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As part of The Good Information Project we are posing the question this month ‘What could a shared island look like?’. Sarah Creighton joins the discussion to offer a unionist perspective, warning that the issue is more complex than winning a border poll.
A UNITED IRELAND. The union. These days, the constitutional question is on the tip of everyone’s tongue.
As I sit down to write this, the New York Times and Washington Post have just published half-page adverts from American supporters of Sinn Féin in its paper.
The tagline says, “A united Ireland-let the people have their say.” It tells the reader, “With your support, we can be the first generation of Americans to visit a free and United Ireland.”
For multiple reasons, I don’t want a united Ireland.
Thanks to the Good Friday Agreement, Northern Ireland’s future will be decided by the people. It’s not up to Americans.
I mention the advert because of its language and imagery. It says the rights of unionists are “guaranteed” and it “will be a welcoming home for all”.
“Be the first Americans to step foot in a free, united Ireland.”
The words are aspirational, certainly what campaigners for a united Ireland would like to see in the future.
They make me think about the difference between dreams and reality, what people see in the future and what they’re going to get.
To quote a recent contributor to the Shared Island platform, a united Ireland wouldn’t mean Brits Out but Brits In.
Most people in Northern Ireland know this. Does America?
Is the Republic of Ireland ready to talk about that fact? Reunification is often pitched as a new country.
We won’t know what that means until/if a border poll is called. A new country could equate to a new flag, a new anthem and a new government.
A very popular sketch by a comedian from Cork did the rounds on Twitter a few weeks ago.
Loyalism, but in a house share in Cork pic.twitter.com/WNDGegEzmA
— Tadhg (@TadhgHickey) February 25, 2021
In it, a loyalist flatmate is offered the chance of moving into a new flat-share with a character representing Ireland.
The Ireland character says the loyalist can stay in the attic, he knows the loyalist doesn’t like him, but he’d be very welcome.
The sketch is a joke at the end of the day, but people said it delivered a few home truths. I’m not so sure.
Would the Irish flatmate really welcome the loyalist if the loyalist asked Ireland to knock the house down and start again?
Is the Irish flatmate prepared to repaint the house, move the furniture around and give the loyalist something better than an attic? He didn’t offer.
A united Ireland would mean over a million northerners voting and participating in civic life in the south. That will change the Republic forever.
Northern nationalists, republicans, unionists, loyalists and the “others” will get to have a say in how the Republic is run and governed.
I know people who hope that unification might sweep away the DUP and conservatives in Northern Ireland. My fear is that conservatives in Northern Ireland will join hands with conservatives in the south and become best mates.
If people don’t like the look of DUP in Northern Ireland, are they happy to have them in government in the south alongside Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael?
People in the Republic often look at Northern Ireland and think, understandably, “Christ, look at the nonsense up there.”
Well, my friends, if Northern Ireland joins the Republic then our madness becomes your madness. I hope Claire Byrne likes talking about parades, emblems and flags on a semi-regular basis.
People say a united Ireland would be a moment of healing for the island. I’ve no doubt that would be case for nationalists and republicans in Northern Ireland.
For them, partition meant loss, separation and trauma. Reunification will be a huge moment for many people. It’s not going to be straight forward.
The Ancient Order of Hibernians and Friends of Sinn Féin funded the ad. A few years back I did an internship in New York and, much to my hilarity, ended up being the only Ulster protestant at an Ancient Order of Hibernian event on the 12 July.
The irony wasn’t lost on me. Everybody I met at the New York event was friendly and welcoming. It was pure Irish America - bold, loud and enthusiastic.
The Americans have a romantic view of the island of Ireland and its destiny.
When they imagine stepping foot in a united Ireland, what sort of Ireland do they envision? Do they see someone like me? I’m not sure the issues I’ve highlighted are given much consideration.
“A New Ireland is emerging, and people are leaving behind the divisions of the past,” says the advert.
Painting people who support Irish unity as forward-thinking and supporters of the union as backwards and regressive is quite the take.
No matter what happens with Northern Ireland’s constitutional future, the hard work to build upon the promises of the Good Friday Agreement must continue. It doesn’t stop and end with a border poll.
If we forget that, we’re nowhere.
This work is co-funded by Journal Media and a grant programme from the European Parliament. Any opinions or conclusions expressed in this work is the author’s own. The European Parliament has no involvement in nor responsibility for the editorial content published by the project. For more information, see here.
