Northern Ireland is a part of the UK Southern Ireland is not so i dont get your question really

Because the UK went in there a while ago, filled it with Protestants, and let religious rivalry do its work.

This is primarily a religious thing. The majority of people in N.Ireland are protestant and Britain is a protestant country (in theory) whereas Eire is Catholic.

At some point the whole of Ireland was under British rule, with protistants coming over and settling in what's now Northan Ireland. Since Ireland was a catholic country, religious conflict soon began and eventually Ireland was split into The Republic of Ireland (the Southern, catholic part) which is an independent country, and Northen Ireland which is still part of the UK. Unfortunately, the conflict is still going on, although not to the degree it used to. I just don't understand it - they're all christians!!!

you've opened a can of worm here, no correction a box of fireworks, no wait perhaps a case of dynamite ...... :)

Actually, several of the people who answered this questtion seem to have a slightly inaacurate idea of the history beghind the Northern Ireland problem. Having studied history, I think I can clarify the matter a little. Simplistically, the British drove the native rulers of part of northeastern Ireland out and settled it. When Ireland gained its independence, the settlers' descendants threatened to rebel if they were forced to join with the rest of the country in leaving the UK. NI was thus created, including 6 of 9 counties in the province of Ulster so that it would have a slight majority of settlers rather than native Irish. The native Irish, mostly Catholic poplulation were then oppressed and discriminated against by the mainly Protestant settlers. Eventually, there was a Civil Rights movement, followed by violence. In reality, the conflict was not at root about religion - it was about politics - whther or not NI should rejoin the rest of Ireland.

Some misconceptions - the conflict in NI is not going on any more. It is officially over and there is now a devolved, power-sharing government including both Nationalists and Unionists. The conflict was not primarily religious but political. Religion is really only a surface cause - there would have been no conflict if it was just religion the two sides disagreed about. It is not true that 'most' Northern Irish want to be in the UK. Only 58% ae Unionists - that is a majority, but not an overwhelming/vast majority or 'most' of the population. I'd like to see the 'evidence' that 'most' people in NI don't want to be in the EU. As matters stand, they are in the EU and I know of no reason to believe that most of them are dissatisfied with that.

ok basically NI is part of the United Kingdom because the majority of people want to stay Part of the United Kingdom we are not being Occupied!!!!! not all Northern Irish Catholics want a United Ireland ....the Only way Northern Ireland can change its status as Part of the United Kingdom would be a referendum in the future and if that happened and the majority of people in Northern Ireland voted for a United Ireland then that would happen but at the moment as of 2008 people want and are part of the United Kingdom we have Our own local assembly that passes laws on local issues (health education transport etc ) while the national parliament in London handles stuff on a nation scale (defense economy immigration etc) the same is true in Scotland and Wales, People in the Republic Of Ireland mostly have no desire for a united Ireland , i personally dont think their will ever be one as economically the Republic of Ireland would never be able to support the 1.7 Million people in the areas of social security and welfare and also health (we in the U.K get free health care were you have to pay so much to see a doctor in the Republic of Ireland ) People like myself Born in Northern Ireland Can have either a Irish Passport or a British Passport or both if they so wish ,just because 2 countries share a bit of land does not mean they should unite !!! then why does not Canada become part of the United States Of America or Portugal Become a Part of Spain or Norway and Sweden become One country !!!!!!

simply because they are two different countries!

What planet were you on? Canada was never invaded by the US nor was Portugal by Spain nor Norway by Sweden. That is an absurd analogy! this is the most stupid thing i have ever heard Northern Ireland was never "invaded" Northern Ireland is Part of the United Kingdom because we the people of Northern Ireland wish it to be so until a Majority for a United Ireland votes for a Change and UI we will remain part of the UK plus you to realise that culturally Northern Ireland is very different from the Republic of Ireland just as Canada and the US or Norway/Sweden....go read the good friday agreement

at one point the brits boght off the irish parliment and so took over, this was leagal is a bit corupt. As any english person will tell you, in the 19th and erly 20th century the margority of brits wer littile beter off than slaves(starvation, under paid,desease.ect). This was worse in irland and so eventualy they forfgt for thier freedom(the english would have also, but they had no one to fight). At that time england had filled iralnd with it's rich pepolpe so many were against the repub, in the N they were in the magority and so did not want to be united. funny how peple in the north have a longer life exspectancy, is that related?

because, when ireland eventually got independence from Britain in 1922 the one consequence is that we lost the 6 counties in the north, which stayed with the uk. we have never gotten them back.....yet!