Only if and when Unionist political representatives are no longer in a majority and Republican Nationalists are no longer in a minority would it be correct to hold a border poll. Presently Unionists hold 57 seats compared to 43 for nationalists & 8 for Alliance & others in the NI Assembly. Local councils have 283 Unionists and 225 republican Nationalists with 74 alliance & others. When that time will come, 20, 30, or 40 years away, or if ever this century is just supposition and quess work.

I wish the editor of BT would check out the veterans medal office website before he writes such an article.

In 1994 HM The Queen has given permission for British citizens who were Russian Conyoy veterans to receive and wear the 1985 "40th anniversary Russian medal." Read here on this official MOD veterans site
http://www.google.co.uk/url?q=http://www.veterans...

veterans who did not apply for the Russian Convoy Medal (the 40th anniversary medal) will be pleased to learn that the Ministry of Defence Medal Office has located a small stock of medals which were not sent out during the mid-Nineties. They will issue these on a first come, first served basis to all those veterans who served on the convoys to Northern Russia who had not previously applied for the medal. Application form is here:
http://www.veterans-uk.info/pdfs/medals/russian.p...

Rory will feel a right fool if while in Bulgaria with his girlfriend this week he watches Peter Hanson or Justin Rose win the HSBC Champions WGC which begins this Thursday Nov 1 and takes the lead in the European Tour money list while the World No1 decided to drop out of this event. This is what Rory said last year when Luke Donald won both money list award.

'What a season! Winning both money lists in the same year might never be done again! Amazing effort number one.'"

http://www.google.co.uk/url?q=http://www.dailymai...

If the rest of the week is being spent in Bulgaria with his girlfriend while Rory has opted out of playing in the HSBC Champions WGC which starts in southern China on Thursday he may have made a foolish mistake if either Peter Hanson or Justin Rose win the event and him not being present to even finish in the top 10.

Maybe BT and other newspapers will give this subject a rest and let both these two professional golfers "Registered from Northern Ireland" to get on playing their golf.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rory_McIlroy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graeme_McDowell

This nonsense will only end when the golf clubs of Northern Ireland form their own NIR golf association and are allowed to enter two players to play for Northern Ireland in the Omega Mission Hills World Cup in 2013. England, Scotland & Wales all enter teams but because no NIR team existed in 2011 both Rory & G-Mac had to play for the ROI or not play at all. This is were this nonsense began. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Cup_(men'...
If NI Golf Clubs refuse to support its NI golf players by forming an association of their own then why should these golfers support anything to do with golf in Northern Ireland or the ROI like the Irish open anytime in the future?

"My mum's Catholic and my dad's Protestant. And my mum would probably like me to play for Ireland, and my dad might like me to play for Britain."

Come on G-Mac, get a grip, are you saying Rory's family would want him to play for and carry the flag of the ROI because they are all Catholic, and should both parents be ashamed over this video he put up on his website just after the Ryder cup? I doubt it, in fact looking at the expressions on both his parents face in this video they both seemed proud their son wrapped the Ulster flag around his shoulders http://social.rorymcilroy.com/videos/231472

Well said Kate Hoey, furthermore if there should be a NIR association for boxing there should also be a NIR association for golfers. Then Rory McIlroy & Graeme McDowell would not have to had to play for the ROI during the bi-annual World Cup for golf last year which in turn lead to such embarrassment to these two golfers in the media recently. Why can England, Scotland & Wales enter golfers to represent their three countries in the 2013 "World Cup for Golf" but Northern Ireland will be denied this honour?

beggarsreturn: 'He wraps that vile blood soaked Unionist flag around him at every opportunity"

I dont know about the description vile, but a "blood soaked" flag certainly is to do with the red hand of Ulster, and certainly has a lot to do with Irish culture, myth & legend, long before the UUP was formed in 1905 and Partition happened in 1922. Please read carefully beggarsreturn:

"The hand is most likely red to represent the fact that it would have been covered in blood. According to some versions of the story, the king who cut off his hand belonged to the Uí Néill clan, which apparently explains its association with them." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Hand_of_Ulster

Good BT article, pity that top Olympic official for the ROI Pat Hickey had not the same view as Ed Curran, or read what the boss of the Golfing Union of Ireland (GUI), Pat Finn had to say (below) before he tried to embarrass Rory into playing for Ireland instead of GB during the 2016 Rio Olympics: Neither Rory or G-Mac were persuaded, coaxed or forced to hold the Ulster flag up in the photograph above. They chose to hold the flag up themselves, and why not?Both golfers are registered as British and the NIR flag is displayed on their official websites.

"No Problem if Rory plays for GB say GUI boss"

"THE head of golf’s all-Ireland governing body would be happy even if Rory McIlroy opts to play for Great Britain at the next Olympic Games. Now the boss of the Golfing Union of Ireland (GUI), under which Rory played before turning professional, has spoken out in support of him.The GUI is made up of 430 clubs across the Republic and Northern Ireland – including Rory’s own home club of Holywood in Co Down.General secretary Pat Finn said: “Personally, I wouldn’t see it as an insult for the GUI if a player chooses to play for Great Britain.“Many of our programmes are funded by golfers who are British as well as Irish.“I think we should be proud of the fact he’s achieving so much as a former member of a GUI-affiliated golf club.”It should be noted that Rory does remain a member of the Holywood club in an honorary capacity.Mr Finn also said it was inappropriate for Northern Irish players to have to play under the tricolour, as happened with Rory and fellow Ulster golfer Graeme McDowell at the golfing World Cup in China last year. He said: “We should be cheering them on regardless of what (Olympic) team they might play in – if they qualify, which is another matter.” Read more :
http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/local/no-problem...