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I’ve been saying this for a long time. The path to a United Ireland always includes Unionists and helping them feel welcome
@Séan Ó Nuanáin: Making them feel welcome will be a start, devising a united Ireland thay they felt at home in will be a whole other handling.
@Séan Ó Nuanáin: therefore, while SF is the main nationalist party in NI, we won’t see unity. Their contributions are divisive, and their history of murder of unionists is too recent and too raw.
@Séan Ó Nuanáin: I’ve also been saying the same thing. A United Ireland will always include unionism…
@John Mulligan: does that also mean that the DUP need to be sidelined as they are also divisive. Wasn’t Arlene meeting recently with loyalists. What parties in your opinion should be in these talks? TUV? UUP?
@Séan Ó Nuanáin: It is more than making them feel welcome or at home. It is about articulating the argument as to why an all Ireland entity is far better with the unionist tribe included, ie than we would have been if their ancestors had never come to the island. Its like an updated book of the mythological book of invasions that includes for the anglo irish arrival in the last 5,6, 7 centuries and the new immigration of recent decades and others. Several tribes have come to this island. And not one tribe has a monopoly on what it means to be irish. And that these various strands make the potential nation that could be built all the better for their inclusion. Ultimately it is about valuing unionism’s inclusion in all ireland entity.
@Séan Ó Nuanáin: You can only make them feel welcome if they’re willing to be welcomed so how would you propose to deal with the DUP and how would we deal with their paramilitary friends who feel entitled enough to write letters to the Prime Minister in London issuing veiled threats Willy nilly. They’ve ignored the Democratic wish of the people of NI on the Brexit debacle so it’s probable they will ignore any referendum result that doesn’t suit their agenda. For instance we will need to be sure that policing standards upheld on the whole island without fear or favour but we saw recently that it could be a forlorn wish in some communities. Lots of stuff to work out and not least how much Westminster is will to put in the redundancy pot.
@Gerry Ryan: Its a process. Its not like if you do x, y and z that tomorrow it will be fine. It is more if you a big series of things consistently for a generation at least, then you might have a chance of building a nation. But mindsets will need to change across the board.
@Séan Ó Nuanáin: making unionists feel part of a united Ireland is an impossible task, because by definition they already feel that they are an inseparable part on the United kingdom at the most moderate end of the protestant unionist/loyalist spectrum.
At the most hardline end, they feel under threat of sectarian cleansing and being treated as less than equal citizens, or subject to outright discrimination, probably largely because, historically that’s exactly what was delivered to catholics/nationalists, when they held the reins of power in northern Ireland.
The status quo of the GFA and all being in the EU single Eurozone, made the border irrelevant for most people, it was an imperfect, but workable solution, everything else post Brexit has the potential to spiral into the abyss..
@John Mulligan: So
you have no problems with the DUP who cosied up to the udr, b-specials, ruc, uda, uvf, uda, uff, British army, red hand commando and the sectarian orange order?
@Brian Madden: the unionists are the ones who have to be persuaded. It’s a given that many sf supporters want a united Ireland
@John Mulligan: persuaded at what cost? You have just seen what happened with the DUP and brexit. You also saw that they didn’t support the GFA. So you let in the DUP and kick out SF. I don’t agree with the DUP calling the shots. I would imagine that if a UI was to happen then there might need to be some sort of second parliament in belfast or that the ROI joins the commonwealth. Kicking SF out to appease the unionists is a non starter.
@John Mulligan: so for the passed 100 years of NI Nationalists were treated as equals by the Unionist & it was wrong of them to defend themselves when attacked in Bombay St, Belfast
@Brian Madden: The ROI or a UI should not join the commonwealth. Never in its current form or anything that resembles its current form, and possibly never at all. The commonwealth was and is just a sop to those who will or would try to argue that the british empire or imperialism more generally was somewhat benign, non racist or even a positive influence.
@Oscar Leary: As long as there is not an open acknowledgement to the reality by the commonwealth (of the harmful and corrosive effects the empire had on indigenous people around the world), and as long as a british royal family member or a british person generally is automatically in the leadership role in the organisation (the implicit message being that being British is superior to being Indian, Kenyan, ….. etc etc), then Ireland should not go anywhere near it. If Irelands independence should stand for anything, it should stand for a rejection of imperialism and in favor of egalitarianism.
@Séan Ó Nuanáin: precisely why we shouldn’t do it. Creating an unstable State with a population that doesn’t like, or hates, the majority culture is a very bad idea.
