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MAJORITY IN NORTHERN IRELAND OPPOSE UNITED IRELAND.

https://www.independent.ie/news/new-poll-shows-majority-of-people-in-northern-ireland-would-vote-against-united-ireland-42192775.html

The majority of people in Northern Ireland would vote against a united Ireland if there was a border poll, according to a new poll.

The latest Ipsos opinion poll from The Irish Times found that half of all northern respondents said they would vote against Irish unity.

Just over a quarter of people at 27pc said they would vote for unity, including 55pc of those from a Catholic background while 18pc said they didn’t know how they would vote and 5pc said they would not vote.

A majority of people in the Republic, at 66pc, said they would vote for Irish unity while 16pc were against the idea and 13pc were undecided.

The highest percentage of people who said they don’t know how they would vote was among the “others” category — those who do not identify as being from a Catholic or Protestant background — where 31pc are undecided.

PAT SAYS

I am an Irish man with an Irish passport, living in N. Ireland for 44 years now and CURRENTLY I would not vote for a united Ireland.

First of all there are economic reasons.

In N. Ireland the cost of living is less expensive than in the Republic.

For example I don’t pay anything for GP visits or prescriptions.

My brother in the Republic has to hand out € 60 everything he sees his doctor and then even more for his prescribed drugs. His visit can cost him anything up to € 150.

Car tax and car insurance is cheaper in the North.

Alcohol and eating out is cheaper.

Even food is cheaper.

Who in their right mind would vote to have a more expensive cost of living – especially in these times of severe austerity?

It was different in the past when we had Protestant, Unionist Stormont and Mass discrimination against Catholics in employment, housing and by the RUC / BRITISH ARMY.

I have lived in the North since 1978 when The Troubles were in full flight.

But today, the North has been greatly transformed, especially for Catholics and Nationalists.

THE REPUBLIC OF IRELAND ?

In many ways, Ireland is still run by a number of Old Boy’s Clubs and vested interests.

The politicians, the lawyers, the judiciary, the Garda and the bishops and priests still wink and nod at each other.

Ireland needs quite a political and social shake up and this could very well happen under a Sinn Fein government.

In Northern Ireland I most often voted for Sinn Fein – as a protest vote.

If I live in Ireland I would vote for Sinn Fein in the next general election.

It’s way past time that the Fianna Fail and Fine Gael monopoly was shattered.

The Ireland that emerges from this upheaval might be much more welcoming for Northerners.

And, we don’t need the old “United Ireland”.

We need, if anything, a NEW IRELAND.

116 replies on “MAJORITY IN NORTHERN IRELAND OPPOSE UNITED IRELAND.”

@ 10:21am
I couldn’t tell you Patsy, whatever it was it was not Catholic. His Late Holiness Pope Leo XIII declared in 1896 in Apostolicae Curae that anglican orders are absolutely NULL and VOID so it doesn’t matter.

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Pat they are clergy of the Free Church of England, which is a Calvinist church which split off from the C of E in the 19th century and apart from the Calvinism are otherwise Anglican in ethos. It’s TINY, which may explain the garden. Nothing will explain their vesture though. 😱
The guy with the Afro is Calvin Robinson, a far right figure of controversy, who they’ve ordained a deacon after he was refused ordination in the C of E for being a bastard.
Some of your right wing commenters here who hate everything would love him and presumably fit in well in that barmy set up.

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Howling at the cathbots thinking all Anglicans are in communion with the archbishop of Canterbury.
This is what you get for living in a ghetto. 😂

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Look! There are still good and holy priests!
No polyester here…
The one on the right is definitely Church of England, Calvin Robinson. I can’t remember if he is ordained or not. He had huge problems being accept in the English Anglican church, and was at loggerheads with the Anglican hierarchy, maybe he’s jumped the fence??

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@ 12:35pm

Poor ‘Calvin’ the barmy set up you mention are anglicans led by the archlayman of Canterbry and the ‘bishop’ of London Mullaly a member of the short back and side brigade all of them woke far left louts who will be admired by many of your poly commentators for their far left views.

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2:00 Nice try to get a rise but full of error.
As the 39 Articles rightly say, the church of Rome hath erred, and you have too.

