"Heather (Calluna vulgaris), the sole species in the genus Calluna in the flowering plant family Ericaceae found widely in Europe and Asia Minor was not natural - On the other hand I do believe that the vast expanses of heather that can be found in Scotland are perfectly natural and that no-one planted them."

This is all based on a complete misunderstanding both of what I said in the thread and of how plant communities come about. As I have no wish to "boast" about my academic prowess (oh, how the jealous and educationally-deficient do moan!), I won't belabour the thread with further explanations. Perhaps someone could be arsed to start a dedicated heather thread, in which I'd be delighted to put both "Historian-manqué Bill" and Iains right apropos of their lack of knowledge. Naturally, it would be an uphill struggle, as with any endeavour that has to begin at point zero, but I believe I'd be man enough to address the task.   

On the substantive, all we want to know is how Keith knows that Dublin WANTS a hard border. Stop shirking that very very very very VERY simple issue, Teribus. Otherwise you make yourself look like the willing captain of a ship of fools.