Latest Ulster election results - DUP maintains NI Poll Lead (BBC)

[Screaming Lord Byron]

Sinn Fein is gaining big time, though. Northern Ireland is getting even more polarized it seems.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/3245156.stm

NB - The DUP is the hard-core anti-agreement (on anything!) Protestant Party.

[Maeve]

1. DUP is Ian Paisley's party

I fear the peace process is in critical condition, if not actually dead.

[Screaming Lord Byron]

2. I heard once that Paisley complained when an Italian Ice Cream parlor

opened up in his constituency. He gave a speech condemning 'Papist Infiltration of our Protestant homes!'. I'd have thought that was an urban myth, but I wouldn't put it past the biggest shit in Irish political history.

[Maeve]

4. Both he and his son are in power now

North Antrim.

Looks like tribal warfare will continue. Poor Northern Ireland.

[madddog]

6. it's true...

to Ian, there's a Papist under every bed lol. Some of his past antics have defied description.

[madddog]

5. it's not dead...

but I think you need to sides to have a "process"...6 years of Unionist obfuscation over "decommissioning" points out the absurdity of NI politics...Unionists don't really want to live up to the GFA, and have done everything in their power over the last 6 years to thwart it, with the English government there to bail poor old David out of trouble time and time again, and to turn a blind eye to daily Loyalist violence. It's a farce, as in the recent debacle over the agreement between the UUP and Sinn Fein on decommissing. That agreement was signed off on by SF, the UUP, the US, Irish, and English government...and STILL Trimble reneged.

Well, if nothing else, I think it's slan abhaile for Trimble now...I think even his own party will have had enough. With SF now the leading nationalist party, it will be interesting, that's for sure. I think the "process" is way too far down the line for a return to the bad old days though. But, until there is a genuine committment from rank and file Unionism to adhere to the GFA, and I don't see that happening anytime soon, I don't know what will happen...I guess the same silly mess will be the status quo.

[Maeve]

7. I think you're right that the bad old days won't return

But I still expect a few bad hours (nothing like the worst of it, but it they may see worse before they see better).

"The same silly mess" sums up my feelings, too.

[Another Bill C.]

3. The actual results are posted at

http://republican-news.org/elections/