Embarrassing some of these media hacks making this about Sinn Fein and at the same time saying it goes back to 1690 AND THEN follow up by arguing that it makes a United Ireland less likely because he would like to like to wash his hands of these problems that in his view partition solved... Leaving those of us Irish people in the North to deal with and then he goes in front of the camera criticising how we deal with it!!!!. What an embarrassment.

The orange man sent the Orange men doolally with talk of a united Ireland.

There is an awful lot of hypocracy being spoken here.
Sectarian parades are not a "Sinn Fein" issue. They are an issue for all of us in Ireland.
What Free State politician would come forward and welcome a sectarian parade through the streets of any southern constituency against the wishes of their constituents? What panellist would support such a march?

Decent unionists know this decision by the parades commission is totally wrong against the people of the Garvaghy Road, orange order has no support on this but 100 people.

30 Years ago there would have been thousands on the streets from the unionist community and I think it speaks volumes how far the unionist community has moved on and want nothing to do with this nonsense.

The DUP are whipping this up thinking they will get their base behind them before the election yet it looks like their base have not fallen for it and  have no appetite for taking people back!

It’s purely about antagonism and one upmanship. Thats all and everyone knows that. There are hundreds of streets that could be marched down but it has to be that one where they are not wanted. The decision to allow it is incomprehensible and could collapse stormont for the final time. And what follows that who knows? It’s a very dangerous situation and I don’t think Chris Bryant really recognises that.

Congratulations to the Orange Order. Whatever else can be said about Garvaghy Road, they have managed something politically remarkable: they have changed the subject.

Only days ago, unionism was facing uncomfortable questions about scandal, leadership, its political relevance and the wider constitutional conversation around Irish reunification.

Now Northern Ireland is back discussing Drumcree, parades, identity and who is or is not entitled to walk down one particular road.

A dispute that had been largely dormant for almost 30 years has suddenly become the dominant political story again.

Perhaps that is coincidence. But politically, the effect could hardly be more convenient.

Instead of examining why unionism has lost ground, why its institutions have repeatedly failed, or where the constitutional debate is actually heading, everyone is back on the safest possible terrain for the DUP and the Orange Order: grievance, symbolism and confrontation.

That is the story I think deserves some scrutiny.

Seriously, this is the conversation yous want to have right now when the rights of the people of Garvaghy Road are being trampled on. Keep to the point in hand and support them. What holidays people will and won’t be getting is irrelevant right now

Solidarity with all irish in armagh here from south dublin my gawd the irish media has misread the mood of the irish people in the south ... we are not going back. Solidarity with garvaghy!

Embarrassing hackery from people who have no experience of this at all. You’d have been as well having a vox pop on O’Connell Street than these bunch of clowns.

This is complete and utter nonsense - im an Irish republican who was a groomsman at a protestants wedding, the brides da was a former british soldier and most of the room was protestant - lots of light hearted banter about our backgrounds and fields of athenrye was played for us to which the whole room sung along

This is the new North of Ireland - the orange order are a tiny minority of the population who are absolute dinosaurs.

How can you say the north of ireland hasnt moved on when we had fleadh ceoil na hEireann here a few months ago (that loyalist bands participated in) and even when there is a stand off at drumcree it is political, not violent

The orange order are enabled to walk through lots of areas that are flashpoints - Derry, Ardoyne, Bellaghy etc with no trouble - Drumcree unfortunately is such an open wound that the residents had no choice but to take a stand.

This sabre rattling from west brit journalists who use every small flare up in the North to campaign against a united Ireland is utterly embarrassing

Our governements have decided to kick this off again in order for us to take our eyes of the real problem. Sickening.

The thing is, although we aspire to the reunification of the Island of Ireland, the British still see the North of Ireland as part of their United Kingdom, and they still have a very colonial mindset! In fact, the British see the two Islands as the British Isles, and that is a real problem for Irish unity and Ireland as a whole!

Aidan was spot on at the end his analysis

YES - - Let's have the 12th July as  National Holiday in a United Ireland . Orange makes up an Equal Space on the the National Flag . Michael

I would hope that I'm wrong here, I really do. But evidently, after witnessing and reading people's views about what has been and is going on, the north of Ireland at this point in time is still no way united. And clearly, the south of Ireland are ignorant of the fundamental views of the Loyalist's identity. Therefore, Ireland as an island may not be ready for a 'United Ireland'. It feels like it's nothing more than a utopian fantasy for some at this point in time.

I'd have Gavin over Shane any day. But Fionan would put a rave to sleep with his Indo drivel. Has zero balance

This is purely provocative to the nationalist community. It's designed to antagonise and to incite violence.
Under no circumstances should they ever be permitted to go near the Garvachy road or an other recognised nationalist area.

Just shows the ignorance. If a referendum is called then it has to be redone every 7 years if it fails. The fact that the current Irish government is intentionally kicking the can just shows that they are not a party of a united Ireland.

It’s inevitable that there will be a united ireland and it’s also inevitable that unionists and loyalists will oppose it by their very nature, the clue is in the name. The responsible thing to do is  to mitigate a violent transition by best preparing, not kicking the can

Surely the future is not a United Ireland but a Federal Ireland ! With NI having its own Government as now as part of a. new Federal Ireland but biggest issues maybe who supports the budget ?

I'll take a day off yeah