To be sick hearing about Biden's Visit to Ireland

[Viviennemary]

What business is it of his even if he does have Irish ancestors. He should keep his nose out. it's really beginning to annoy me now. And he's not even there yet.

James I/VI was a Scot. He was responsible for the plantation of Ulster of Protestants.
Sorry it is a pet hate of mine that whenever I see the potato famine discussed especially by Irish/Americans it is always "the English" when it was a British government at the time. Just a pet hate. I dislike the anti English sentiment I see.

I don't mind Biden visiting however sometimes I think he should mind his own business when it comes to NI and Ireland. NI is afterall part of the United Kingdom. He interferes too much.

As we are talking about NI I presume the plantation of ulster by protestant scots was a pivotal reason for many of the issues. Technically he wasn't a British monarch at that point.

Anyway ignore me. 🤣

Jesus you'd think you had to make the tae for him @Viviennemary

A pet hate of mine is referring to a 'potato' famine. An awful lot of our food was exported to Britain. The famine as it was was not neccessary. Irish people were viewed as sub human.

And Biden is very openly welcomed in Ireland. And the American 'interference' was an integral part of the peace process.

Apologies. I agree with you on that. Catholics were treated like shit at the time.

I meant now. I am surprised he is well enough to come. It wouldn't surprise me if he died in office.

I think he looks quite 'old' alright but if the West Wing is anything to go by he'll be checked within an inch of his life.

And sorry to press the point, but the 'unwelcome' interest in Ireland from the states comes from the emigrants, some as far back as the famine/starvation. The stories are very powerful.

Ireland is a signatory to pillar two, so its corporation tax rates will rise in 2023. The UK has about £80,000 per household of national debt and rising. You seem to have forgotten the Kwarteng Truss tax nightmare and the run on the pound. UK is fucked for the next 15 years. It will take that long to verify if Brexit has worked or not.

I agree. He can get lost, who gives a toss honestly. With his big jet and sunshades, what a load of guff.

It's these things that help get us FDI, that bring money in. I wouldn't be quite so dismissive tbh.

I didn't think it needed a "Badoom Tish".

Ah sure when you're busy getting worked up over Cromwell. Ya know yourself!

Biden is not a good president at all, he just seems good compared to the last one. I do worry about Trump getting back in next year if the Democrats go with Biden again.

I definitely agree there. He's far too old for the phyaical demands of it now.

I don't mind Biden visiting however sometimes I think he should mind his own business when it comes to NI and Ireland. NI is after all part of the United Kingdom. He interferes too much.

I see no sign that Biden has ever compromised NI status as part of the UK. He has definitely used his position to emphasise the US view that the GFA is vitally important to peace in NI; that the US hugely values their historic role as peace maker in that process and that they will not support any glib dismissal of its importance simply because 25 yrs down the road politicians can play to the populist crowds and imply it is all behind us. That poor police officer shot a few weeks back while refereeing a kids football match is testament to just how fragile NI remains in many ways.

Make no mistake that if Sinn Fein were to win a majority in the next ROI general election, the US would use their leverage to ensure any partisan statements about a United Ireland would be reined right in. They get away with that as a minority party. Not a chance the US would allow them to create instability again. US economic interests in ROI give them massive leverage.

Yes, this. ‘Potato famine’ is both a misnomer and minimising.

Frankly, I don’t care who is wheeled out to celebrate 25 years of the GFA, and to ensure that peace is not a casualty of the Brexit bollockology. The USA helped broker it in the first place and if you’d told me when I was sitting in my student common room watching it being signed that it would last this long, I’d have laughed in delighted disbelief.

We should celebrate, and we should do everything possible to see nothing jeopardises it.

Oh dear Lord.
Agree with previous posters; the ignorance of history on this thread is depressing.

US-Republican party vs republican nationalists.
GFA signatories and guarantors.
Ulster plantation.
Irish famine.
Why Biden won't attend KC's coronation.
"Mainland".

Sigh.

As ever, utter cluelessness that 25 years ago there was a civil war in the UK - and no I don't just mean "the bombs in London". I really don't think people have any idea what the population of NI suffered. The peace treaty that ended it is something wonderful and something that the UK and Ireland should be proud of, and it is right that it is celebrated.

I'm only embarrassed that Stormont is in the state it's in and Biden couldn't visit.

I was in Belfast earlier today and had to wear a fleece and huge padded raincoat. It's rained non stop here all day and it's very cold. I see he's brought some of his family here so hopefully the weather improves when he goes over the border.
I'm pleased to see the University of Ulster getting some attention from tomorrow's visit as it's a great institution.

probably to remind Biden that he's there, he's not exactly on the pulse is he

Biden has second cousins in mayo doesn't he? Laurita on the pod, is in real contact with him.

Her father crawled into the kitchen with head wounds after being shot. The family then had to lock themselves in the house while flares were put up to summons the police/army for help.
They had to move from that area into a safer area and her interviews about this are fascinating.
When she was 16 her school bus was blown up.

This 100%. What a ridiculous thing to be riled up about 🙄