Seamus Mallon (May 17) gives encouragement and succour to the ‘never, never, never, no, no, no’ intransigent culture of unionism and adds to the long-fingered approach to Irish unity which has been the hallmark of many Irish politicians over the years – Conor Cruise O’Brien, Fitzgerald, Cooney and co – who on more than one occasion pleaded with the Brits not to desert us. This was a policy of, “don’t rock the boat, we are all right, keep the troublesome northerners at arm’s length”. Indeed, the southern state – with the exception of men like Albert Reynolds – largely ignored us for many years and it was only when the fiasco of Brexit disturbed their comfort that they were forced to remove the blinkers.
Seamus Mallon appears to base his thinking and solutions on generosity towards unionism. He will remember Articles 2 & 3 of the Irish Constitution were deleted as a sop to unionism, but nothing is ever enough and he couldn’t have forgotten the ceasefire when Sinn Féin surrendered everything to unionism before signing up to the Stormont farce in their naivety and lust for power and hypnotised a large section of the community to support them with promises of the great things that were about to happen. In the long intervening years as the Shinners were taken for a ride and being made idiots of by the DUP these same republican/nationalist supporters could only look on in demoralised bewilderment as Sinn Féin did head stands to placate unionism, while Martin McGuinness parleyed with the Queen. It was all thrown back in their face by unionism who would do the same thing tomorrow given the opportunity. That is the unionist way of appreciating generosity.
In the 70-plus years when unionism had absolute control, they treated the Catholic community as lepers in an appalling fashion of sectarian bigotry for which they have never said sorry or shown any remorse. It is now incumbent on unionism to find a cure for their self-inflicted siege mentality and decide how they want to live in peace with the natives in a level playing field in a 32-county Ireland and it’s incumbent on the Irish state to prepare to accommodate for that scenario and instruct their Brit counterparts accordingly and pass the estimate to Her Majesty’s chancellor of the exchequer.
There was no talk of border polls when British colonialism axed the six north eastern counties of Ireland from its hinterland overnight at the point of a gun accompanied by the threat of terrible and bloody war.
It’s now time for Her Majesty’s parliament to release their stranglehold on the failed colony and allow Ireland to become a 32-county nation once again.
After 100 years, it’s time to stop the political prevaricating.
Seamus Mallon’s assessment is deserving of a severe drenching with ice-cold water.
LAURENCE O'NEILL
Martinstown, Co Antrim
Very wise sentiments from learned senior counsel
The recent comments by Seamus Mallon (May 17) that a ‘50%-plus-one’ nationalist majority in any future border poll would not deliver the “kind of agreed and peaceful Ireland we seek” and could lead to violence are very wise sentiments from this learned senior counsel.
As veteran nationalist politician Seamus Mallon is a man of very deep conviction and wide political experience and therefore someone who chooses his words very carefully when warning that a “very narrow vote for unity would led to more division, instability and probably violence”.
Seamus Mallon is a pragmatic political thinker so his proposals for moving towards a 32-county state through a process of “parallel consent”, which requires a majority on both sides of the political divide agreeing, deserve the merit and respect in which they are written in today’s current political climate.
We currently live in a state of political paralysis due to no power-sharing assembly and executive at Stormont. Then we have the complete disarray and instability around the UK Brexit referendum vote back in June 2016.
At present a border poll can only be triggered by the secretary of state.
Seamus Mallon I believe is right in his assertion that a 50-plus one in a border poll is most unlikely to deliver the type of agreed, peaceful or shared Ireland many people in Ireland would aspire to.
Whilst this analogy may be somewhat anathema to many whose sole goal is a belief that people voting with their hearts to secure a united Ireland will inevitably simply bring about an ungovernable, unstable and once again an even more divided island.
Unless there is open and transparent debate, public education, planning and preparation then you will run the high risk of a total alienation of a section of the unionist population and no credible or sizeable support of the unionist citizens and inhabitants of the north.
PATRICK CLARKE
Castlewellan, Co Down
Sensible perspective
Seamus Mallon presents a sensible and rational perspective on a potential border poll (May 17). Unfortunately unionist leaders do not always act in a rational manner – think Brexit; 11-plus etc and we can see they have a remarkable capacity for self-harm when it can be justified that the alternative ‘undermines the Union’. I would also fear that any ‘generosity’ on behalf of nationalists would quite likely be interpreted as ‘weakness’ and perceived as nationalists not really wanting a united Ireland, concluding in a feeling of ‘the Union is safe’ so why countenance an alternative. I have regularly sensed from unionists that once members of the Catholic community begin to try to integrate and participate in NI community life, they are presumed to ‘be happy with the Union’ and would not really have strong Irish nationalist tendencies.
P DEVLIN
Coleraine, Co Derry
Unionist misrule won’t be tolerated
Having read the Seamus Mallon article – ‘50%-plus-one border poll likely to spark violence’ (May 17) – it poses a question I would like him to answer. If said poll was conducted and the result was 50% plus one to remain in UK, would it lead to a resumption of nationalist violence and social unrest?
Unfortunately, my personal opinion is the unionist family would use it to enforce and antagonise the nationalist electorate once more to assert their dominance and croppy-lie-down mentality.
Fortunately, we have a forward-thinking, educated people who will not be subjected to past unionist misrule and will allow us to determine our own future.
AODHÁN O'CORRA
Gaoth Daobhair, Co Dhún na nGall
Evolution not revolution
I must agree with the general tone of Seamus Mallon’s article (May 17). He would seem to advocate a calming of strident nationalist calling for a border poll. As he says, a time of debate about the pros and cons about what a border poll would mean for the people of Northern Ireland and the Republic. We certainly cannot live with a dissaffected unionist community. What would be the point? Seamus Mallon’s idea of a new accommodation with unionists by nationalists is, or could be, a runner. He preaches Evolution not Revolution and I agree with that.
PETER BARRONWELL
Belfast BT11
National freedom
In response to Seamus Mallon (May 17) the stark fundamental reality is that unionists do not want to be part of a united Ireland in any shape or form. On the other hand, Irish people in Northern Ireland have a right to national freedom. In asserting our right to national freedom, we Irish need to accept that unionists have equal right to national freedom in terms of their right to identify themselves and be accepted as British people.
In short, unionists will never accept Irish sovereignty. Equally, British sovereignty over Irish people must be rejected.
MALACHY SCOTT
Belfast BT15
