I'm only 25 and never been to England or Ireland, but have often never understood the English occupation of Northern Ireland. It's always seems to me that the English don't practice democracy in Northern Ireland (ie, Bloody Sunday, etc). It is similar to the U.S. occupation of Iraq ... they talk alot about democracy, but I doubt the Iraqi people would get very far protesting the U.S. occupation (ie, they'd be shot). I believe that people living in democracy need to ensure that others who live under the rule of an occupying democratic country are subject to the same democracy - s it demonstrates the way that western politicians would behave if they weren't subject to our scrutiny. It shows their true colours.
