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Despite international pressure and massive bribes only slightly more than half the Unionists voted for the Stormont Sellout. Many of them voted becasue of the assurances Tony Blair gave on the campaign trail, promises that weren't in the agreement because the IRA / SDLP coalition wouldn't agree to them. If he delivers his promises to the Unionists then the IRA will be able to claim that he is reneging on the deal. If he doesn't deliver then unionists will block the cross border bodies.
Alan Milnes

Congratulations to everyone in Ireland - wisdom prevails.
Joan & Roger, London

I'm delighted to hear that good sense finally triumphed over emotionalism. Now, after generations of waiting by my family, we can at last take our selves and our money on holidays to N. Ireland. I was in the Republic for a 12 day holiday last year and desperately wanted to go north but it was Marching Season. (Please forgive my American ignorance but what really has been the point of taunting the Catholics-this Presbyterian is totally baffeled by this ugly behaviour.) But on a happier note, now we can visit the graves of our ancestors in Ulster and know they finally are able to rest in peace.
A.B. Wheeler, USA

I am pleased there is a yes majority . Bought or not bought . I don't even care if they've been shamed into it via S.Africa......but then I really doubt if the IRA-Sin Feign could be . I think the early release of convicted terrorists is obscene and a travesty of justice purely on point of principle. If you killed, if you committed the crime, then you must serve your penalty. What message does this send to the ordinary man ? How many kinds of justice are there and how do you qualify for each? The sight of these terrorists being greeted as heroes is breathtaking. I include both sides in this.
Kevin, England

I think that the vote for 'yes' is a very positive step toward peace. As an American, all I can do is cross my fingers and hope that this brings forth a brighter future to all of the Irish. And I hope that the British will try to go along with it, and not fight it all of the way. I hope the best for all of the peoples of Ireland.
Katherine Kasprowicz, Aged 14, USA

As an observer from Canada, I think it's a great day for the human race. The voters of Northern Ireland have clearly indicated that they are sick of the violence, and they want it to end. Disputes over land and religion pale in comparison to the importance of reaching a lasting peace, so that the children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren of today's voters have some hope of growing up and living in a world without guns and bombs. "How long must we sing this song," was the recurring refrain in U2's "Sunday Bloody Sunday." Hopefully, not much longer now.
Stephen Karr, Canada

I am a 27 year old Canadian Citizen of Irish descent. I have followed the peace process closely since before the Good Friday Agreement and am very pleased to see that the Christian spirit of forgiveness as well as common sense has prevailed. Congratulations to you all.
Alison, Canada

Whatever the outcome of the referendum was, in promoting it the parties have already shown that they can work together. I just hope that the NO campaigners will give it a chance.
Mark Smith

As a Belfast-born Protestant female, and 30 year emigrant to the US, I can finally shed tears of joy and pride for my country people. The people of NI have moved away from the dinosaur politics of Paisley and have chosen to look for similarities instead of differences. The work of searching for agreement is more difficult than the scapegoating of differences but its end result is more likely to produce something entirely different than the politics of the past. I pray that the both sides may continue to stand fast with courage and determination against those that will seek to disrupt the process.
Joy Luther, USA

It is obvious to anyone with limited grasp of figures, and a smidgin of understanding of the political numbers game that : The Unionists of Northern Ireland have now been divided in fact as well as ideology. The Nationalists are now wooing each other to consolidate their position , with the reality that they will now control the new assembly. The divisions between the Unionist will have the same effect that the split in the Australian Labor Party had in Australian in the 1950s' it kept them out of power for twenty years , unfortunately ULSTER has not got 20 years to spare.
Tomas O'Colliean

I am very happy with the news form the north and south of Ireland today. I am an Irishman living in California with a new respect for the people of Ireland. There has never been a doubt in my mind that peace is the only way. NOW is the time for people of Ireland to take hold of their destiny and join the rest of the world in preparation for a new century.
EB, USA