@Séan Ó Nuanáin: yes but not at any cost.
They treated our people with contempt since its creation. Dont see why we should bend over backwards for them.
@Munster1: ‘our people’ ‘them’, that’s exactly the type of kneejerk, political neandertheralism we don’t need. It isn’t 1921 or 1972 anymore. Move on.
@Munster1: because if you want a united Ireland we will have to. Plain and simple they can not under any circumstances be treated like the Nationalists in the North. A united Ireland will only work if it its a welcoming country with equal opportunity for everyone, everything should be on the table.
@Mark kernan: do the unionists have to move on too? Will they end the July 12th celebrations. I think it’s pretty clear that the republic has moved on far more than the north.
they need to talk for us to listen. but they also need to listen.
Thank god the author doesn’t speak for the majority of people on this island.
@Emmett Currie: no just a very significant minority that will feel ignored if ignored and resort to violence if they don’t like the way they are treated by the majority. Exactly the conditions that led to the troubles.
Listening to the opposite point of view wouldn’t be a defining characteristic of the average journal.ie poster.
@Justin Gillespie: Well their default reply to everything is no, their very identity is to be separate from us and believe they are British subjects. We, the vast majority will continue to be Irish, including the non unionist northerners, its they must accept the island being unified & absorbing them into the unified Irish fold. I’m already dreading having them form a party in the Dail and having to listen daily as they continue to object to every progressive idea raised while they adamantly believe the earth’s 4000 yrs old and other complete backwards nonsense.
What’s not to look forward to! I’d much prefer for the UK to resettle them to their natural habitat where they can be forgotten by both us and west minister. They won’t tolerate being Irish, so time for them to finally go home.
@Derek: didn’t take long for the ethic cleansers to come out. Too many people abused and brainwashed by the CB this side of the boarder for unification to happen in this lifetime.
@Vinylman_Teaboy: where did you read ethnic cleansing in that response.
@Vinylman_Teaboy: Arlene foster stated she would probably move rather than live in a united Ireland and factually, We know who the ethnic cleansers are regarding NI. Hard line unionists despise everything Irish, treating us as equals is not in their capabilities. We are progressive, they are regressive. Its polar opposites, and lets face it, the brits dont want them either so theyd be better off finding a wee isolated island where they can sign of the boyne, bang drums and burn Irish flegs as much as they please while drunk texting Boris, “No surenderrrrrr”
@Vinylman_Teaboy: no you are wrong we’ve had to put up with enough from them let the boats sail to the UK we don’t want them
@Vinylman_Teaboy: Ethnic cleansing? 25 thumbs to this nonsense. I assume CB is Christian brothers, I’m not Catholic nor educated by them. We live on an island with people whose core identity is not being Irish but loyal to a foreign government. They are raised to hate us through generational hate & bigotry. I simply think the best solution is for them to go where they think they belong if Ireland does reunify as they will never accept being governed by the Irish or a unified government. Arlene said she would rather move, & that sentiment is shared undoubtedly among the rest. We’re not the issue regarding a UI, they are, & their existence on our island will never lead to a unified people. A million of them, led by outright bigots & backwards religious fundamentalist is the issue.
@Derek: Terms like they, their, those isn’t really going to help
@Derek: They are home!
No one is listening to unionist. not London or Scotland or wales. The Irish army is hardly going to replace their British brothers in arms in protecting unionist enclaves. Lets be clear in any united Ireland a land commission needs to be setup. Maybe that’s an advantage unionist want in any discussions. Their property rights guaranteed.
I’m not sure what place unionists have in any ‘union’ their history is glorifying British conquest of Ireland. The land they now own was taken by force and planted by the British crown.
@leartius: a reunified Ireland cannot and will not become another Israel, where to oppressed become the oppressors with a vengeance. A secular true Republic, by all for all.
That is what FFG fear more than Unionism
@M Bowe: I would fear that it might become more like the Republic of South Africa – some inspirational leader will emerge to reassure but it won’t last. Read somewhere that since 1922 the Protestant population here has more than halved even at a tome of population growth.
@M Bowe: that’s what the DUP fear too
@Cez Miname: hard to blame them when we had Cosgrove and De Valera basically handing social policy over to Mc Quaid and conservative catholicism. Thankfully over the last 20/30 years a more educated electorate has begun shaking thosevrestraints off. But like last wks foot in mouth by Lieo you confuse the debate. Irishness/Britishness is NOT a religious question it is a political one. Lots of people on this island of many religous beliefs are either.
