The Troobles: Back Because There's Never Enough Fighting Between Identical Peoples

Lest ye ever fail to be thankful for relative peace, remember that within living memory French and Germans, Hutus and Tutsis, Serbs and Croats, Indians and Pakistanis, Tamils and, um, the enemies of Tamils all bathed in blood over issues that were as intractable as they were hard to understand.

Some of the above have been hollowed out by time, some are in remission, and others are merely in a quiet phase, but no matter what the reason, it's always nice not to have to hear about them. This weekend's sad reminder came from the least intelligible feud of all: the one in Northern Ireland. In those grey romantic climes, not only is there a Continuity IRA and a Real IRA, but they've supposedly hooked up for murder and mortar attack.

Comments from the parliamentarian who represents Louth, a county of the republic across the border. Details on the murder last week of Kieran Doherty, whom the Real IRA calls a drug dealer but who is called by his family a victim of machinations by MI5. Some background on hijinx by the Continuity IRA.

May the road rise to meet you, may the Prods and the Mackerel Snappers join in woozy, spittly embraces; may the Israelis and the Levantines join in circular dancing; or may all their descendants make peace with gentle strokes from their antennae.