Ah totally agree wi' ye Big John.Yer views on the proximity o' the beatiful wee island made it strategically important tae the security o' the area.It is too bad that religious differences got in the way.Ower the years ah hae read a fair bit o' Irish history an' it is a very strange history indeed.
Ah mind every year when the "Marchin season "came oan ,the boat wis chock-a-block wi' Scots headin ower tae celebrate the Battle o' the Boyne.Ah had a pal wha worked oan the boat an' he telt me it wis pandimonium.Still the same as far as ah know.Ah pity the puir tourists whit get caught up in it.
As wis mentioned here afore,here in Newfoundland whaur ah live noo,Paddys Day comin up an' aw' hauns get involved.Ye can get up in oney pub an' sing Roddy McCorley or Derrys walls an' naebody bats an eye.In fact ah've sang baith oan tv here."BR>
"Man tae man,the wurld ower,will brithers be for aw' that!" ljc