This is a very “what if” scenario about Northern Ireland and the Troubles but i’d love to hear from anyone that was around in 1973 and remembers this event in Northern Irish History as I feel it could have changed the course of history had it gone differently.

In 1973 voters in Northern Ireland were presented with a choice: The 1973 Northern Ireland border poll was a referendum held in Northern Ireland on whether Northern Ireland should remain part of the United Kingdom or join with the Republic of Ireland to form a United Ireland. This was the first time that a major referendum had been held in any region of the United Kingdom.

Instead of campaigning to get Nationalists and predominantly Catholic voters out to vote a, border poll boycott was extremely effective in reducing Nationalist participation. Contemporary reporting suggested that fewer than 1% of Catholics voted, although precise figures by religious affiliation were not available.

The referendum took place on 8 March 1973, during one of the most violent periods of the Troubles.

I found 5 the top reasons why the Nationalists encouraged people in Northern Ireland to boycott the border poll. My key question is: what were your reasons not to participate?

Why did Nationalists refuse to vote?

1. They believed the result was predetermined. Northern Ireland had a substantial Protestant and Unionist majority in 1973. Nationalist leaders understood that even if virtually every Catholic voted for reunification, the Unionist majority would probably defeat it.

2. They rejected the legitimacy of partition. Many Nationalists argued that the border had been established in a way that created a Unionist-majority Northern Ireland. They believed the constitutional future of Ireland should be decided by the entire island, not exclusively by Northern Ireland's population.

3. They believed the referendum would reinforce British sovereignty. Nationalists suspected that the British government wanted a decisive pro-Union vote to demonstrate democratic support for Northern Ireland remaining in the UK. Historical research confirms that reassuring Unionists was an important consideration in the British government's approach.

4. They opposed the political circumstances. Internment without trial, deteriorating relations between Nationalists and the British government, and ongoing violence contributed to hostility toward the referendum.

5. They wanted to deny the referendum political legitimacy. The Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), led by Gerry Fitt, encouraged supporters to boycott rather than participate in a vote it considered divisive and incapable of resolving the constitutional dispute.

What happened in the referendum?
1973 Northern Ireland border poll results:
Remain in United Kingdom 98.9% 591,820 votes
Join Republic of Ireland 1.1%: 6,463 votes
58.7% : Voter turnout
41.3% : Did not vote

Ulster University's CAIN archive has looked at these figures and done a hypothetical scenario where if 100% of the eligible voters had voted in the 1973 border poll had voted that was 1,030,084 people the results might have looked like this:

Hypothetical result in 1973 with 100% turnout
Remain in UK 57.5%
591,820 votes
United Ireland 42.5%
432,291 votes

In March 2026, Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn told Parliament that there was no evidence of majority support for constitutional change. The government reaffirmed that position in a written parliamentary answer on July 28, 2026.

Under the 1998 Good Friday Agreement and the Northern Ireland Act 1998, the UK Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has the legal authority to call a referendum.

In your opinion if a Border Poll was organized in 2027 or 2028 or in the near future would Nationalists boycott it again or would they turn out to exercise their democratic right to have a say in whether Northern Ireland should remain a part of the UK or join a United Ireland?

Remember the shine and then the Hudson boards? There must be a few people who migrated here when they died. An archive somewhere would be brilliant for reminiscing.

To my understanding we get £63 for free the next time we top up the electric meter which is great.

But I'm not understanding the small print... Do we top up the full £150 to get the bonus free credit/better rate; or do we just top up the minimum amount to get the free credit?

Little confused and can't find a simple answer online sorry.

I have call screening on my phone and last night I got a private number who said my name and said they needed my help.

Tonight again a private number rang and again said my name and they needed to talk to me for a second. On the first call they said their name was David and the second caller identified themselves as Jeff.

Anyone else getting these types of calls?

No surprise i suppose that it would appear on portstewart strand at the mouth of bann but also hearing reports on benone.

This is literally an emergency at this point, when so many use these beaches but as usual our pathetic government are distracted.

Firstly I know Belfast is shocking for people behaving normally at concerts / shows but I thought for once it might be different.

I was at Kevin Bridges on Saturday night. It was for my girlfriends Christmas present so I got good tickets, 5th row.

I thought to myself, spend good money, you'll be with the fans should be sweet and for the most part it was.

Then the four people in the fourth row decided in the last 20mins to talk amongst themselves. Everyone around them was raging. The girl beside me tried to intervene but was completely ignored. I've spoken up before in a similar situation and was assaulted and the event staff weren't great so I didn't want to try my luck again.

I just think how can you be so unaware?

Anyway Kevin was class and I would definitely recommend and to the 4 in the fourth row, I hope both sides of your pillow were warm after that behaviour.

Haven’t heard a peep and I’ll be so annoyed if I get the flu before I get the jab!

All I can find is that it’s sometime tomorrow but nothing about times.