We here in the United States are very happy with the overwhelming victory for peace in Norther Ireland. We are grateful to all persons and parties who worked to bring this about and we here in the States are especially proud of Senator George Mitchell, who isn't just "ours" anymore...he belongs to the world. The Nobel Prize for Peace to him!
Richard D. Appleby

Like many others, I flew home from another part of the world to cast my vote in this historic moment. I am delighted that, for the first time, a majority of the people of Northern Ireland embraced a positive message of change and accomodation. It will take a much longer period to achieve real peace, but this is certainly a good start.
John McCaffrey

Look at the vast sums of money wasted on this military presence that could have been put to use improving public services at home - schools, hospitals, etc. This is the fault of both major parties over a long course of time. Now, due to the enlightened leadership of men from both of those parties, there is a genuine attempt to stop the madness. John Major's political future was doomed by issues not directly related to the peace process, but he stuck his neck out anyway to get things in motion. Tony Blair's involvement may be viewed as too early in his leadership time to be putting his future on the line, but he certainly has risked burning his bridges in his efforts to make this endeavour keep on rolling to their conclusion. It is to their credit that a resounding YES vote seems to be a certainty.
Thaddeus Zamirowski, USA

Past governments of the United Kingdom if they did not cretse the lack of democracy and representation that initially caused the troubles in Northern Ireland, they at the very least condoned the deplorable situation. Now, at long last a British Government has taken the initiative to restore democracy to the people. It is no coincidence that the creation of the parliament for Scotland and the assembly for Wales took place before the Easter Friday agreement. Today's British government has proved that the long held domination of the united kingdom by a London based government was outdated and no longer met the needs of the constituents they represented.
John Ryrie, Canada

During the formation of the agreement, there did not seem to be much actual negotiating going on. There were press conferences and suchlike, and it seem like it was all of a sudden this wonderful agreement appeared. Some areas of it seem unclear, and whilst I cannot doubt the agreements good intentions some areas are dubious at best. Why the release of prisoners? Maybe are lot are due for release soon anyway, but these people still commited a crime. Unfortunately I do not have a good grounding on the finer points of the agreement. Living in England I have never seen a copy of it, despite the fact I was born and bred in Belfast.
Zoe Briggs, UK

The idea of the referendum is to enable the "ordinary" folk within Northern Ireland, from all sections of the Community, to by pass their Politicians and vote for a new start and a new future. A really conclusive "Yes" vote means that a great deal of old fashioned political ideology has been rejected and thrown on the tip. It means that both religious groups have decided to largely forgive and forget the past, and to forge new relationships amongst each other in the light of present day realities rather than historical ones. However, "peace" as such will be rather more difficult to achieve, when one considers the renegade terrorist organisations still operating on both sides. These have to be isolated and rejected out of hand. The IRA should, eventually, state that the war is officially over, and as a gesture of goodwill should then give in their arms. The Loyalist Paramilitaries will then do the same, as they have promised.
Harry, UK

I'm 23, and I'm a French citizen with Irish origins. I think Gerry Adams is the best politician in Ireland and people should trust him. We're all one, but we're not the same, and we should accept our differences. Think about the next generations; would you really want to see your children dying or fighting? That would be so dumb! Life is too short, so live it in peace. It's time to get up now. PLEASE, JUST SAY YES.
Aislinn Akkari, France

I am 27 and English. I sincerely hope that the result from the referendum is Yes. However if the result is No then the Unionist community will have in my view asked the English to leave Northern Ireland. We have NO interest in being in Ireland (other than as tourists, or business reasons), and we are only there at the moment to try and promote peace (I know the historical reasons were not exactly altruistic, but I'm taking about today). Our government spends more on Northern Ireland than any other part of the UK per head of population, and not on schools, hospitals etc. but mainly on security. If the result of the referendum is no then the Unionists will have said "we don't want peace, we want the status quo". This is not acceptable, it is costing us too many lives, too much money and we get nothing in return (not even gratitude). If the people of Northern Ireland want peace we should stay and help them achieve it. If not, we should leave tomorrow.
Ewan, England

