by Judge Michael C. Mentel
Uachtarán Shinn Féin Mary Lou McDonald announced in July of 2022 that first People’s Assembly, organised by the newly established Commission on the Future of Ireland, would be held in October in Belfast. Since then 17 such events have been held across the island of Ireland.
President McDonald stated in her announcement that “this is an opportunity for citizens to have their say on the future of Ireland; our economy, our constitutional arrangements; political and democratic structures and governance; the role of the Irish government; [and] the rights and equality agenda…” in addition to other important considerations such as health care and pensions. Mary Lou McDonald added that the “Commission on the Future of Ireland is also an opportunity for alternative proposals to be presented by those with different visions of Ireland.”
Now, the Friends of Sinn Féin in the USA and Canada are planning a significant series of similar Commission style events giving the Irish diaspora in the United States and Canada the opportunity to voice their unique views and perspectives on the future of a new United Ireland. The North America events will be held in cities throughout the United States. They are intended to provide an opportunity for the Irish diaspora to offer their perspectives on a new Ireland.
During a conversation with Greg O’Loughlin, the Executive Director of Friends of Sinn Féin in the United States, he emphasized that the Assemblies are not focused on complex Irish constitutional provisions or policy issues, nor are attendees expected to delve into such complex issues. The goal of the assemblies in the USA and Canada is to obtain their unique viewpoints and to find out how they envision a new Ireland. These viewpoints for a new Ireland are valuable and it is important that they are provided with a means to give voice to them.
To be clear, the People’s Assemblies are not intended to be a simple get together of people from the Irish diaspora for a feel good moment. The Assemblies will be conducting real work. They are a component part of a planning process in the preparation for the unification of Ireland; and to that end attendees should feel good about their participation. The initial input from these Assemblies is just the beginning. The intention is to engage with the diaspora on a regular basis following the initial Assembly session.
The likelihood of a border poll on Irish reunification within the next six years is real. “We’ve run the numbers, and it is adding up to a vote in 2030 that will create a United Ireland” declared Mary Lou McDonald during the Irish Unity summit in New York City earlier this year. She added, “… we need to rally the United States and Canada to the reunification agenda. We are hitting a reset button here. It is part of the same journey, but it has a different focus now. There will be a new US President elected in November. We have to make Irish Unity part of the White House agenda moving forward.”
Declan Kearney, Sinn Féin MLA and Chair of the Commission on the Future of Ireland, shares President McDonald’s viewpoint. Mr. Kearney has stated that, “the transition towards constitutional change and a new national, democratic, framework of governance in Ireland needs to be carefully planned and resourced… Irish unity has become the defining issue for our generation. The debate on future constitutional change is now centre stage… There is a new future for Ireland waiting to be authored. One which is positive, progressive, inclusive, anti-sectarian, and multicultural. We can do this together. But we need to prepare and plan.”
Dr. Brendan O’Leary, Political Science Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, speaking at the Irish Unity Summit in New York earlier this year, opined that political support for unification is growing albeit such support would not exist today.
The necessity of addressing multifaceted cultural, economic, and governing issues must be resolved if voters in Ireland are to be made comfortable with unification. A critical factor to the realization of unification is the involvement of the United States and the Irish diaspora. Summit presenters in New York emphasized that major support from the United States is vital to making any unification plan workable.
Sinn Féin is the largest party on the island of Ireland, and among that growing support are those who are 30 years old and younger. Many of these young women and men are disenchanted with Brexit and the North’s separation from the European Union. Many across the island are looking for a change economically, politically, and multi-culturally. The perspectives of these young women and men are ones that will be addressed in the planning initiative on Irish unification. The Irish diaspora in the United States and Canada can offer perspectives on these same issues. Our perspectives offered at the Assemblies will fit hand in glove with the Assembly work conducted in Ireland. One such example is economics. While Ireland must internally address certain economic challenges when unification occurs, the viewpoints from the Irish diaspora could provide perspectives on how we see our governments working with Ireland. There are multiple issues open for discussion that will mutually coincide with the Assembly discussions both here and in Ireland.
The planning process for a United Ireland is now upon us. The momentum for unification in Ireland is growing, making a border poll on the question inevitable. Friends of Sinn Féin in the USA and Canada giving the Irish diaspora the opportunity and privilege to participate in the discussion and planning for a United Ireland. Each of us should take this opportunity to participate in the People’s Assembly and provide our perspectives for the future of Ireland.
Future events: Friends of Sinn Féin will host a People’s Assembly in Cleveland, Ohio on Tuesday, October 8th which is to be addressed by Dáire Hughes MP. This will be followed closely by another event in Columbus, Ohio on October 10th which will be addressed by North America & Canada representative Ciaran Quinn. Both speakers will provide a briefing on the party’s work to date towards Irish reunification and outline the next steps and how the diaspora can contribute to these efforts. This will be followed by a discussion with the audience. Information, dates, and tickets for events in New York, DC, New England, Nashville, and other cities will be released soon.
Judge Michael C. Mentel is the Presiding Judge on the Ohio Court of Appeals for the Tenth District
