Northern Ireland

Gaels group urging Citizens Assembly on Irish unity meet with Taoiseach's representatives in Belfast

Tipperary hurler Timmy Hammersley (left) with fellow Gaels Le Chéile reps and former Antrim GAA stars Jane Adams and Paddy Cunningham, during Tuesday's meeting with representatives of the Irish government in Belfast.
Tipperary hurler Timmy Hammersley (left) with fellow Gaels Le Chéile reps and former Antrim GAA stars Jane Adams and Paddy Cunningham, during Tuesday's meeting with representatives of the Irish government in Belfast. Tipperary hurler Timmy Hammersley (left) with fellow Gaels Le Chéile reps and former Antrim GAA stars Jane Adams and Paddy Cunningham, during Tuesday's meeting with representatives of the Irish government in Belfast.
By Paul Ainsworth

REPRESENTATIVES of the Republic's government have been told its obligation is to prepare for a new Ireland by forming a Citizens Assembly on unity, during a meeting with a grassroots campaign group founded by GAA players.

Members of the Gaels Le Chéile (Gaels Together) group met with a delegation from the Department of the Taoiseach in Belfast on Tuesday to discuss their campaign urging the creation of an all-island body allowing Irish citizens to have their say in planning a future border poll.

The group was founded in 2021 by Antrim GAA players Jane Adams and Paddy Cunningham, and over 15,000 signatures have since been gathered from GAA players across Ireland backing the goal of a Citizens Assembly.

Following an initial letter sent at the beginning of the campaign to previous Taoiseach Micheál Martin, representatives of Leo Varadkar's office agreed to Tuesday's meeting, which was attended by former camogie All-Star Ms Adams, and ex-Antrim senior football captain Mr Cunningham.

They were joined by All-Ireland winning Tipperary hurler Timmy Hamersley.

Mr Cunningham said: "We believe that detailed consideration about our shared future on the island of Ireland needs to be developed and that the government needs to plan for this. We urged the government to begin this planning immediately and asked them to establish an all-island Citizens Assembly reflecting the views of citizens north and south to achieve maximum consensus on a way forward."

Ms Adams said: “We stated clearly at the meeting that there has never been a greater interest in discussing and planning for future constitutional change on our island.

"We emphasised that now is the time for the Irish government to have ambition, and start developing a road map for an agreed, prosperous united Ireland. This is the first stage of what we hope will be ongoing engagement with the Taoiseach, and we have also asked for a follow-up meeting in Dublin with the Taoiseach and other members of our campaign."

The Irish News contacted the Department of the Taoiseach for comment.