Opinion piece by Jim Ward, Galway Sinn Féin
Irish re-unification isn’t solely the preserve of dedicated Irish republicans anymore – it concerns us all.
Everybody is a stakeholder in this future – Irish people North and South, the ‘new Irish’ who’ve chosen to live here, groups and organisations, English-speaking, Irish-speaking. It’s been provided for following decades of conflict.
The Irish Government has an obligation to listen to the voice of the people, and to persuade their British counterparts to act on their responsibility as agreed under the Good Friday Agreement and move on a Border Poll. This will mean everybody being involved in real, active, participatory democracy to enact this momentous change in lobbying for a poll – nobody should feel excluded: the historic goal of a new Ireland of Equals is now achievable.
A United Ireland will not be simply an extension of the 26-County state. Irish nationalism isn’t an all-conquering, jingoistic nationalism like others. Irish nationalism, being the nationalism of a dispossessed people, historically, seeks to find common ground to unite all Irish people.
Economically, the North was once an industrial powerhouse, now it only contributes 2 percent of the UK’s GDP and is in decline. Britain benefited from EEC/EU membership, effectively starving the North of European monies, whereas the South benefited enormously from European membership. Southern GDP is almost eight times that of the North. In a unified Ireland, the region would benefit generously from inward investment and funds.
Some commentators have thrown out red herrings in this debate, like the national flag question. Let’s just note the colours of the flag – Green and Orange, separated by White for peace – are highly symbolic.
Commemorating those Irishmen who served in British Forces like the RIC is another effort to confuse the situation. As a democracy, people and groups may certainly remember, respect and commemorate their own. The question of whether the official state should be involved is another matter. I’m not aware of any nation that commemorates those who fought against it in the first place, that’s why it’s so controversial in the South now. If Britain was their paymaster, why should an Independent Ireland organise official commemorations?
For one hundred years now, Irish re-unification has occupied a space in the Irish political psyche, always simmering in the background. It hasn’t gone away despite what some people wished. Ireland is Ireland – not 26 Counties, not 6.
The Campaign for Irish Unity involves all Irish people coming on board; we are each empowered to play our part now, as Bobby Sands said, no matter how small. Years of sacrifice have gotten us a workable template to achieve Irish unity, enshrined in an International Treaty for the first time ever since our country was unjustly divided. We should all be conscious of this moment and all responsible for making it happen.