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2pm Calvin will be in serious trouble if there is an outbreak of the nits at GBNews. Is he still creating Pac Man Games in Python?

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Pat, I agree mostly with your views re: a united Ireland. Economics isn’t everything but I agree with you that the cost of living is an important factor in deciding if we want a united Iireland. Thankfully life is much better for Catholics and Nationalists in the north. I do not hiwever want a SinnFein led government in the South. They still need to completely dissociate themselves from a sirfud, brutalising past. I believe they would destroy our economy. They are good at speaking the same rehearsed party line but I do not trust Mary Lou and her politics or any of their TD’s. Give me Fine Gael and Fianna Fail and a few independents anytime. The Greens should be sent to the hills to plant trees!!

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12:17 Agreed and there is no way forward for the Irish Roman Catholic Church until it also addresses and makes amends for both historical and ongoing abuses.

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5.26
You haven’t a clue, have you?
The Roman Catholic Church erred in its moral approval of capital punishment. This grave error was corrected in January 2018, when Pope Francis unilaterally revoked the offending teaching. The only thing he didn’t do (but ought to have done) was apologise to the Faithful for the institutional church’s misleading them, literally for centuries, about the sanctity of human life (it clearly, despite many statements to the contrary, did NOT regard such life as even remotely sacred) and for contradicting its moral premise for the prohibition of abortion.
In a nutshell, the Roman Catholic Church doesn’t just err (and bloody how!), it spouts utter and abject, biblically heretical balderdash.

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Malachi O’ Doherty’s recent book, “Can Ireland be One” examines the many issues.
From my notes after reading it:
“Is it realistic to regard Ireland as inevitably one just because of its geographical water created unity as an island, but one with differing cultures: traditional Nationalist/Unionist; Catholic/Protestant, and the new emergent immigrant cultures? Another Brexit like debacle must be avoided in any proposed referendum, with all the key issues, (payment of pensions, health provision etc) clarified beforehand, with clear choices ideally agreed in advance by the UK & ROI. And while the “country” could be united politically, given all the existing identity and cultural disparity, can the “people” be united? Intransigents on all sides will remain to foment disagreement especially in any narrow referendum majority for unification. Would disgruntled enclaves prove unmanageable?
MMM

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Interesting thoughts, MMM. Sensible, too.
I agree with ex-Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern: if ever a united Ireland is electorally approved in both NI and the ROI, for it to be workable, it must be preceded by a long period of political stability in NI.
I fear this will never happen, given the deliberate provocation of unionists by IRA-SF.
I have always found it peculiar, the Irish Government’s painful lack of even-handedness in its approach to NI. Isn’t there something in the Irish constitution about cherishing ALL the children of the ‘nation’ equally? If this were true, then every Irish Government should represent the case for maintaining the Union as well as that for a united Ireland.
The fact that no Irish Government has ever done such a thing is actually a solid argument against a united Ireland, since, clearly, a significant number of those children, the unionists, are not cherished equally at all by the Irish Government.

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Anon 7.45. Good points. Thanks.
Could one be criticised for arguing that in the eyes of some ROI politicians, cherishing children of “the nation” does not include Unionists: they’re still thought of as “planters” even after generations have passed.
There’s a long way to go before Ireland becomes a “warm house” for all shades of opinion.
MMM

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‘Cretin’ is an abusive word.
You stubborn pride will bring you a long time in Purgatory.

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@8:03pm
No you haven’t a clue, just because the ultra liberal lefty Fanny revoked the long held teachng of The Church that the State has the right to execute murderers and so it should, that oul melt is off his head..

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10.05: SHINNERS are murderous sinners. They have kneecapping, sexual abuse, burying the dead, murder, extortion, money making as a huge part of their legacy. Don’t and won’t ever trust Mary Lou. Ever.

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10:38 The dominant Roman Catholic ethos shamed Irish women and children subjected to rape and gender harassment into not reporting atrocities against them by both British & Irish in the Revolutionary era.

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10:26 in short, good solid Roman Catholic stock.

