Keith,

When in hole stop digging! YOu have stated the following:-

" ...there was no "deliberate British policy encouraging emigration" to or from NI..."

It seems you want to run with the hare and hunt with the hounds; I do not believe that anyone has made claims about a "deliberate British policy encouraging emigration" to or from NI...". as you state.

However, the reality is that the then Northern Ireland prime minister, one Lord Brookeborough, made it clear to a gathering of Unionist worthies that they should encourage Catholic emigration by ensuring that only Protestants were employed - that is a matter of historical record, btw - the objective being to ensure the Protestant majority. Of course, when it suited, the strategy of forced emigration through employment discrimination was supported by use of intimidation of Catholic workers in the shipyards and exclusion from general employment opportunity. Once again, this is a matter of public record. I can reassure you that my father was a victim of this blatant discrimination, a man who wanted nothing more than an equal opportunity to compete but who was denied on the grounds of his perceived faith - he also had to witness triumphalist marches every year where it was made clear that "walking the road" was a demonstration of what can only be called droit-de-seigneur.

For some reason, and I am assuming you do have a reason, you post persistent, value-laden, sectarian smears regarding things which have taken place in the six counties - interstingly you have not responded to my request for information as to what/ who enlightened you with regard to Northern Ireland. I cannot believe that your philophical outlook was borne out of a weekend trip to a wedding in County Down. Sadly, you present as a bigot who ahs little or nothing to offer to the debate about how a lasting solution might be achieved. It begs the question as to whether you are actually a troll intent only on fanning sectarian flames. Easy done from a Hertford armchair!

One final question to add to those which I have asked but which remain unanswered so far. Have you actually served in the British Army? If so, was it in peacetime and do you have any campaign medals? Oops, two questions! My bad.... soooo sorry Captain Mainwaring.

Your grasp of facts is tenuous to say the least, your attempted manipulation of statistics is frankly pathetic and generally beneath contempt. You bring nothing to the table apart from Hertford armchair bull. An armchair warrior talking about matters Irish on the basis that he spent a weekend in County Down at a friend's wedding is seriously pathetic.

I do not know what drives your agenda. All I do know is that your arguments are intellectually weak, your logic is shallow, you show no inclination to engage intellectually,rather you appear to prefer invective and wild extrapolation.... and, finally, your grasp of history is tenuous.

In your defence, you have clearly had a hell of a time in the course of your one weekend in County Down! Hopefully no-one has incriminating pictures and no-one has been hurt in the creation of your pretty picture.

Peace and love brother, peace and love.....