A soft and gentle Sinn Féin– this is being written before any Easter speeches, mind you - is a curious sight.
Although however fleeting the gentleness, it provides welcome contrast with the disgrace that is unionist leadership.
Support for Greens leader Clare Bailey and the SDLP election candidate confronted by masked poster-wreckers came from Michelle O’Neill as though instinctive, simply what one democratic politician owed another.
In fact, the stance has novelty value. Sinn Féin way back in their own first year of serious campaigning trashed SDLP offices, harassed canvassers, tried hard to intimidate their campaigners. As surviving older SDLP people remember only too well.
Nonetheless they and others see a pattern, and it puzzles some. Clasping the crisp and effective Bailey to its bosom? Being nice about Alliance? This is not the republican party which many nationalists as well as others will always loathe. The strongest theory has Sinn Féin wooing transfers that could help clinch May 5. The thinking goes that an organisation once largely the voice of the IRA, is now, perfectly properly and with a titter of wit, telling soft undecideds who call themselves anti-sectarian and liberal, that by giving O’Neill’s party a preference – third or fourth, perhaps even their second with eyes tight closed – they would be signing up belatedly to the post-conflict age.
Is this going to be the make or break election for unionism and the Union? Almost certainly not. What will it say about confident, assertive nationalism; articulate beyond the wildest dreams of demoralised and divided unionism? Is the community which long since outgrew being ‘the minority’ now also beyond acting as of one mind? (Although to be rid of Nigel now Lord Dodds in North Belfast...)
The two big questions for polling day are whether post-Brexit dismay bordering on disgust keeps unionist voters from supporting an incoherent DUP leader, and whether outright disgust at unionist doublespeak and dog-whistling pushes lazy and/or disillusioned nationalists to vote Sinn Féin.
On the day, a surging Alliance may be superfluous to the real contest, an extra still in the wings. Too nice, like Doug Beattie. Although Beattie’s recognition that rag-tag rallies have revived the UVF long post-dated his not remotely nice photo-op with Donaldson, Jim Allister - and former UVF leader Billy Hutchinson. Supposedly moderate unionists may hold their noses ‘to save the Union’ and vote DUP to stay ahead of Sinn Féin. As Ulster Unionists in European elections gave Ian Paisley their votes, as reminder that Ulster was British, and Protestant.
Will anti-SF nationalists vote Sinn Féin to show unionists Northern Ireland is no longer their ‘wee country’? In spite of believing republicans are no more true democrats than Paisley was? Supremacy at Stormont is a goal that inspires only the most loyal SFers but those infuriated by the DUP and their unpleasant allies may swerve the worthy SDLP.
With weeks to go, what sights we have suffered; exhibit one, Donaldson and Jim Allister limply adjusting that poster of their fellow unionist leader defaced with a noose then standing on the nearby platform with a howling Apprentice Boy and TUV-man, as he called Beattie Lundy and traitor. That must have shocked many unionists. Surely?
There was a moment when Allister’s mouth hung open, wordless, caught by the cameras beside yet another speaker, this one the touring American anti-abortionist pastor. That’s the thing about fronting up angry rallies organised at arms-length. How to react to the unforseen? Later, ah much later, Donaldson said he told the Beattie-baiter that he disagreed with him. Microphones did not catch their exchange. Allister said later that the poster was ‘inappropriate in its presentation’. Later again he said that ‘Lundy’ had ‘a particularly pernicious meaning in loyalist circles’. Presumably this was criticism, not commendation.
Come to think of it, a leading republican supporting Claire Bailey beats adjudicating on nooses and who should be called a Lundy.
Easter, springtime, rebirth. Let’s stay cheerful for the next sixteen days.
