I found that episode of Columbo that was troubling my memory earlier in the thread. It was called The Conspirator and featured a bravura performance by New Zealand actor Clive Revill as the Irish writer/IRA man.

The guy who wrote it - it says on the official Columbo fans website - it was his favourite episode.

As for the other business, if we both faced the facts, England and Ireland are changing so fast that I don't think whatever we end up with - either of us will be able to recognise our own countries.