Kevin (McGrath), me too. Maybe we met along the way?

Nynia, thanks for the blue clicky - that's a hell of a useful site.

Sarah2, a caveat with your thoughtful post about criminalising the political heroes, etc. The anti-union community has no faith in how the present democracy is policed - and for good reasons, not all of them historical. Ideally policing would have been the starting point - the creation of a non-partisan, high-calibre police force, capable of earning the respect of both communities. It would have given a better climate for progressing the peace initiative.

I think Jimmy C and Sarah put too much weight on getting the brits out. The London and Dublin governments, with US support, are constructively engaged in a long-term strategy for achieving stability, and I'm sure this will lead to a united Ireland - unless sovereignty issues are somehow overtaken by the European dimension. Not that if matters where the boundaries fall, if you've got peace and stability.

Neither is the solution as simple as telling the unionists where to get off. Those who think that way might keep in mind that if they'd been born into unionist families, they'd probably have a unionist mindset themselves. It's an irrational, even desperate mindset - but entirely consistent with a seige mentality. Push the prods too hard, and they'd fight. Some would die, and those that died would become martyrs, to inspire another generation's sacrifices. Fine if you want war; misconceived if peace is the aim.

OK progress may be frustratingly slow,but we're still farther on than I'd have dared hope ten years ago.

Lastly (phew!) I can assure Fiolar I was not likening Brady to Sands! Just making the point that not all hunger strikes have equal merit.