So here's the thing - On Lough Foyle

Ahh...Lough Foyle.

For those that don't know Lough Foyle sits in between County Londonderry in Northern Ireland and County Donegal in the Republic of Ireland (ROI).  Ownership of said lough is in dispute between the UK Government and their counterparts in the ROI.  It's be going on for awhile now and a conclusion doesn't seem to be getting any closer.

However, on TV tonight in Northern Ireland on a program highlighting the details of this, one of the commentators, i can't remember which one unfortunately, stated that this dispute had been going on for 'hundreds of years'.

Ummm...strange.  Consider this.

The Island of Ireland was split in 1922 after violent insurrection against British control.  Subsequently the Republic of Ireland was also formally formed then. The six counties that form  Northern Ireland remained a part of the UK. Before that the entire Island of Ireland had been under British control for hundreds and hundreds of years.

Now even considering my appalling mathematics that is 96 years ago.

So who then was disputing ownership of the Lough, as the commentator stated, for hundreds of years?
Before 1922 the entire Island of Ireland was a part of the United Kingdom so the lough was also part of the United Kingdom?

Therefore before 1922 ownership of the Lough wasn't disputed by anybody?  So where the commentator gets hundreds of years from is lost on me.  I do wish someone had asked him but unfortunately no one asked him to clarify his ridiculous comment.

And before someone starts nothing political here just simple geography (and a bit of History).
Personally i couldn't really care less about Lough Foyle.  Never been there and probably never will but still....i do like to nit pick about these sorts of things.