EA on RTE and CNN: Trump’s Visit to Ireland — “Here’s Your Hat. What’s Your Hurry?”
UPDATE, SEPT 15:
I joined Saudi Arabia’s Al Arabiya English to evaluate the prospects for a referendum on Irish unification.
Michael Semple of Queen’s University Belfast and I discuss both the opportunities and the challenges for Ireland and Northern Ireland unifying after centuries of English rule and then division.
Watch from 28:57:
UPDATE, SEPT 15:
I joined a panel on Ireland’s Tonight with Gavan Reilly to put aside Donald Trump’s “white noise” for a sensible discussion of Irish unification.
The Irish Examiner’s Elaine Loughlin and the Sunday Times’ Cormac Lucey, and I talk both about the principle of unification and the practical issues. We agree on the necessity of consultation and dialogue in preparation for any referendum, avoiding the disastrous example of the UK and Brexit.
ORIGINAL ENTRY, SEPT 14: I joined India’s FirstPost on Monday to discuss the issue of Irish unity.
I set out the history of the Republic of Ireland and of Northern Ireland, noting the political and religious issues that had fed division. I explain the breakthrough of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement which replaced violence with cross-border cooperation.
I assess that while a majority in both the Republic and the North may favor unification, they also recognize the economic challenges and the need to avoid ostracism of the North’s Unionists.
So this means a referendum may still not be imminent. However, the UK’s Brexit has propelled the cause of unity within the European Union.
Watch from 12:31:
