Leader of Northern Ireland's DUP steps down after just three weeks

What a circus. The 'more British than anyone else' DUP try to prove their claim by continuing to oppose any and all manifestations of Irish identity in Northern Ireland.

The irony - in this centenary year of NI's existence - is that Unionist politicians' (who seek to remain part of the UK) eschewing of the pluralistic, progressive values seen in Great Britain (London has had to act over the heads of devolved local government to impose marriage equality, fertility rights and now, legislation on the Irish language to echo Scotland and Wales) may just sever the weakening link with Blighty.

23 years on from the Good Friday Agreement, the fundamentalist DUP keep scoring own goals with balls passed to them by Sinn Féin. The latter are on course to win the First Minister role in NI next year, and at least form a coalition government in Dublin in 2025.

Another irony is that without Brexit, Irish reunification would have been delayed by two decades.

Tá áthas mór orm go bhfeicfidh mé, le mo mhac, mo thír aontaithe arís roimh a bhfaighidh mé bás.

Go raibh maith agaibh, DUP.

Mr Poots could see it is inevitable that the agreement on the Irish language had to be passed through legislatively, as it was agreed upon. It is reported that he pragmatically just said OK, get it out of the way, forget about pointless brinkmanship (again), as it doesn't threaten what is supposed to be Unionists priority, maintaining the union with Britain. But his MP colleagues wanted the usual brinkmanship or his head on a platter. His sacking, after three weeks is a hallmark of the unbelievable pettiness within Unionists that infuriates nationalists and non-aligned communities, and increasingly the British. An extended example is that they insist that the national language of Ireland (the Island of Ireland) should only be reduced to consideration as a minority language in the same was as e.g. Polish. I have many valued Polish friends and they also think that is crazy.

Re: "Tá áthas mór orm go bhfeicfidh mé, le mo mhac, mo thír aontaithe arís roimh a bhfaighidh mé bás."

Indeed Mickelicious, The more crazy such Unionist pettiness gets, the more likely all of our sons, if not ourselves, may yet see an inclusive, progressive, peaceful United Ireland.

Disgraceful but not surprising. The unionists are not being forced to speak Irish, but their bigotry knows no bounds. Bring on a united Ireland.