The SSE Arena in Belfast was buzzing with positivity last Saturday as several thousand people participated in one of the largest public discussions held recently on constitutional change and the potential for Irish unity. Over ten thousand more joined online. The organisers did a remarkable job in bringing together a first class panel of academics, political leaders, artists, economists, Protestant voices, comedians, trade unionists and Gaels. Their success can be measured in part by the fact that the audience remained interested and engaged for over four hours.
I was delighted to be there. It was a great event with lots of positive takeaways. There was also keen interest in whether former Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar would repeat the comments he made on unity in his interview in the Belfast Telegraph that morning. In that publication the former Taoiseach said that Irish unity must become a “political objective and not just an aspiration” for the next Irish government and that it needs to be “active rather than passive” on the issue of unity because achieving it was going to require a lot of hard work.
In his Ireland’s Future contribution Leo Varadkar did not shy away from repeating this view and rubbished the recent claim that unity would cost the Irish exchequer €20 billion annually. He also suggested that the next government should consider using its budget surplus to establish a fund to prepare for the economic challenges of Irish unity.
At the Ireland’s Future event in the SSE Arena. A great lineup of speakers & contributors for an afternoon of discussion on the Pathway to Change in our country. pic.twitter.com/c9dL3P7cyp
— Chris Donnelly (@chrisadonnelly) June 15, 2024
Mr Varadkar said: "I think it is really important that the belief in unification isn't seen to be the preserve of any one particular party or one or two parties, it needs to be all parties and no party. I think one of the most important things that we need to do is to make sure we maximise support for that and reach out to people who may be unenthusiastic about it south of the border and those who aren't convinced or don't support it yet here north of the border."
In her contribution to a panel discussion, Uachtarán Shinn Féin Mary Lou McDonald urged the Irish government to establish a Citizens' Assembly to widen the discussion around constitutional change and to assist in focusing on the policy changes required to enhance all-Ireland co-operation and to win the referendum on Irish unity. She said: “I want a government in Dublin to plan and prepare for unity. Unity is about realising Ireland’s potential.” When asked to sum up in one word her goal, Mary Lou won loud applause with the single word – "Freedom."
Leas Uachtarán Shinn Féin Michelle O’Neill in a ‘fireside chat’ with Andreé Murphy of the Belfast Media Group acknowledged the positive work of the Executive since the political institutions were re-established but pointed to the many challenges it faces, not least as a result of the substantial shortfall in funding from the British government. She said that there is no contradiction in wanting better public services and advocating for constitutional change.
Davy Adams, one time negotiator for the UDA, was critical of those in Ireland’s Future who he said were ignoring, and in some cases opposing, the need for reconciliation between divided communities.
One of the most interesting contributions of the many that took place occurred in the section called ‘Protestant Perspectives'. Among those participating was Wallace Thompson, who describes himself as an evangelical Protestant, a close friend of Ian Paisley and a founding member of the DUP. He admitted that he was “outside his comfort zone" by participating in an event on Irish unity. He said: “My conscience is clear. I have no difficulties setting out what I have been saying in the last two or three years, especially since the Brexit vote. I am a unionist but I am on a journey. In that journey, it is vitally important that we all talk to each other as we think things through.
"I would want to encourage my nationalist and republican fellow countrymen and women to engage with the loyalist, unionist, Protestant community. We may come across as triumphalist and bigoted, and all those things. I fully understand how perceptions can be vitally important in these matters. But, as a community, we often feel beleaguered and besieged, and over the years much of what we have said and done has been brought about by that feeling of insecurity, which can come over as triumphalist and overbearing."
Wallace Thompson added: "I understand there are changes going to happen. I used the word inevitable about a new Ireland and I have been caught on that since; but it is, I think, on the way at some stage in the future.”
There were lots of other interesting contributions by people from the arts sector, by economists, by trade unionists, Joanne Sansome on the rights of disabled citizens, and many many more. GAA President Jarlath Burns' closing remarks were appropriate, insightful and hopeful for the future. And for me that was the most important aspect of the afternoon’s experience. Thousands of people were talking and thinking about the future. That’s great.
So well done to all those who organised and participated in Pathway to Change. And well done Ireland’s Future.
Malachy McCourt – a great Irishman
LAST week a packed gathering of friends and family met in New York to say goodbye to Malachy McCourt. Malachy died in March aged 91. He was a brother of Frank McCourt, author of Angela’s Ashes. Malachy himself was an accomplished writer. His ‘A Monk Swimming’ is a gem. Their father was from County Antrim, from Toome, if I recall properly.
For three hours there was music and song and stories and craic as a host of actors, writers, politicians, business people and Irish American activists regaled the audience with their memories of the Malachy McCourt they knew and loved. Regrettably I couldn’t be there but Larry Kirwan of Black 47 very kindly read out some words that I had sent the family as my tribute to a great Irishman and Irish American.
I was delighted that he did so. Malachy lived a full, colourful and purposeful life. I was fortunate to have shared a few brief episodes of that life with him. He has been described as an actor, writer, politician, gadabout, raconteur, barkeep and advocate for justice. He was a great Irishman.
It was in this last role where our lives intertwined. Our mutual pursuit of a free and united Ireland brought us together on several occasions in America.
MAN OF MANY TALENTS: Malachy McCourt bursts into song during a book reading
In March 2001 Malachy travelled with our Sinn Fein delegation to Atlanta at my request. There he served as Chairperson, or Fear an Tí, of the Friends of Sinn Fein St Patrick’s Day dinner.
It was there that I was able to fully appreciate and experience the fullness of Malachy’s persona. It was truly an evening I shall never forget. Malachy was in great form and hilariously irreverent. He was caustic about British rule in Ireland, angry about partition, hopeful for the future and an end to the union with Britain. He represented the best of us.
Later that evening a member of the hotel staff received a phone call claiming that Joe Cahill had died in Belfast. Larry Downes brought the note to me in my room where we tried valiantly to contact someone in Ireland to confirm the story. Given the time difference we could not. So I decided we should say nothing until the morning.
However, when Larry went back down to the bar news of Joe's demise was already circulating. Malachy, Desi Macken, and a large number of Friends of Sinn Fein attendees were mourning and regaling each other with stories about Joe Cahill – the legend. At one point one of the Irish tenors – John McDermott - climbed on to the bar and launched into a rousing rendition of The Minstrel Boy.
The bar was full. Men in tuxedos. Women in their fancy gowns. All singing and crying. The famous tenor was marching up and down along the top of the bar counter. Everyone was holding their drinks up in the air. Some raised clenched fists. Desi Macken and Malachy wept an ocean of tears. It was all very moving.
The next morning we discovered that Joe was still alive and well. Malachy remarked that he was privileged to attend Joe Cahill’s wake – the first time he died.
I am honoured to have known Malachy. And I extend my condolences to his wife Dianna, his daughter Siobhan, stepdaughter Nina and sons Malachy Jr., Conor and Cormac, as well as his nine grandchildren and one great-grandson.
Slán, a chara.
