'the Tories would have been delighted to be rid of NI as would every other party and the whole population of mainland UK.'

i don't think the evidence bears that out. the monied classes had a lot invested in NI. in fact that was one of the 1916's lot main bone of contention - we had nicked the industrial heartland of the country.

if there was the political will to get them to bugger off, theres all kinds of ways we could have tipped them the black spot. made subtle differences between the two countries that would have built up. - - like the fuss about them wearing prison uniforms. if we really didn't give a shit - we could have said, yeh whatever it takes for you to shut up. instead we had the hunger strikes. . and Thatcher's intransigence.