We are beginning to see some of the effects of the lingering recession and Irish debacle. In times of downturn, recruitment from Ireland to the British Army increases. It is a well-trodden path, with strong antecedents.
The numbers are insignificant. The Belfast Telegraph points out that at the height of the boom, ten soldiers from the Republic of Ireland joined the British Army. This has increased by an order of magnitude now. I suppose my surprise is that the numbers are still so low, though they are based upon addresses only. The sample is probably higher than this.
Whilst there are still protests amongst the die-hard nationalist community, others such as the SDLP member wearing a poppy start to realise that remembrance can form an act of historical commemoration and contemporary respect.
Whilst