Popular Culture Review Vol. 19, No. 2, Summer 2008 | Page 79

Gaelic Green and Gaelic Grey 75 modem times, an Irish Republic Army and its political arm Sinn Fein were clandestinely and openly supported by funds from the south and from other places as well, including America. Funds were also secured through bank robberies and kidnappings in the south, as well as demands for protection money. Over the decades, 3,000 persons, most in the North, died in assassinations and bombings. But perhaps we have entered a new era. The milieu of violence has waned with prosperity and with the influx of new ethic groups. As mentioned above, NOW people have something to lose besides their ethnic dignity (and their lives)—they NOW have money to lose. Moreover, the force of religion on people’s lives has abated, making ethic battles less relevant. Peace accords negotiated on Easter Sunday 1998 have taken hold, and while all know that the “Troubles” are long term, there is some real hope that a tranquil, enduring prosperity can be attained. Perhaps a signal has been given out that casino gambling can exist without fear of surrounding violence in both the north and south of Ireland.28 No Need to Defend Borders from Neighboring Casinos High among the list of reasons promoters use to win the legalization of casino gambling in new venues is that neighboring venues have casinos and are taking “our” money away. The story has been told throughout Europe. Italy authorized casinos so that money would not go across