Fifty years ago this week the Battle of the Bogside in Derry/Londonderry triggered what the people of Northern Ireland termed, in their unique parlance, The Troubles.
Millions of words have been fired off in the thirty years of armed conflict since and in the 20 of the Peace Process.
And worse guns and bombs with 3,532 killed.
The question, and the debate, is as it has always been.
Should Ireland be unified or should Northern Ireland remain as it is, a self-governing entity?
Only it hasn’t been that for 934 days… the longest a country has been without a government in the world.
The sticking points have been, as they often have but with some new ones thrown in.
How to resolve the past, the Irish Language Act and same sex marriage.
And that’s even before we talk about Brexit and hard borders and soft borders.
Northern Ireland voted to stay in Europe but want a customs union.
But the overall vote was to leave although it didn’t say under what terms or any.
Confused? You will be.
And then there’s an international agreement, The Good Friday Agreement.
That brought the Troubles to an end which states that there should be freedom of movement between North and South.
But a No Deal threatens that.
Which has reenergised a call among republicans for a United Ireland.
Although scratch the surface with those in the South and it’s a head and heart issue with many not wanting their Northern brothers and sisters.
Oversimplified? Yes.
For a better insight into Northern Ireland, the North, the Six Counties… take your pick according to your viewpoint then listen up.
The Ulster Museum in Belfast is a time capsule, interesting, engaging, interactive.
Visit National Museums NI www.nmi.com. And www.tourismni.com.
And also my ode to Belfast… http://Belfast chilled.
