Ard, I'm not pretending anything. I've never lived in NI, only Ulster (Donegal) and that long before the Troubles started. However I have a brother in Derry, who has lived through the troubles - many of his pupils were in the IRA,I have another brother living right on the Border, so I have a reasonable idea of life there.

I can only repeat that there has to be compromise, a coming together sooner or later, so why not try to make it sooner. I do not underestimate the difficulties, the near-impossibilty, but efforts have to be made.

What do you make of David Trimble's call for a referendum in NI on a united Ireland?

Hope our team survives tomorrow!