The "statelet" commonly called Northern Ireland, comprising just six of the nine counties of the Province of Ulster, has released census figures showing a huge shift in demographics.

Hitherto the majority of the population claimed adherence to one or other of the many Protestant church affiliations, and traditionally numbered 70% of the inhabitants, the remaining 30% being Catholics.

Numerically this gave a gloss to the well touted exultation, "a Protestant Parliament for a Protestant people!"

The new census figures show the Catholic population at 46%, an increase of 16%, and the Protestation population at 54%, a drop of 24%.

Canadians long accustomed to the motto "Máitres chez nous" adopted by secessionists in Québec can readily associate with the situation revealed by the Six County figures. In an attempt to boost their numbers, the latter prevailed on the provincial government of Québec to pay a sliding scale of bonuses to mothers giving birth to increased numbers of babies. It was dubbed "The Battle of the Cradle", and was accompanied by a large increase in immigration from Francophone countries.

In the Six Counties of Ulster, the reverse is happening. There the Battle of the Cradle is being won by the minority group, accompanied by rising emigration from the ranks of the majority.

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