Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald spoke to students at New York University’s Glucksman Ireland House while in New York. Students in NYU’s Center for Irish and Irish-American Studies gathered for a special session with Uachtarán Shinn Féin where she gave an address and answered questions from the students. Her full remarks are below.
“I am delighted to be here in NYU and in particular to be here at Glucksman Ireland House, a place of academic excellence in the study of Irish history, literature, language and culture. A place where so much great research has happened and so many important discussions have taken place over the years about Ireland, our place in the world, what it means to be Irish at home in Ireland and here in the United States.
“Thank you Professor Kevin Kenny for your kind introduction and I want to thank Loretta Glucksman for her support over many years for the cause of peace in Ireland.
“A good education is a powerful thing. Education is the great equaliser. It provides a window to the world and opportunity. It brought me to Trinity College, Dublin where I studied English Literature. I had the privilege of being taught by the late, great Irish poet Brendan Kennelly. Brendan believed that every beginning is a promise. He wrote,
“Though we live in a world that dreams of ending
That always seems about to give in
Something that will not acknowledge conclusion
Insists we forever begin.”
“A great way to look at life and the world.
“Ireland and the United States. Two nations, two peoples fastened by a shared history held by bonds of friendship and bonds of family. We came to these shores fleeing oppression, famine, and in later generations to seek work and opportunity.
“The United States has been a safe haven for generations of Irish people.
“In return, Irish people made an immense contribution to American society across politics, arts, business, and sports.
“The spirit of the Irish to overcome and the American ideal of liberty create a natural bond that has stood the test of time and been so important at key moments in our history.
“Nowhere was this more important than during our search for peace. Almost thirty years ago a generation of courageous peacemakers in Ireland reached for hope and a better future and decisions taken here in this country were key to the peace agreement which followed. The decision by the Clinton Administration to give a visa to Gerry Adams, the decision to appoint Senator George Mitchell as a Special Envoy and the critical contribution which was made over several years in achieving the historic Good Friday Agreement
“To this day, the agreement is an exemplar in peace-making that has reverberated, not only in Ireland, but throughout the world, an internationally acclaimed blueprint for resolving even the most intractable of conflicts. It is something which this generation of young Americans can look back on with great pride. It shows what is possible when the US stands in the world as an unwavering leader and partner for peace.
“This leadership and commitment is required of the US again today in upholding and advancing the ceasefire, in stepping forward to build a just and lasting peace in the Middle East grounded in human rights, justice and the primacy of international law. A two-state solution which delivers a free Palestinian state and safe, secure Israel. A better life and future for the children of Gaza and Tel-Aviv, for the children of Haifa and Ramallah.
“As we approach the thirtieth anniversary of our peace agreement we are now writing the next chapter in our national journey.
“Ireland is changing. Shifting Demographics and polls show the direction of travel points towards reunification. The recklessness of Brexit, when the British government attempted to ignore that the people of North voted to remain with the EU, showed people how damaging the continued union with Britain is to Ireland’s economic and political interests.
“Today, the Unionist majority once considered perpetual is gone, for good. Cross border trade and the All-Ireland economy is flourishing. Political change is taking place. Recent elections demonstrate that all too clearly. Michelle O’Neill, a republican woman from Tyrone, the Deputy Leader of Sinn Féin now leads the Executive as First Minister for all. This happened in a state which was set up to ensure that something like this could never happen. Earlier this year we saw another example of how much things had changed when the Assembly voted to support voting rights for citizens in the north in Irish Presidential elections. Something unthinkable just a few years ago.
“Inch by inch we get closer to a United Ireland.
“The conversation is live now, happening in real time. A lot of it speared by the energy of our young people who have unshakeable belief in Ireland and who are leading a modern day Irish cultural revival, taking great joy and positivity in our language, our songs, our history. A generation of young Irish people know who they are, know what they are about, and they love their country so fully.
“The hopes of our generation for the reunification of Ireland were reflected in our recent Presidential Election. The prospect of Irish Unity was recognised as an immense opportunity for the future of our country. And, only two weeks ago, during her inauguration address to the nation, our newly elected President Catherine Connolly once again voiced the desire of the Irish people to realise a United Ireland.
“The Good Friday Agreement provides for referendums on Irish Unity and I believe those referendums will happen by the end of this decade. So, now is the time to prepare and plan for constitutional change, to plan and prepare for a United Ireland in our time. That is a key responsibility of the Irish government.
“We also have to deal with a British government constantly putting up obstacles to the Agreement. The British government Secretary of State in recent weeks claimed that there was no appetite for constitutional change, ignoring recent contributions from people across society which demonstrate the very significant public engagement on the issue. Archbishop Eamon Martin, former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, Alliance leader Naomi Long. His comments were deeply insulting and arrogant – not dissimilar to comments from within the British system 30 years ago.
“So, we again look to the United States. The support and friendship for Ireland from the United States has always been invaluable.
“Again you can play a key role as we if finish our journey. How powerful a message would that be if we can show to the world, at a moment when things are so uncertain across the globe, that peaceful and democratic resolution of a constitutional question can happen.
“Nelson Mandela once said, “In order to build our nation, we must all exceed our own expectations.”
“In the task of building our nation the people of Ireland have always sought to exceed expectations, to extend ourselves, to push the boundaries, to never view things only as they are but to instead envisage things as they could be, as they should be.”
