Stepping back a few posts in this thread, I see that someone remarked that the British Government had not declared war on "its own people".

How I hate that expression! It carries an unspoken assumption which is plain wrong. The topical example, of course, is the repeated comment that Saddam Hussain committed "genocide" (or used WMD, chemical weapons, torture...) on "HIS own people".

And in what sense were they "his"? Only in the sense that they were unlucky enough to live in a geographical area over which he claimed authority, and had the power to enforce that "authority".

Few of us can choose whether or not to live in one country rather than another; it follows that few of us can choose the political system under which we live. A murdered marsh Arab would not have regarded himself as "one of Saddam's own people", but as one of Sadam's enemies or victims.

On a much lesser scale, a member of the Catholic/Republican minority in Northern Ireland has a stark choice: move to the south (why should they have to?) or live within the system that prevails in the North - knowing that they will always be part of a minority, and will never be able to change the system from within. They were never asked whether they wanted to be the "UK Government's own people".

Whether you or I agree with it, it is at least a legitimate aspiration to see a united Ireland, just as it is a legitimate aspiration to see the North remain part of the UK. However, the simple realities of "tribal politics" and the "tyranny of the majority" mean that a Republican/Catholic in the North has no realistic way of pursuing his legitimate aspiration. He must either put up with the situation or move out.

It is therefore not surprising that some people with strongly held Republican views, especially if they have a strong perception that their fellows are victims of discrimination, might consider non-democratic means to pursue their aspirations.

I do not in any way condone this. I simply state it as a fact. If you say to enough people: "Shut up and obey our rules, or sod off," some of them will say, "Stuff you, I'll fight you over it."

Now perhaps I'm a bit simple, but I think that most people don't really give two hoots about who's in charge. That's why turnouts at general elections are so poor.

Monarchy, democracy, benign dictatorship,or win the job in the Lottery, it doesn't matter to most people as long as they are comfortable, well fed, and can go about their lives.   If there were no perception of discrimination or victimisation, and if the two communities lived side by side in harmony, with genuinely equal opportunities, most people wouldn't care whether they were in the UK or the Republic, and those who did care wouldn't feel entitled to resort to violence to pursue their aims.

It is this community of spirit, the desire for a harmonious, trouble free life, in the face of so many people trying to take that away from us, that gives rise to the best folk songs. In my view, the best folksongs of all are non-partisan. Apart from his obviously non-German name, Willie McBride could have been from any country, form example.