Morning View: Christmas joy as Northern Ireland folk come home, an annual ritual which shows how much people love the Province

Northern Ireland has had profound political problems for almost 60 years. For about half of that time it has suffered from violence too. It is now so divided on the constitutional question that it struggles to sustain a local government.

And yet all the way through this time, people from Northern Ireland have loved the place. Both the people who have continued to live here through the Troubles, but also people who grew up in that difficult time and moved abroad.

Right through the years of violence, even in the 1970s, Ulster people came back at holidays, particularly at Christmas. They knew that while the conflict was horrendous and a great tragedy, NI was mostly less dangerous than outsiders thought it was.

In the 1980s, as the society edged towards normalisation, the homecoming each December became a flood of people at the airports. That old tradition, the dash back to Northern Ireland, will be continuing right up to this evening.

The two main airports say they do not expect the travel and strike disruption to cause major difficulties. Fingers crossed that holds until tonight so returning travellers get to spend December 25 with loved ones. What a vote of confidence in Northern Ireland that people are so keen to return. They miss it, no matter where they are in the world.

And it is not just the expats who love it but newcomers seem to do so too. Who would have thought a few decades ago that Belfast would become such a popular cruise stop?

NI has political difficulties, yes, but it is full of opportunities and dynamism.

This newspaper has reported proudly on this part of the world for almost 300 years. We would not be here without you, our readers.

We wish you a Merry Christmas and will be back in the shops on Boxing Day.