For more than 70 years the Unionists have failed in their attempts to convince Nationalists of their willingness to let them share fairly in the running of affairs Northern Ireland. The tiresome "Ulster Says No" rant has clearly demonstrated the full extent of their intransigence. And, as an Ulster protestant, I have been embarrassed, humiliated and angered at the feeble and inarticulate attempts to present a case to the world. Has any viable and intelligent alternative been offered to the agreement by the No camp? For God's sake Ulster, say yes.
John McKenna

This agreement will go through. It is not perfect and certainly does not come up to what I want but still, it's our best chance. The fact is that, like it or not, this is a war situation and at the end of any war, prisoners are released. It's also foolish to ask one side to hand over all their weapons. Catholic areas cannot be left undefended. People know what happened in 1969 and that can never be allowed to happen again.

And William from the UK - get your facts straight. There are six counties in north east Ireland, not 5. These counties did not vote democratically to maintain the union. "Ulster" historically consists of nine counties and the British government handed three of them over to the southern government to maintain Unionist supremacy. This happened in 1921 not 1926. Lloyd George promised war "immediate and terrible. And war within three days". Protestants may have been fighting for 300 years but you forget that Irish nationalists have been fighting for 800 years. They know what they're at.

The UDA cannot wipe out the IRA and has never achieved any significant military success against them. The IRA however has consistently killed UDA leadership, including the Chief of Staff. It's a bit cheeky to say the IRA doesn't know what they're getting into - if they can bomb the centre of London with regularity then they are adept at something. And, by the way, the UDA supports this agreement.

I am opposed to "the war" and therefore hope this agreement works. But people have to live in the real world. For me this means that I accept that for the next 25 years, Irish unity is not going to happen. But it also means that Unionism must accept that their days of domination are over. They cannot walk all over us any longer and we won't accept it. There can be no victories in this agreement and that is what some people are looking for. Hence people want to exclude Sinn Fein and to a lesser extent the PUP/UDP. This is what decommissioning is really about. It's a non-issue raised by Unionists when they had power over Major in the last parliament.

I'm Irish. That is something I am immensely proud of and I love my country. That is the best reason for voting yes today. Whether you are British or Irish, vote yes if you love your country. That way we can save all other generations from the nightmare we have lived through.
Andrew, Ireland

I believe Gerry Adams is the best and most honest politician in Ireland. I have confidence in his leadership. Sinn Fein have played a part in bringing about this peace process. I wish the unionist politicians would show some courage. Let's not live in the past. Let's look to the future. The days of a protestant state for a protestant people are over. Let's accept that. If you want peace vote 'yes'.
Gerard Ginley, Monaghan

I'm a republican at heart. Like all Irish people. However, I would like to see everlasting peace. I would like to be able to travel to N/Ireland without having to stop suddenly for army check points. It would be nice to have the murals removed from both sides along with the Tri colour, from the pavements and lamposts, and the same on the Loyalists side. I would dearly love to see peace, but, how can it happen when people are brought up with so much hatred for each other, and where both sides are totally segrated? There is only one county in N/Ireland where there is little or no violence, and both communities live together, that is Omagh. The PEACE PROCESS is a starting block, let's take it and make a start towards peace in our Isle.
Regards, Micheal McGarry

I think its very disappointing that the NO camp can not see that by supporting the YES campaign they will then put pressure on the para-miltaries to give up their arms on both sides of the conflict.
R A E

I'm a Canadian citizen and have spent all my life living in a country where there are two religions and two languages. Please believe me when I say that your differences can be overcome and two distinct peoples can live together in peace. Besides, what is your alternative?
Alison M Tattersall, Ottawa,Canada

As a twenty five year old Irish citizen now living in America I believe this to be the best chance Ireland has for peace this century. We have all seen over the years, through our televisions or in real life, the misery and hatred the troubles have caused. It is time that Irish, and Northern Irish learnt that such "hate crimes" have only destroyed the stable and properous life these extremist groups say they desire and do something about stopping their reign of terror. Finally the people get to have their say and I believe they will say yes. I just wish I could be there to cast my vote.
Deirdre Elizabeth Mc Intyre, USA

