Sinn Féin’s Representative to North America Ciarán Quinn addressed thousands of Sinn Féin members gathered in Belfast for the 2026 Ard Fheis (annual party conference.)
Speaking to the crowd, he said:
“A chairde,
“Generations have fled Ireland due to repression, starvation, poverty, and joblessness, first by the British and then by Irish governments led by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.
“Today a new generation is leaving for Canada, Australia, and Britain due to the housing crisis.
“Our exiled children have kept the faith in Ireland and of the goal of a new and united Ireland.
“There would have been no Easter Rising without the support of the United States. There would have been Good Friday Agreement without the support of Irish America and Canada. There will be no Irish Unity without the support of the United States.
“The Irish diaspora – our nation abroad – are part of our nation and they must be part of planning for unity.
“In the last year and a half, we have hosted 13 Irish Unity People’s Assemblies across the United States and Canada.
“Resolutions in support of Irish Unity are being tabled and passed across the United States.
“Across North America, thousands are joining the movement for Unity. They dream of returning to a new and united Ireland. They are appalled by an Irish Government that refuses to plan, prepare, or advocate for Irish Unity.
“Every St. Patrick’s Day, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael ask the Irish abroad to pull on the green jersey and stand for photo opportunities.
“They then turn around and deny the Irish Abroad a vote in presidential elections and they turn their face away from the Irish Abroad when they ask about unity.
“But the voices of our exiled children will be heard.
“The Irish abroad speak with one voice and they are saying that it is time to fully implement the Good Friday Agreement, time to enact the right to self determination, and it is time to plan and prepare for Irish Unity Referendums.”