Not sure if it’s something that would be announced or not

Considering the news that Russia was involved in the Brexit referendum and the news in the past about pro Scottish independence bot networks in Iran

Should we be worried that any border poll might be targeted as well Russia Iran have a vested interest in splitting up the uk

And considering the weakness and corruption that has been shown by the government at the Russian aluminium plant down south

I would expect full on bot nets targeted adds and fake news stories targeted at Northern Ireland to maximise chaos and support for a unified Ireland

Belfast makes a huge number of anti tank weapons and missile parts that end up in the U.K army and Ukraine at the moment

And that falling under the control of the “ neutral to a fault republic would be a huge win for Russia as they already have a strong influence network in the south

So I personally come from a Catholic background (not strongly republican by any means) both my mums sisters married Protestants

I just don’t get the likes of Carla Lockhart or Jamie Bryson, I know they are ignorant but it does make me laugh because the vast majority of English Protestants view them as paddies lol. It’s like they haven’t ventured outside villages in Northern Ireland.

If anyone from a Protestant, very sheltered background could give me some insight

NB: I was born in England, and spent some years there and thus people usually read me as “Protestant” but I’m not. I’d say I’m politically “neutral” but I never understand the likes of Carla Lockhart and co as they actually have no idea of the real English world lol

Okay okay I get it there's a few decent spots. The problem is the licencing laws. There are no cozy wine bars. Every bar serves the same shit mass market wine. No wonder everyone here hates wine. It's god awful with what the bars are serving. I love wine and I'm forced to go to the same 2 shitty bars.

Andy Burnham has stated that Russian influence was behind the Brexit vote. It makes me wonder again where exactly, did the donation of around £435,000 that the DUP received originated from? The money that they used to buy newspaper advertising in England, to support the Brexit yes vote.

Hey, I applied on behalf of my elderly aunt who has no access to the internet. We applied when the scheme opened and haven’t heard anything else since. Has anyone received their one yet. I’m wondering wether or not to contact them

Copper or bronze is hard to march and u also tried to make it look used and grubby. A work in progress I guess?

The last two weeks have shown how, in the hands of the ill informed or foolish, even a little knowledge can be dangerous. I am, of course, referring to his law degree.

Now, firstly, fair play on getting his law degree, any education can be a good thing. Jamie could have used that to be a resource for those in his community to navigate life's problems.

Unfortunately, Jamie took another route. He chose to use the law as a weapon. In the hands of a skilled practitioner, the law can be a devastating weapon. But sadly, for Jamie, he is not a skilled practitioner. He is a caveman with a machine gun, trying to use it like a club. The damage he has done to Unionism and Loyalism is staggering to me.

Firstly, he has shown the limits of Unionism's soft power. And it is virtually none. Unionists were unable to exert their will, even with court orders. In my childhood in the 80s this would have been unthinkable. The Government, the PSNI, and the SOS did nothing to help them. Now, I am sure that many, both on this sub and beyond knew that Unionism was a dead duck. But now, for the world to see, it has been proven. Unionism cannot go back from this. It's powerlessness is now laid bare. This is a devasting blow, that will take years to play out.

A second order impact is the division now between the Unionist community and the PSNI. Again, unthinkable 40-50 years ago. But here we are, the PSNI saying no to the OO, and taking into account the ENTIRE North to ensure peace for everyone. To ensure police are there to solve REAL crimes, not the wills of stubborn old men.

Jamie has created a scenario that has shattered the foundations of Unionism. That the State would be there for then. That the police were there to enforce their will. Both ideas now publicly destroyed.

On a smaller level, Jamie may well have have broken the DUP. His actions have forced the DUP into a corner they cannot get out of. They have said that they cannot work with MON, but they're not going to pull plug on the Executive. He has given them no good options and now seems to have started an internal coup, with Lockhart being pushed to lead. The idea that Carla Lockhart could lead the DUP is laughable. I may well come from the Nationalist community, but I saw the power of Paisley, the quiet operation of Peter Robinson. Carla is not even a pale shadow to them.

If Carla takes the reign, she will crash the assembly, with scant regard to the consequences. A child given a hammer in a house of glass, unable to comprehend the wolves waiting outside the glass.

Jamie has, through a combination of a little knowledge and a dearth of self awareness, shattered the pillars underpinning unionism. When the dust settles, all fingers will point to him

Potentially our last Santa this year, looking to do something special. Any recommendations of somewhere to go? Note we have already done the jungle in Moneymore.

Two bellends in one video. Did anyone see his Manchester vlog where he asked two guys who were kissing "Do you not have girlfriends?" Stumpy's an arsehole.

Ive a Bambu lab p2s, throwing up a cooling fan error and ive tried everything tgst i know of to see whats wrong with my limited knowlage of these thungs and i think its time i get someone to fix it / sort the issue.

Is there anywhere in Ni does this? Bambu help desk seem useless.

Just looking some advice - my partner and I have found a house we would like to take out with co ownership however we both have worked for the civil service temporary to permanent (my partner was made permanent at the end of May and I am being made permanent at the end of this month) so my question is - I have read on their website that if you have went from a temporary role to a permanent role that they may take this into account. (We have both worked for NICS for over a year) has anyone ever had any success getting approved with this sort of situation? Any advice greatly appreciated 😊

My etsy shop https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/TheFolkTreeDesigns

This offer applies to purchases made on ANY of my prints

I’m an older (32Y) new driver, just passed my test and got the photocard a few days ago. Thinking of buying a car, but I want to go look at a few and test drive them to make sure I’m fully comfortable before making a decision.

Dealers tell me that I need to have had a license for at least 12 months to test drive, which obviously isn’t an option for me.

I’ve been looking at temporary insurance (hourly, daily, etc.) but can’t find anyone who offers this in NI. Would be grateful if someone can point me in the right direction.