The 100th Anniversary of a Flawed Concept
The State of ‘Northern Ireland’ was created 100 years ago. It was an artificial creation from the start. Ulster has nine counties, so to create a ‘State’ in which one group (unionists/protestants) would have a majority the British government restricted the new ‘State’ to six counties and left out three counties (Donegal, Cavan, and Monaghan) in which there were sizable protestant and unionist minorities. It is fair to say therefore that the new ‘State’ was viewed with a degree of disdain by both Nationalists and Unionists from the outset. See the article in Celtic League magazine CARN 179 (Mothership Prepares to Abandon the Colonials) which shows the attitude of Unionist Leader Edward Carson.