My journey towards Scottish independence was psychologically fraught.

I arrived here from Northern Ireland in 1995, fleeing both British and Irish nationalism. I believed - and still do - in Irish unity as a matter of historic justice. Ireland was brutalised by Britain over centuries, becoming England’s first colony. But the bloody-handed way both Irish and British nationalists behaved disgusted me.

Indeed, Scotland was prominent in both Ireland’s brutalisation and colonisation. Scottish troops were no different to English troops throughout the 20th century. Further back in history, it’s the Scots who "planted" - in other words, colonised - the north of Ireland in the 1600s, cementing the sectarianism which still festers today.

So the idea of Scottish nationalism seemed rather strange to me, initially. As an Irishman who supported Irish unity, I didn’t "oppose" Scottish independence. But I didn’t feel like I’d any skin in the game.

Read more Neil Mackay

I also found Scottish nationalism unusual intellectually. Why would a country which had tagged along behind England in all its imperial adventures want independence? Clearly, terrible things happened like the Highland Clearances, but Scotland hadn’t suffered like Ireland, century after century. So I found it hard to sympathise much with many romantic notions of Scottish nationalism.

I suppose if I’m honest, I’m drawn to the underdog, and Scotland didn’t strike me as much on an underdog in its relationship with England. And frankly, back then, Scottish nationalists seemed a bunch of weirdos - a bit like the Alba Party today.

Don’t forget this was the 1990s. The world looked good after the Berlin Wall came down. Incomes were growing, there were opportunities, jobs that paid well.........

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