There is 32 counties in Ireland, 6 of these counties Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Londonderry, Tyrone belong to Northern Ireland and currently belongs to England, certain people in Ireland want the 6 back to create a united Ireland but most people in Ireland don't want them as it would be a massive waste of money and time and not even England wants Northern Ireland as it take more money to keep afloat then it gives in taxes.
A bigger reason for those six counties voting to stay with the Union rather than be part of an independent Ireland is because they have a protestant majority and the rest of Ireland has a catholic majority.
One of the reasons for the tax thing is because the UK has invested more in developing the infrastructure of Northern Ireland (in recent years) than it has in any other part of the nation.
Well during the time of the famines they were not considered the six as all of Ireland belonged to the English, The idea of the six only came up in the late 19th century-early 20th century as this was the time when Ireland really began to push for independence, but due to the large protestant population in the six they wanted to stay with under British rule instead of Irish catholic rule. but they were not as affected as badly as the rest of the country as that area wasn't completely dependent on potatoes. The famine was mainly concentrated in the south and west.
Just got thousandth thumb.
I'd be happier if I wasn't so numb from seeing episode seven yesterday.
It actually makes me yearn for the good old days of the prequels. Maybe I'll get used to it.