I USED to live in South Down, but without moving house, I now find myself residing in a northern suburb of Dublin city.

Jack Lynch may have failed to invade the north with the Irish army in 1969, but 57 years later, an army of middle-class Dubliners are now occupying significant amounts of territory north of the border.

It all began quietly enough after Covid when the odd enterprising Dubliner realised they could sell their house in the south for say, £700,000, and buy a similar one just across the border for probably £400,000.

They could then take the train from Newry to Dublin every day to work and retire early on the profits.

Patrick Murphy: Welcome to the second Plantation of Ulster

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So far, so individual. However, there is now a plan, known as Newry Next, which would massively accelerate this process by building 6,000 houses between Newry and Banbridge.

Although it does not specify that these houses would be solely for southern citizens living in the north and working in the south, that would appear to be the rationale behind the scheme.

Welcome to the second Plantation of Ulster.

It is not clear how these houses would be sold. Would estate agents advertise: “Houses for sale. No........

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