United Ireland?

[Ghyl Tarvoke]

After 1973, it was essentially a colony, wasn't it? It wasn't as though Northern Ireland had much real say over the government that ruled it.

No, after 1972 (correction, 1972) it became, at least in theory, as a totally integrated part of the UK, similiar then to Scotland and Wales pre-devolution. However, in practice, as the British Army had a significant military presence in the country by that time, things were a little more complicated...

The thing is though when direct rule was imposed it was over the wishes of the Unionist Party (in one of its "falling apart" moment) and the protestant community as a whole. It was mostly moderate Catholics (and sometimes not so moderate ones) who wanted direct rule imposed despite the fact that by that stage the British military presence was hugely unpopular (only a few months after Bloody Sunday after all).

Also, what Al said. Someone needed to look over "those bloody people".

[politicus]

Well, in any case, the rump UK would, for all practically purposes, be the Greater England, in which Wales and Northern Ireland would, at best, be "autonomous entities" of sorts. While it may be possible, the nature of the UK would change radically

Yes, England would be even more dominant than today and have 510 out of 550 members in the House of Commons. Welsh first minister Carwyn Jones has an idea of a new upper house in this scenario where England, Wales and NI should have equal representation.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/jan/13/scottish-independence-wales-northern-ireland But I doubt the English would accept.
The problem with any kind of federal structure in Britain is that England is simply too big an entity compared to the rest.
Only the Danish Realm is worse off in this respect. Greenland and the Faroes only have about 2,2 % of the total population combined making federalism ludicrous. But NI's share of the population in a "Rump-UK" would actually only be slightly higher.

[crypto-fascist superhero]

England should really be split into multiple smaller entities for devolution, but I guess that isn't a very popular idea. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_England_devolution_referendums,_2004

[Sibboleth]

Based off the 1979 referendum, devolution in Wales wasn't a very popular idea either.

[YL]

England should really be split into multiple smaller entities for devolution, but I guess that isn't a very popular idea. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_England_devolution_referendums,_2004

While it's true that splitting England up for devolution isn't a simple concept, the assemblies offered in those referendums (two of which were cancelled of course) wouldn't really have had powers comparable with those of the existing devolved parliaments/assemblies, and I think this was part of the reason they were so decisively rejected.

[Vasall des Midas]

...as that made it easy to paint them as just another talkshop and waste of taxpayer money.
The fact that a referendum actually went ahead despite a complete lack of establishment enthusiasm for the idea really says more than the actual results. Then again, there's a reason the Northeast was the place that had a referendum. Can you imagine the spectacle of a pilot referendum in the government's definition of the "Southeast"?

[patrick1]

While re-unification has romantic appeal to some Catholics in Northern Ireland, the suspension of Home Rule and the introduction of an army presence was initially welcomed as a protection against political Orangism. Even during the 'Troubles' it was more welcomed than perhaps many Catholics would care to admit (and always preferable to the police)

I wouldn't over-egg the pudding; the welcome wore out very quickly after the Falls curfew and the introduction of internment. It also depended on the regiment; a lot of Scottish regiments had a bad reputation for dealing with Catholic civilians and the UDR (officially part of the British Army) a worse one.

Yeah, the hallowed Black Watch got a very bad reputation with the Nationalist community. However, the UDR went even further and was effectively a wing of the UDA.

Several Irish posters here, as Observer states, also underestimate the desire for a united Republic. While it is certainly not a majority, on either side of the border, there is still a strong Republican constituency. Further, despite posts that label Sinn Fein a single issue, Adams party,  the goal of an all Ireland party with a voice on all issues continues. There is a generational shift occurring with the likes of a Pearse Doherty leading.  Ive also seen some posters say that no one was speaking out against the greed and corruption inherit in the Celtic Tiger era. I'd say you were listening to the wrong people or refused to listen to it because of some culture cringe. The media and government functionaries were not warning but others were.