What happens to the Irish border will affect how goods and services are traded between the two countries, but it's also important because of what a hard border would represent for the people of Northern Ireland. Like many interstate borders in the EU, the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland is currently inconspicuous: there are no border posts, physical barriers or checks on anyone or any goods that make their way from one side to the other. Almost everyone believes it's imperative it remains that way, because reintroducing border checks would bring back memories of the Troubles – the 30-year long conflict between Republicans and Unionists in Northern Ireland that claimed more than 3,500 lives – and no one wants more violence in the North.