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But 10:26, the Catholics who comment here keep saying we should look to ourselves and not look at anyone else’s sins because none of us is any better.
They also whinge that Pat applies gospel principles to everyone else but not himself.
Are you saying that these principles, which have helped to ensure that priest= paedophile in the popular mind, should be cast aside when it comes to Sinn Fein?

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Try telling that to the Roman cult dictators, their daily modus operandi indicates that they believe that their word and opinion is above the law of the land and above God himself.

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No catholic in NI wants a United Ireland because they are the sub section that receive the most benefits from the UK government. Our comrades in the IRA, the hunger strikers, died in vein.

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Numbers Cruncher - The “devil” is in the detail 😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈🍯🥛says:

12:04pm. It’s 8:17 NOT 8:18!

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I think the disastrous financial decisions made by Liz Truss and Kwasi Modo, will tip the very good people of NI to vote for a United Ireland.

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I’m surprised that so many in the Republic would vote for a united Ireland and to incorporate the North in to the Republic. Perhaps there is a residual romantic notion still alive and kicking. But, why would the Republic want to take on the North and its notoriously cantankerous and argumentative people ? They are, simply put, big trouble. Always have been, always will be. Scratch the surface of an Ulsterman and you no longer get the twee Irishness, but an angry and growling person. I say leave sleeping dogs lie. Stick to the status quo. Or, cut off the North, pull it out in to the middle of the Atlantic and leave them be to sort themselves out there. I think the Brits would prefer the latter solution. It would solve a problem for them too !

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Why would the north want to be united with the south when under the (fake and two faced, obviously) twee Irishman, there’s you! 😂

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Food may be cheaper, but I am increasingly struggling. I am a social worker and I am using food banks every month, I think my home may be repossessed and I can not afford childcare anymore, I will vote for a United ireland and I am from Carrickfergus.

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If Julie is struggling on her wage, well what about us? Benefits with 4 children under 3 years old. Husband walks out for a younger model and leaves me to it, uneducated and unskilled. They wonder why suicides are on the increase.

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10:36 Louise, sounds as if you gave it your best shot. Now go educate yourself.

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What sort of accommodation have you?
What car do you own?
Have you got dependents?
You may think you are worth more than stated salaries. Neither seem too bad to me.
1)Social worker salary in Ireland
How much does a Social Worker make in Ireland?
Average base salary €35,46 Per year
The average salary for a social worker is €35,464 per year in Ireland. 2.3k salaries reported, updated at 2 December 2022

2)Social worker salary in Northern Ireland
How much does a Social Worker make in Northern Ireland?
Average base salary
£1,740

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QP. Hard to understand the figures you quote.
A big issue is the description ‘social worker.’ That term, properly speaking refers to someone professionally qualified by degree/diploma from an accredited tertiary educational establishment, and who works on behalf of the state, or a voluntary organisation. However many describe individuals as social workers who may in reality be employed as welfare assistants, welfare benefits workers, care workers in residential home/ community etc. Even DWP civil servants assessing state welfare benefits sometimes get called SWs!
Salaries for fully qualified accredited SWs are normally higher, commensurate with their qualifications, experience and responsibilities such as assessments of care requirements for frail seniors and negotiating these with care providers, invariably within tight budget constraints. For example there’s the constant tension of hospitals pressing for discharges, but no domiciliary care staff or care home places available. Similarly in childcare: vulnerable children but no alternative suitable care available.
There’s lots of info online discussing SW pay vis a vis responsibilities:….. inevitably with lots of “axe-grinders”
MMM

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Robert Nugent says he does not believe there will ever be a United Ireland as he believes even a unity vote in favour of one, would spark civil war in NI amongst the loyalist communities and we would then be facing Troubles II. I have to say I don’t agree with him often, but on this occasion I do.

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9:15 Robert Nugent is one of those guys that fails to recognise that he is a wanker. He’s always predicting one disaster or another. Another media mad vlogger.

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Politicians are always blowing in the wind. Bertie Ahern will be the next President of the Irish Republic.

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Change is slow in the Irish Republic. Vested interests continue to be highly profitable and as seen on this blog and elsewhere, church members will say and do whatever it takes to protect their financial interests this being all the more vital as numbers in the pews continue to dwindle.