@leartius: that argument eventually fails everyone. Just a matter of going far back far enough. You’ll be suggesting that Protestants make ‘reparations’ to their catholic neighbours next. This will of course have to apply across the 32 counties.
Pay 12 billion a year for that sectarian hatefest. Let the brits keep it. Does anyone think forcing a million unionists into a United Ireland will end in anything other than disaster?
It’s all in our proclamation.
@Vonvonic: Not in theirs though and therein lies the problem.
@Justin Gillespie: Correct. Instead of allegiance to a set of principles and to eachother; they have allegiance to the crown. Very difficult to reason with that. Not saying we shouldn’t try. Just saying, they can stop pretending the Republic of Ireland isnt a reasonable tolerant society.
@Vonvonic: as is “our gallant allies in Europe” who were slaughtering their fathers and sons by the 10s of 1000’s at the time. Wouldn’t go there.
@Cez Miname: Well, I definitely wouldn’t go there without context.
Would a united Ireland mean a change to the flag and our National Anthem?
@Roy Donovan: As long as it’s not that Irelands call we’ll be grand
@Roy Donovan: That would only be the start of it.
@Roy Donovan: hardly that big price to pay for reuniting the country, personally I think that Amhrán an bhFiann is a pretty average anthem, doesn’t match up to the Welsh one or Les marseillais IMO
@Roy Donovan: we dont know, irs have spilled a lot of blood of uniionists waving that flag so for them its tainted, so id say so.
i’d hope to go back to the harp flag, our anthem would also need to be in english and irish , our current anthem was actually written in english and translated ,so it might be safe.
theres alsdo trade rules with uk laws courtys civil servant taxes, economic poilicy merging of unions policing .
we would need at least 5 years of negotiation before a vote,another 3-5 after, then a transition of a further 5-10 .
we would need eu grants and uk subsidies for the transition, it wont just happen because we vote for it ,despite what the shinnerbots would have you believe
@Roy Donovan: Change of flag !! I’d say the meaning of the tricolour couldn’t be anymore representative than it currently is.
@Ivor O’Sullivan: I know what the meaning of the flag is but as Seán said above it’s tainted.
@Roy Donovan: New anthem which is no great shame, new seat of government, new Police Force, pretty much all new public institutions. Mark my words this would be seismic.
@The Firestarter: might be a good opportunity to put some institutions in place that actually work.
@The Firestarter: sounds good to me
Good article … there would have to be compromise on both sides not sure either side is will to surrender what it would take .
@DB: no compromise at all we fly the tri colour they will just have to get on with it
@Marty Lawless: People with your mentality will make it more difficult to have a united Ireland.
@Leonard Barry: Note the article writer mentions we should have to start again to accept unionists? Theyve already been ‘accepted’ so the question is why do unionists expect we should have to start anew to reunify our country? What gives them the right to assume we should change all that we are to allow us to have again what was taken? They can be who they are, we’re not asking them to change their Britishness or anything like it, yet they expect we should change our Irishness so they can remain British. Its pandering to their victimhood which only incentivises more victimhood and whinging(egArlene Foster) That should be challenged officially and, respectfully. Its the only way
The Northern unionist will be the new house partner in a shared accommodation with 3/4?others. How or why would they expect the right to demand such dramatic changes????
It will be a generation + before this could ever be even considered as an option. Unless there was 95% support throughout Unionists / loyalists on becoming part of a one island country its only a pipe dream. Also people do not take in to account the large number of traditional nationalists who since reaping the societal benefits of the Good Friday Agreement have neither interest or desire to pursue this.
No mention of what till actually happen. The institutions in the North will still be in place. MP’s become TD’s but the North will still have its on Parliament, police service etc it becomes in effect a federated state in Ireland. That is what the good Friday Agreement allows for. What happens after that is up to the nation to decide. “United” under one parliament but still a slightly separate island.
@Paul: I would not be against a fully federated state, it would see councils and TD’s actually service their constituents. There are a lot of benefits, it may help bring public spending under control.
Could Ireland’s joining the Commonwealth of Nations oil the wheels of reunification?
@Cez Miname: interesting thought
@Cez Miname: Similar to losing a finger to a lawn mower its a good idea to then put the rest of your hand in to…oil the wheels of reunifying the hand.