I would like firstly to make some observations with regard to the so called Agreement On Tuesday prior to Good Friday whilst watching TV I became aware that Geroge Mitchell had at last completed a document which he had presented to all those participating in the talks. He made it very clear that it wasn't for the public view or for the contents to be leaked to the public. John Taylor after having read the document and prior to getting into his car, en route for Westminster was asked for his views on the contents of the document. His reply "I wouldn't touch it with a forty foot barge pole. David Trimble was also highly critical of the contents of the doucment, on the same morning. Gerry Adams and McGuiness, I observed, were walking around with a smirk on their faces and when asked for their views on the document, made it quite clear that the UUP must not be allowed to change anything in the doucment. By their very attitude I began to see what has since emerged, a paper heavily tainted with green. Since that Tuesday and up to the present time, having listened to what appeared to be a complete re-vamp of the whole doucment as stated by the UUP I have still to hear one word of objection coming from Adams/McGuiness. Their silence on this matter has been almost deafening. I think we all know, if the document had been altered in the fashion as the UUP described these persons would have been shouting from the roof tops. My assumption of the matter and I'm sure that of a large majority of the unionist community is, that there were no alterations whatsoever. At least, not enough for John Taylor to suddenly whittle down 40 feet. The silence from the Sinn Fein regarding changes to that document by UUP is almost deafening, I wonder why? Senator Mitchell, before letting the negotiators have a copy of the document made it quite clear and if I may say so, very scarey that the public were not to be allowed to see the document or its contents. Why was Senator Mitchell so fearful of the public getting to know the contents of his document?

Can I say, that the vast majority of people in NI class themselves as being British and have been all their lives. We were British when Britain needed us during world wars. Maybe with conventional type warfare nowadays, we are not so important to Britain, but I think it sad if Britain should turn her back on Northern Ireland now and let us be dictated to by a foreigh country who during the war refused her ports and allowed her homes to be illuminated in such a way as to guide the Germans in their search for targets at ports and factories in GB as well as N Ireland. It's just like handing over your own family to a bad neighbour.

Indeed Bertie Ahern has promised to firmly crush terrorist groups after a YES vote. Why didn't he do it before the Agreement. Perhaps it's because they were operating from his territory and were also of his own religious persuasion and now he is expecting the protestants to be the future terrorists. Of course, the Prime Minister Tony Blair said that he will crack down hard on any terrorism after the referendum and again may I say why not before hand?

Perhaps he could answer me this quesiton and maybe put the same question to Lord Hume, (maybe this is jumping the gun). Why is it , that the populaiton of Gibralter which is almost 100% catholic fly Union Jacks when the catholics in Northern Ireland burn them? Why is it that the Catholics in NI all bought and drove Volkswaggons after the last war, and not British Cars. May I conclude by saying that all my working life, my working clothes were supplied free of charge by the Government to whom I was always loyal.
David, Northern Ireland

Blair has demonstrated that violence is rewarded. One trusts that the prisoners, from whatever faction, will, on their release, receive their just desserts from victims' friends and relatives.
Nigel Rees

What is there to gain from voting no?
Richard Logue

I will be voting Yes on Friday for a very simple reason - the Good Friday agreement represents not only the best opportunity for a little progress in Northern Ireland, but very probably the only one. As a unionist, I have no desire to end up a part of the Irish Republic, not because I have anything in particular against the fellow EU nation, but rather because I identify with the UK, and I feel British. I do, however, recognise that there are a significant number of people who live in Northern Ireland who don't share my feelings, and while it would be wholly unjust to see their aspirations fulfilled against the wish of the majority in Northern Ireland, it would be equally unjust to ignore them. The Agreement means that all views will be heard - power sharing will ensure no-one is excluded. This much, around 95 per cent of the population can agree with. The fears and doubts start to creep in when suggestions are made that prisoners will be released and the RUC will undergo a review.

