Could Ireland become the 51st state?

Finally, the solution to the green card problem! Hughor

A joke it may be but some of you seem to be taking it pretty seriously. Will you listen to yourselves! Ireland would be welcome blah blah blah. Ireland is an independent nation, and surprising as it might seem, we aren't a charity case, nor a little state floating, homeless, in the Atlantic ocean. Stop being so patronising. We aren't Americans, and have no desire to become Americans with all that entails - we're a neutral nation, and our young men aren;t going to be offered up as fodder in your wars!

@sirpeter: the Irish are in such a bind largely because of the Euro, which was not even necessary to be in the EU. Maybe we don't have to be in the US, and just have a floating currency that would reset the accounts. But I'm glad somebody said this, because there is an amazing number of people who cannot consider Ireland not being part of some bigger organisation - why not the US? And remember: whatever we've gotten in transfers, has arguably been matched in what we've given up in fisheries and related industry multipliers.

"...revealing what a bunch of chowder heads the Irish really are." Well, since we're really chowder heads anyway, why would we listen to such a clever man like yourself?

Frankly with few exceptions I think that most of your readers know little or nothing of history. The history of Ireland is much more akin to that of aborigine peoples like the native American people or Australian aborigines. It is the story of a vassilized people whose historic lands were conquered from them. For the United States to absorb Ireland as a 51st state would be a victory for imperialism as well as revealing what a bunch of chowder heads the Irish really are. One wonders if Mr.Soden has any interests in Celts as people and their only independant state or simply international financial transfers and business investments. The name Soden doesn't sound very Irish to me.

USA! USA! USA!

Do not feed the Trolls. Do not feed the Trolls. Do not feed the Trolls.

Ken...if you hate Jews so much...why don't you become Roman Catholic...

antoman... The difference between the Queen and the Pope is both are queens...and no, Elizabeth is not German...she is British...with some German ancestry...big deal.

I second that...No Surrender

I love both the United States and Ireland,but I can't see selling out Ireland to the US. Ireland has already been sold out to the EU. As the Orange Order in Ulster says "NO SURRENDER!"To anyone.ERIN GO BRAGH!

@Pittsburghkid..Maybe I am wrong,I find it hard to believe that whites in America are at the bottom of the job quota. Black,Hispanic, or other more then likely take the much more abundant low payed jobs,but it's a fact that whites in general have more money and therefore have better educated kids who go for the better payed,but less abundant jobs.Ireland been considered the pigs of the EU,I don't know what you mean by that.Ireland has done very well in the EU,but you get nothing for nothing,Ireland has one of the richest fishing grounds in Europe and we opened that up to the EU,so for every Euro Ireland got,the EU got it back in the billions of Euro they made fishing our waters,we were happy to do so,we are meat eaters and don't eat much fish. It is true the pig was held in high regard in Ireland at one time,that's because he payed the rent to English landlords,but these days he's just a tasty bit of bacon and his standing in the community has fallen somewhat.But he is a noble animal and intelligent too. You are right when you say the Celtic monks saved Christianity,they copied everything down after the fall of Rome to the Barbarians and gave it back to Europe. Education? Google that one,we weren't know as the island of scholars for nothing.

Really??............. In galway the saying is " are ye codding me?"......................... sure this could happen..................... when and if they also include Italy and Israel. Then all the politicians that claim their "roots" with the three "I's" could do so legitimately. RUBBISH no matter how dressed up it is, is still that!

Welcome aboard!

Ireland has done very well out of Europe,remember this is a first world recession we are having.This is still a very rich country per head of population and highly educated and skilled.Because we are a small country which depends on high exports we a vulnerable to world recessions,unfortunately we can't accommodate every worker during these times,but most of those are very well educated and skilled,but in saying that generally it is those who don't have the contacts to get a proper job have to leave.Ireland is a unique country, at the moment we have engineers putting bicycles together and university graduates in burger joints,they don't want to leave because even though they have crap money,they have family to support them, and nobody can party like the Irish,and there is a great quality of life here.(except for those who borrowed up to their eyeballs during the good times)they just wait for an opening for a proper job which in time they always get.So no thanks,but it is tempting,if just to freak out the Brits,they would sh*t themselves if we had a few nuclear missiles here,we could nuke them accidentally on purpose.