@Cez Miname: absolutely not. No chance. All that royalty nonsense, regardless of how you dress it up, is nothing more than a bad paint job covering centuries of colonialism
This is pretty disengenious stuff. Every UI forum I’ve seen has reached out to Unionists to get there perspective. Only a few have come forward. None from the unionist parties. No one is asking unionists to support UI, they are simply asking for dialog. And most forums just want to start discussions on what circumstances would trigger the a border poll. And how we set a timeline say in 4 or 5 years time. But the NIO refuse to give the criteria simply saying that they don’t think the circumstances are right. Imagine having to wait for permission from a Tory government. So America is our only chance in fufilling the promises made in the GFA.That’s all we want.Talks and plans.Then eventually a vote. And the result (whatever it is) should be accepted the democratic will of the people UK or UI.
I think flags will have to change. The Scots love their St Andrew’s Saltire why should a reunited Ireland love use the Saltire of St Patrick as representative of all.
On the one hand, Brexit has made a united Ireland more likely in the near future, but on the other, it has messed it up.
Perhaps start by getting the Catholic Church out of the schools and hospitals. The unionists think that the RoI is run by Catholics…..show them they’re wrong.
A Unionist friend of mine is amenable to a UI if they keep God save the Queen as an anthem and the seat of power is in the North.
So I say…welcome those who want to be welcomed….and marginalise the extremists.
A new Ireland, A new identity…..
A new future…
Living in the past hasnt worked….
Not a hope in hell
United Ireland will cause huge economic problems . In the north for example , healthcare is free and better .
@Saz Johnson: only if we as a reunified nation make the same mistakes as in 1922. Change is badly needed in the State. It what people vited forcat last election, only to be sold out again on back of micheal martins personal ambition and his massive u turn on coalition with FG.
Reunification is a major change but not the only one needed.
So for multiple reasons, Sarah doesn’t want a United Ireland. That sounds like the statement of a young lady who is used to getting her way. Or a variation on the theme; Ulster says No.
You may not want it Sarah, but it may well end up coming your way. It might be wise in the longer term to face that possibility. Just saying no has worked for a long time. It’s day may now be over.
One of the things you may want to think about Sarah, is in the event of your way being given to you, what kind of NI do you want for those with whom you will be sharing the polity?
If you want the status quo to remain, then it is time to tell the other side how things are going to be so much better for them in the New NI. Ulster says No is no longer enough.
@Gearoid De Nogla: Did we read the same article? I don’t see where she made any statement of her personal wishes for or against
A referendum 51 – 49 in favor united Ireland would cause nothing but trouble. It would be 1912 all over “Ulster will fight and Ulster will be right”.
It would need 70 % to be a runner. fat chance of that anytime short of the ‘Second Coming’.
The Northern nationalists have got huge improvements – don’t screw it up by asking for ‘pie in the sky’.
In addition the idea of having the two senorita as government would made me vote DUP if i could.
They have the same skillset as dogs chasing cars. Barking at everything without a clew as to how the rule with the consent of the governed.
Plus the suspicion that they are glove puppets for the boyos who have monetarised the stand – off.
I think a real start would be to phase out all political parties and start new ones. Each with an ethos and set of political principles free of division and religion. Then people could vote on day to day issues and not historical rights ,wrongs etc . Put the parliament in athlone as it is the centre of the country. Each of the 4 provinces has a sub parliament in a federal sort of way. New institutions. Like the idea of st Patrick’s flag as it is incorporated into the union flag already . Perhaps add a bit of green there to even up the colours . I dont think a 2 tier health or education system would be conducive to a fair society so that would have to be looked at again by the new political system. Drip the word republic. Maybe have something to do with the common wealth. Stay in eu but beef up common travel agreement with uk to satisfy unionists. Off we go then into the sunset
I think we should look for an option that could command support among both communities in the North. There hasn’t been much consideration of NI leaving the UK, and being a stand alone state, with a commitment to enjoy continued financial support from London for a significant period. Such a NI state could negotiate its relationships with London, Dublin and Brussels that would be acceptable to both communities. Over time, this could result in a state with close relations with both the Republic as well as with England or the Residual UK.
@Tom Sheedy: and who would be responsible for protecting the nationalist population?
Most of the points made here hadn’t occurred to me before now I’m embarrassed to say. Certainly food for thought and we need more widespread comment and discussion on
Hopefully this article kicks things off.
New anthem suggestion.. There is an Isle: “it’s because it is my native land and my home, my home is there”..
@John Kirke: The high C is a bit of a challenge for most.
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