Now to debunk the myths... The release of terrorist convicts will not mean that the gates of the Maze swing open one morning at 7am and hundreds of gun-wielding maniacs sprawl forth onto the streets. It does mean that prisoners who belong to paramilitary groups on ceasefire will be released *on licence* ie they only remain free provided their group remains committed to peace. The RUC have suffered more than most during the troubles. I know of one former officer who lives in my street, and who can now almost philosophically comment that the last thing he ever saw were the beautiful fields of Armagh, just before a bomb blinded and partially deafened him. They won't, no matter what Gerry Adams says, be disbanded, but since a significant proportion of the population which they serve feel that they don't trust or aren't represented by the force, there is a problem which must be addressed. And if (as we perpetual Ulster pessimists dare not hope) there is to be a measure of that unknown quantity called "normality" shortly appearing in Northern Ireland, the RUC will need reformed into a community policing force, along the lines of other UK police forces, as their admirably performed terrorism prevention duties diminish.

The "Right Reverend Doctor" is, as ever, up in arms. No change there. No sense, logic or reasoning expected from those quarters. An ideaology set out in the pillars of self-righteousness, bigotry and sectarianism will have trouble accepting any deal which is fair for all. But it is very disappointing to see other, allegedly more enlightened people similarly concerned without cause. Any Unionist that fears the removal of the Irish Republic's territorial claim of Northern Ireland, their recognition of our right to self-determination, and the restoration of local democracy must live in the "Ulster is in peril" land where our loudest and most inaccurate public representative has been in residence for some considerable time (probably since before the creation of the planet...) This IS a fair deal. It CAN work, but only if it is given overwhelming support. Think about the future. Your country needs you to save it from itself - don't let it down. Or, to paraphrase the Prime Minister and plagiarise Blur - "There's no other way."
MJMcG, Belfast.

I believe there should be a Yes vote in N.I. I was born and brought up in N.I. and lived there for 27 of my 28 years 'till I moved to Dublin to work in the south. I know that people have suffered and seen their loved ones die in the troubles, others have seen their loved ones go to prison where in normal society they would probably never have seen the inside of a prison cell or been in trouble at all. If there is a yes vote everyone will be winners and Northern Ireland can enjoy closer links both with Britain and southern Ireland and so we can see more investment coming there and also more people from N.I.will be prepared to have the confidence to set up business there. I hope there is a resounding Yes in both jurisdictions. Hopefully peace and prosperity will flourish there and I for one will go back there to work and live in much happier times than I ever could have known.
Donal Cox, Republic of Ireland

For the British "the problem" is to keep order and to try to reconcile these two irreconcilable views of "the problem" and so we had attempts to keep order by civil, and then by military persuasion, followed by yet another of the seemingly endless series of "peace deals" that has decorated the late Twentieth Century all around the world. If you want to know what happens next, just look at all the other "peace deals", in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, the Balkans, Chchnya, Sri Lanka, even Quebec. In each case, you get about the same pattern: civil strife, followed by intervention, followed by a "peace deal" and euphoria. And then the two warring parties quietly go back to solving their own version of "the problem" usually still in mutually irreconcilable ways. Tragically, the "peace deal" rarely seems to solve anything. More often it turns out to have been nothing more than a sort of half-time entertainment, or an excuse to let outsiders feel that they have "done their bit" to bring peace.

Only when the direct participants become willing to redefine their own versions of "the problem" or when, as in Europe in 1945, we force through massive deportations and forcible separations of minorities, are conflicts resolved. One of those two will eventually take place in Ireland. The only question really, is which one.
Jon Livesey, US

A few weeks ago, I was totally opposed to the agreement, a definite no voter, on the grounds that Articles 2 and 3 of the Irish constitution were being altered in a manner that I found emotionally difficult. Having thought about it since, I am not so sure I will vote no on Friday. The things that reassure are that if the Unionists stonewall the cross-border bodies with "full implementation powers", then the Irish constitution reverts. These bodies are what makes the agreement viable from a nationalist perspective, in my opinion. However, I am afraid that, while the vast majority of people will support it in the 26 counties, and a majority will support it in the 6 counties, a minority of Unionists may vote against the agreement. Then, Paisley and his ilk will definitely embark on a "wrecking campaign" (which will clearly demonstrate the true extent of their commitment to democracy if it happens). Drumcree and the Garvaghy road will be the ground on which the success of the agreement is measured. Will the parades commission's findings be followed? Will the Unionists try to reverse this historic breakthrough? Will the conflict become finally polarised? Do the unionists want to turn Northern Ireland (indeed ireland) into a northern European Bosnia?
Conall O'Connor (ireland)