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10:40 you clearly know very little about Bishop Buckley, he has more respect & a much better handle on the inside track in most Diocese than the actual Bishops in situ.

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Your blog on the Vatican and China reminded me of The Republic of Ireland where we lived when posted there some years ago. Very much a secret society in many ways despite the facade of fake friendliness and the litanies of verbose and long winded excuses and unfulfilled promises that amount to sparse or non existent progress unless one is privy inside the hierarchical circles.

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That’s exactly what I think. I saw a post by a woman on Twitter who posted her €20,000 electricity bill (for a small supermarket). She had people piling on her saying she shouldn’t have posted it and it was too much information. It literally only had her name and the address of the shop which were both in the public domain anyway.
Stupid, regressive and sabotaging.

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12:28 Donald Trump is a Saint here in Doonbeg if your family, friends & neighbours are reliant on the hospitality industry for a job in this remote area.

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12:28 we don’t want any more women drawing negative attention to our village. We all have bills to pay.

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What a great piece today, couldn’t agree more love. Haven’t been well our Pat, was in hepatology again for a while, say a prayer I can overcome this illness.

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I saw you the other day and was going to say hello but my son who has autism was being a wee bastard and playing up, but you looked thriving fit and healthy. Long May it continue.

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10:44 your son wanted to go for a wee that’s why he playing up. Mind your own family, no need for concern on Eamon – he is well pickled, he’ll last a good while yet, like a jar of good quality sauerkraut.

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Sure that is nothing knew, they have been branded about for years.
Both of these two are terrible candidates – both multi millionaires and completely out of touch with reality and normal parishioners- how many parish priest positions have they held between them

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When did anyone take the editor of this rag seriously? He knows as much about northern dioceses as Mr Blobby.

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Timothy the ice cream man that can hold his own urine and Eugene the singing camp plonker – solid choices D&C

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Tim has not been forgiven by any other Irish bishop for the 10 million Euro deficit he presided over during Frankie’s visit.

Far from being a millionaire (his family were never in that league) Tim is a deficit-maker. As inept in his finances and in almost every other aspect of his life.

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10:57 Anyone who has some issue with a priest who is MIA will find that their solicitor will quickly obtain their whereabouts from the diocese as the diocese drops them like a hot brick, as will the Child Maintenance Service in the unlikely event a modern priest will come under their purview. Failing that a court will get it out of them.
If there is a criminal matter you may find they’re ‘ministering’ in a country without an extradition treaty.

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Polls are one thing – they often get it wrong – and so I guess regardless of polls, views, commentaries, columns or opinions ultimately the people will deciide through referendum.
In the UK the slogan ‘the people have spoken’ didn’t reflect a clear mandate and was too close to call.
I’d vote for a united Ireland in a heart beat – older more conservative people are driven by financial considerations- cost of a GP etc but issue is bigger than that people shed their blood for vision of united Ireland – I wouldn’t shed my blood but I’d cast my vote.

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It’s too early to take a lot from initial polls on unity. The undecided who make up a large percentage will likely vote for unity along with other borderline nationalists when the process develops and a detailed economic plan is delivered.
To make the plan succeed, the economics must be right and they will be. The UK government will support it not just because it will release them from their subvention commitment of £10b per annum but also due to the rise of English nationalism. If a referendum was held in GB, I am certain a significant majority would support it. The EU will also support it both politically and financially.
It is interesting to note the relatively stronger vote for unity in the South but the northern vote will strengthen as the real process to sell unity begins. The days of unionist domination is over. They know it, we know it and a clever strategy to convince the majority here of a New Ireland, politically and financially will eventually win out. The political piece is the hardest part but is not insurmountable.

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4.57

You’re trying here, ever so hard, to convince yourself of what you’d prefer to happen, aren’t you?

Bless. 😀

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5.24

What an inane response. If I could work out what you are attempting to say, I would reply.

Bless.

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10.57
Isn’t he a young fella?
Paraded as quite the catch and a curate in Cheltenham?
Ian Ker was in Cheltenham too wasn’t he – a right old queen who I’m sure liked his curates young and pretty!!
If Tom Smith is MIA he’s gone for good – bishop of Clifton doesn’t believe in God hes a right little atheist- God aren’t they all.

