home’ loyalists?
Occupied far from it and to make it even sweeter republicans voted for it to remain by voting for the GFA
Neill, you appear to be avoiding the answer!
You’ll notice Neill does that….erm….99% of the time Mark. Sometimes he finds some courage but its like trying to get blood out of stone.
Now in fairness Ryan you are very good at that as well
“Occupied far from it and to make it even sweeter republicans voted for it to remain by voting for the GFA”
Your the first Unionist I have ever come across to describe the GFA as “sweet” Neill but for once I agree with you, its so sweet, sweeter than honey. Though the DUP, TUV, half the UUP and I would say the large majority of Unionists today wouldn’t describe it as such….but if your on board I suppose that’s progress.
Of course it was a victory for unionism Northern Irelands position was guaranteed Republicans agreed to take part in Stormont under a British Administration the IRA coughed up their weapons and of course they cant go back to war now. Added to the fact that Irish unity is as far away as ever.
I would say that was a tremendous victory for unionism can the same be said for Republicanism I`m not so sure.
“I would say that was a tremendous victory for unionism can the same be said for Republicanism I`m not so sure.”
It most definitely was not any victory for republicanism.
What is did do, following on from the British army’s assessment that it would not be possible to defeat the IRA militarily, was to provide a peaceful means for republicans to achieve their objectives and thus removing the necessity and all justification for conflict.
If unionists see that as a victory then happy days. Lets hope they feel the same way when the referendum begins and when the results come in.
“Of course it was a victory for unionism Northern Irelands position was guaranteed Republicans agreed to take part in Stormont under a British Administration the IRA coughed up their weapons and of course they cant go back to war now. Added to the fact that Irish unity is as far away as ever”
A lot of assumptions there Neill but I’ll reply to what you typed. Stormont governs this part of Ireland, so I’m sure you can see why SF take their seats in Stormont but not in Westminster, a British administration? I’m sure all those who hold executive seats here from the Nationalist community wouldn’t define themselves as “British” and they have the Irish citizenship and passport to back it up (remember the GFA?…)
“IRA coughed up their weapons and of course they cant go back to war now”
Jude and many others might agree with you there Neill but I wouldn’t. Every Tom, Dick and Harry knows that the IRA didn’t give up all their weapons and more likely never will. I’m more inclined to believe you think that too Neill but are putting on a front but that’s only my opinion. We know the PIRA was bringing in new weapons in the early 2000’s from the USA, including anti-tank shells, updated guns, etc. Guns used by dissidents are known to come from PIRA stockpiles, supposedly decommissioned. And then just last year it was official that the PIRA still exist. Can they wage another war? Well a PIRA leader said in the 1970’s they could wage a war for up to 70 years, I’m inclined to think they still could, but do they want to? No.
“Added to the fact that Irish unity is as far away as ever”
The fact? Oops, there you go thinking your opinion is fact again Neill. I’ll ask you this question: Is the Union stronger today or in the 1970’s? Unionism had far more seats on councils, in the assembly and in Westminster in the 1970’s than they have today. Belfast City Hall is a prime example of Unionist decline, it went from Unionist Citadel to a truly, shared City Hall. The Unionist decline is predicted to continue. So with the debates on the UK’s EU membership, closer integration of North-South services, the strength of SF both in the North and South, etc I honestly fail to see how Irish Unity is so far away….but I have a strange suspicion your basing your “fact” on newspaper polls….that’s like building a house on sand…..
“I would say that was a tremendous victory for unionism can the same be said for Republicanism I`m not so sure”
You should preach that message to the DUP/TUV and to a very large number of young Unionist/Loyalist people Neill because they tend to think it was the opposite…
Well Mark you must be older than me because I was around in the 40`s and I cant answer that question.
Speaking for my family both my Grandparents served in the second world war.
Should be wasn’t around in the 40`s
“Er yes it is Jessica I would advise you read the GFA once again Its your inability to grasp that simple fact which astounds me.”
Neill, the GFA did not make Northern Ireland a country?
It simply states the 6 counties will remain within the jurisdiction of Westminster until a 50% + 1 majority in both parts of the island decide otherwise and under such circumstances, both states have agreed to implement that unification.
So in other words Northern Ireland is a state apart from the Republic thanks Jessica for the confirmation.
“So in other words Northern Ireland is a state apart from the Republic thanks Jessica for the confirmation.”
northern Ireland is not under the jurisdiction of the republic state, if that is what you mean.
The GFA makes it clear, jurisdiction will remain with the British state until a referendum says otherwise. There is an east west council for matters of joint authority
Demographic change will unite Ireland, not conflict.
So the outreach policy has failed and its back to the breeding policy again. Well Jessica I hope you are doing your bit for Ireland. ; )
“So the outreach policy has failed and its back to the breeding policy again. Well Jessica I hope you are doing your bit for Ireland. ; )”
Are you coming on to me neill?
Emmmmmmm Jessica, I love you, honestly!!!!! Jude is good, very good, and reasonably attractive for a Tyrone person…but you are the gravy on my spuds! (That’s a compliment where I’m from)
Oi! “for a Tyrone person”???? Haven’t you heard, Gearoid – we are the people…
If there’s one thing worse than the (dis) united kingdom, it’s Tir Eoghan, although, for a wholly inland county, they can certainly dive well!
what a mixed up world we live in……….if we leave europe mixed up wont be the word.
Great blog Jessica, keep them coming. I’m still chuckling at the last couple of paragraphs…Nice!!!