A United Ireland

The only answer

Photo by Vincent Guth on Unsplash

One of my first work experiences was bridge-building between the Catholic and Protestant communities in Northern Ireland. We visited schools and youth clubs, having discussions and using drama sketches to illustrate the tough questions.

Almost all of the youth, who would be over 30 now, wanted peace in Northern Ireland.

It seems peace is not enough. Due to what we term Brexit, there is now a customs border in the Irish Sea. It was impossible to put a border on the island of Ireland, as border checks were what The Troubles were about.

The Troubles means the bombings, murders, and deployment of British troops. It is a very Irish expression but minimizes the terrible warfare that went on.

Since the UK left the European Union, each EU member is part of the Good Friday Peace Accord and must do all they can to preserve it.

Now, goods arriving in Northern Ireland from Britain must go through customs. Some businesses, because of this, have stopped trading with Britain and only trade with the EU. Some goods are no longer available in Northern Ireland.

Note that the United Kingdom includes Northern Ireland. Britain does not include Northern Ireland.

There was an election in Northern Ireland last week. For the first time, Sinn Fein won a majority. The Democratic Union Party (DUP) refuse to sit in government with Sinn Fein because, they claim, the trading protocol with Britain is not working.

Everyone agrees it is not working. The answer is to talk it out. The Good Friday Agreement states that power must be shared.

Since the DUP, who are renowned for being difficult, will not take up their posts in government, I think it is time for the people to vote on a united Ireland. The population did not want to leave the EU. A united Ireland would be entirely EU.

It is only ideology that keeps Northern Ireland separate. The ideology of the DUP. Obviously, they are now less voted for. Other smaller political parties ate into their constituency too.

One cannot please all of the people all of the time. Right now, people are angry that London is governing them, and nothing is being done to address local issues. Thus, I believe that although some will vote nay, the majority will see the logic and vote yes.

Last year there was some violence about the trading protocol, i.e. the border in the Irish Sea, using 11-year- old boys so as not to be known. It was obviously not Sinn Fein. Buses were set alight with petrol bombs made in bottles

If violence is that pathetic, a united Ireland is an obvious answer to Northern Ireland’s problems.

A United Ireland

The only answer

Photo by Vincent Guth on Unsplash

One of my first work experiences was bridge-building between the Catholic and Protestant communities in Northern Ireland. We visited schools and youth clubs, having discussions and using drama sketches to illustrate the tough questions.

Almost all of the youth, who would be over 30 now, wanted peace in Northern Ireland.

It seems peace is not enough. Due to what we term Brexit, there is now a customs border in the Irish Sea. It was impossible to put a border on the island of Ireland, as border checks were what The Troubles were about.

The Troubles means the bombings, murders, and deployment of British troops. It is a very Irish expression but minimizes the terrible warfare that went on.

Since the UK left the European Union, each EU member is part of the Good Friday Peace Accord and must do all they can to preserve it.

Now, goods arriving in Northern Ireland from Britain must go through customs. Some businesses, because of this, have stopped trading with Britain and only trade with the EU. Some goods are no longer available in Northern Ireland.

Note that the United Kingdom includes Northern Ireland. Britain does not include Northern Ireland.

There was an election in Northern Ireland last week. For the first time, Sinn Fein won a majority. The Democratic Union Party (DUP) refuse to sit in government with Sinn Fein because, they claim, the trading protocol with Britain is not working.

Everyone agrees it is not working. The answer is to talk it out. The Good Friday Agreement states that power must be shared.

Since the DUP, who are renowned for being difficult, will not take up their posts in government, I think it is time for the people to vote on a united Ireland. The population did not want to leave the EU. A united Ireland would be entirely EU.

It is only ideology that keeps Northern Ireland separate. The ideology of the DUP. Obviously, they are now less voted for. Other smaller political parties ate into their constituency too.

One cannot please all of the people all of the time. Right now, people are angry that London is governing them, and nothing is being done to address local issues. Thus, I believe that although some will vote nay, the majority will see the logic and vote yes.

Last year there was some violence about the trading protocol, i.e. the border in the Irish Sea, using 11-year- old boys so as not to be known. It was obviously not Sinn Fein. Buses were set alight with petrol bombs made in bottles

If violence is that pathetic, a united Ireland is an obvious answer to Northern Ireland’s problems.

Time For Ireland to Unite

Photo by Larry Feirerra

The photo above is the Antrim coast, it is volcanic and rugged. Immensely beautiful, and miles from the unrest.

Having lived and worked in Northern Ireland, I am devastated by the current civil unrest. Boys as young as eleven are being encouraged to throw petrol bombs at the police. They don’t understand why.

The reason children are being abused in this way is because Britain has put a border in the Irish Sea since Brexit happened. It means that British products are held up at Customs and Excise, while EU products flow through with ease.

The Unionists, those who want unity with Britain, are angry. They feel they have been sold a packet of lies. They are causing this violence, and using children in an attempt to avoid arrest and, I suspect, to teach another generation to hate the Catholic population.

There has been twenty years of peace. After a forty year period of intense violence and bloodshed. Murders in secret, the disappeared, the bomb blasts, the gunfire, the petrol bombs, all ended.

Neither side had moral victory or high ground. Both sides were full of hate and bitterness. Peace came after years of talks, talks before there were actual talks. John Major paved a way together with John Hume and others. Some want to claim it, but the real work was done by those who won the Nobel Peace Prize.

Now it is in jeopardy because of an oversight, quite knowingly, about where the border with the EU should be. It cannot be on the island of Ireland as that is what the conflict was all about. The Irish Sea is not a better option.

Historically, there has always been travel between the Republic of Ireland and the North. This resumed with the Good Friday Agreement. People cross it daily to do shopping, carry out business contracts and so much more. There is no need for a passport to be shown and no one to to whom to show it.

So why not unite the country as one on the island? This is the only logical thing to do. A united Ireland would solve so many issues. Of course, the Unionists would react. But, with time, everything would settle down. It is only the Unionist politicians who have an interest in keeping a division. The general population has lived in peace and a generation had grown without sectarian hatred. When I worked in bridging the two communities all the school kids wanted peace, wanted no hatred.

Any team sport in Ireland does not ask what faith it’s members are. No youth club asks for a declaration of faith. It isn’t hard. It is simply reverting to what once was.

I am for a united Ireland. I love the whole country. It is stunningly beautiful. I married it, and fell in love. My daughter is German and Irish.

Published in Grab A Slice with title Northern Ireland’s Unrest

On becoming defacto leader of the campaign to save our hospital…

I wrote a letter to the Prime Minister. As a person, he intrigues me. Highly intelligent, lots of subjects to talk about. As a politician, he represents nothing I value.

But the hospital needs saving. I not only needed to be nice to him, I complimented him to help him see our point of view and that people will die if he doesn’t intervene.

Politics is about making friends with one’s natural enemies. It isn’t always as easy as writing a letter. Sometimes one has to sit across the table and look them in eye. I have no idea if the letter will work. I may need to write more.

I’m trying to organise direct action, but few are willing when they realise the police will pay us a visit. At the moment we are a team of two. We can do it with two, but more would be good.

It’s hard. Now is crunch time. Time to act.