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3:01 perfect career choice for a former member of the makey up to cover their butt brigade.

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2.13pm

A make up artist – very creative – like a hairdresser or beautician- v manly – so run that by me again, something about Attention Defecit read struggled with celibacy, v likely a homosexual but nowadays they like to that yeah giving the priesthood a break while I find myself and discover who I really am!!
Ah bless – he got himself a boyfriend and has cleared orf!!
Lang is great like this – he’s hanging on by a thread himself and so is pretty accommodating when they jump ship!!

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3.53pm
May I ask roughly what time period you wore a soutanna – would it be right to deduce in the 70s?
Would you wear a sountana now?
Does the wearing of a soutanna signal anything both the and now?
Is wearing one today a kind of code?

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I always wore one in the 70s and 80s.

Today I wear one occasionally and on more formal occasions.

I think it is nice to dress properly in and around the church.

I still have a soutane.

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Tom Smith says he has severe attention deficit disorder etc – surely that would have picked up on during his training at Oscott?

Whenever I read a long and indulgent shaggy dog story I always think is the work of a Made Up Artist!!

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Athiest Lang backfired badly with his intolerant treatment of the Glastonbury monks. Four parishes lost their PP and they won’t be replaced. Clifton has no seminarians.

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@ 5.37
Why attack Bishop Declan Lang who is not in the Best of health and 73 in April.
You think you are a Christian and Bishop Declan is an Athiest so maybe in your charity say a prayer for Bishop Declan that the Holy Spirit lets him retire soon and not hang on due to loyalty to the Holy Father Francis

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5.37pm

Clifton has a cold chill about it – it’s as if God cleared off a long time ago and all that remains are empty corridors of ecology, Palestinian gesturing and an intolerant liberalism which hides behind slick websites and a certain ecclesiastical woke ness.

Whatever happened to Fr Graham Gillman?

And Fr Leo Porter? (Swindon)

Didn’t a priest from Clifton come out as gay and atheist and left a lot of poor old ladies weeping in the pews.

Didn’t they or do they have a VG who sees himself as something of a property magnate?

And a Lady CEO – how’s that working out?

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Thank you Anon@8:05 for the link to the article on “Leaving the priesthood ” in the New Humanist.
So much of the writer’s journey towards atheism mirrors my own.
In short, inconsistencies and inadequate “explanations ” for religious beliefs are totally risible once one sets aside indoctrinated personal psychological and emotional restraints, in addition to familial/community expectations and practical/financial considerations.
Quitting the “living a lie” straitjacket brings a sense of peaceful equanimity.
MMM

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Fr Graham is in Westminster diocese where his family is based. He is active in a local parish.
Fr Leo is dead. That’s why he hasn’t been around recently.
Fr Richard Barton is an atheist. He is working as a humanist celebrant.
The property magnate is Canon Gregory Grant. He’s a bastard but the diocese would be bankrupt without him. Same with Canon David Mills.
Lynne is a nightmare. She has been since day one. She is hated by clergy and laity alike.

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5.03om

I mean this in all seriousness and no offence is meant but do you think that gay men are attracted to priesthood because of this dimension- dressing up, putting on costumes- almost a theatrical or dramatic. element rather like an actor or actress?

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Will the New Ireland be anything like the New Palestine? The New Palestine will be created when the axis of evil: Hamas plus other assorted Islamic extremist factions in the region, Syria, Hezbollah, and the Mullahs in Iran all combine forces to open a multi front war on Israel. Where is the outrage now that Hamas has realigned itself with the Butcher Assad? The Caliphate awaits you.

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I think most are abused by men and then they feel that this is normal and therefore don’t know any other way.
If you ask any gay man if they were ever sexually abused by a man before they turned 16, the majority will say yes.

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7.20: Read clinical research on the concept of being gay…You’ll find lots of theories and scientific material for your understanding.

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I agree Pat, we need a new Ireland that is reflective of the aspirations of those who sacrificed their lives for our freedom.

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In other words, you want an Ireland that honours terrorists.
Your ‘new’ Ireland would be very much an old one: never free of internal murder and strife.
Republican fool.

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