Remember that on no country on Earth does the traditional boundry perfectly match the modern political one - any country that does match, it has been brought about by force. Shifting demographics shift borders.
Also, this country was never united under one government while it was independent - Ireland was just a loose confederation of kingdoms before British rule, so ultra-nationalists here have no claim to Northern Ireland.
Australia comes to mind. And if England would give Northern Ireland back to the Irish, we’d have three! (Though the Scots might still complain)
Also, this country was never united under one government while it was independent - Ireland was just a loose confederation of kingdoms before British rule, so ultra-nationalists here have no claim to Northern Ireland.
Around 980, in North Ireland, Malachy the Second, the Ui Neill King of Tara. followed Brian Boru's lead when his forces defeated a Norse army to take control of Dublin. The two kings met in 998 and agreed to divide Ireland between them, with Boru receiving the South and Malachy the North. Boru had much support and Malachy eventually allowed Boru to peacefully take over his lands. This was the greatest moment in the history of native Ireland. Brian, by his title, “Ard Ri”, was claiming the monarchy of the whole Gaelic race. This made Boru one of the first - and last - kings to effectively unite Ireland under one monarch. Boru’s death prevented a strong unification, and then the English invasions led to an 800 year struggle for Irish independence.