The Irish have always enjoyed fighting. They fought the Etruscans, sacked Rome in 400BC and conquered a large chunk of Europe. An Irish chieftan who escaped from Ireland after one battle went to the island to the east giving it his name Brittan. The Irish have a long and chequered history and this peace agreement gives them and them alone the opportunity to live together in peace for probably the first time. If it does not succeed then it will be their 'fault' and no one else's. I for one hope that there will be peace but history is against it!!
Michael Jones

The majority of these people are those who have made their careers over the past 30 years out of the troubles by constantly stirring up trouble and hatred in Northern Ireland. I have witnessed the troubles face on. A few years ago I witnessed a British soldier being shot to death while walking along a public footpath while on a routine foot patrol. What made it worse was that just 30 seconds earlier I had said "Hello" to the man - a human being! I still think about it and what sort of life that he could have had.

It doesn't matter to me who rules me. I didn't care that the soldier was from Britain - to me he was a human being. Last week I delivered a speech in my school on how to combat sectarianism. Afterwards there was a question and answer session, and one of the questions that I was asked was "Do you want a united Ireland or do you want Northern Ireland to remain as part of the United Kingdom?" Being a Catholic I would be expected to answer straight away that I want a united Ireland - but to me it doesn't matter whether Northern Ireland is ruled by Japan or by the UK. It shouldn't matter whether or not you are a Protestant or a Catholic.

What should matter is that we can all live together in harmony - as one community - not as "two sides of the community". We should be able to share what is a common history. Although I cannot vote on Friday, I know exactly what way I would vote. My X would go in the box beside the three letters Y-E-S!
Shane Quinn, Northern Ireland

The problem with this agreement is that once again Sinn Fein/IRA are being allowed to weasel out of giving up their weapons of mass murder. Bill Clinton, the "anti-terrorism President", says that those who return to violence will have no friend in America, yet he personally provided visas to Gerry Adams allowing him to enter the US after SF/IRA broke its first so-called cessation of violence to kill in the Docklands bombing. The US administration has removed SF/ IRA from its list of terrorist organizations. Gerry Adams is greeted like a hero in this country (the USA) by people who provide Sinn Fein/IRA with millions of dollars. Why does SF/IRA have a friend in America now? Are Irish murderers so much more charming than the Arab or Persian bombers so despised in the US or do they simply have better connections and ardent supporters in the US government?

SF/IRA was supposed to give up their weapons before being admitted to the talks. They were then supposed to give up their weapons during the talks. They are now encouraged to give up their weapons some two years after the end of the talks. They have said that they are not going to give up their weapons at all. Why should people now accept the assurances of politicians who are either too dishonest or too gutless to acknowledge what everyone knows - that Sinn Fein and the IRA are two parts of a single, unrepentant terrorist organization - when these politicians promise that SF members will not be allowed to hold executive office in the Northern Irish assembly until the IRA has disarmed? What is to stop SF from weaseling out of this requirement by denying that they and the IRA are one or by having members of the IRA regroup with the same weapons under a different name?

Whether or not this agreement is accepted in the referendum, there will be no peace unless those who break the peace renounce violence and surrender their weapons. Whether or not this agreement is accepted, it should be remembered that the UUP negotiated in good faith and took real risks for peace. Unionists should not be blamed for insisting on their right to be governed by the rule of law in a democracy, even if this results in upsetting SF/IRA. So far, SF/IRA have given up nothing and received a great deal - much courtesy of the "anti-terrorism President- by taking part in the talks. Let them now take a real risk for peace by giving up their arsenal and renouncing murder as a means of political persuasion.
Alan Murphy, USA