Momentum builds for Irish unity

Seven key Irish-American organisations have announced an ‘Irish Unity Summit – For a New and United Ireland’ to be held in New York on 1st March next year as part of an international focus on Irish reunification.

The initiative will take place just before St. Patrick’s Day and ahead of the visit to the USA of political leaders from Ireland.

It is being organised by the Ancient Order of Hibernians; the Brehon Law Societies of NYC and Nassau; the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick Long Island; Friends of Sinn Féin; Irish American Unity Conference; the James Connolly Irish American Labor Coalition, and the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians.

Earlier this month, human rights academic and Ireland’s Future member Professor Colin Harvey was the guest speaker at an event organised by the National Committee on American Foreign Policy at Fordham University in New York.

Ireland’s Future is a civic nationalist non-profit company formed in 2017 to campaign for new constitutional arrangements on the island of Ireland.

Speaking on the theme, ‘A Pathway to a new Ireland’, Mr Harvey said: “In Ireland the evidence of an increased focus on preparations for change is everywhere. The constitutional conversation is moving into a much more detailed planning phase and it is therefore essential that local and global voices for a new and united Ireland are heard and listened to.” Professor Harvey told his audience that there is a particular onus on the Irish government to facilitate the preparations for unity.

Later during his visit Professor Harvey met with the Brehon Law Society. He told them that he believes that by the end of this decade there will be a unity referendum.

On June 15 next year, Ireland’s Future will be holding a major conference – Pathway to Change - in Belfast, with several speakers already confirmed.

Last week, it held a packed business lunch in the Europa Hotel in Belfast. Over 300 people heard former BBC journalist Gavin Esler speak of the potential for change.

It followed a conference on the issue by Trade Unionists for a New Ireland (TUNUI), also in Belfast. It heard a range of speakers from Ireland and internationally talk about the importance of constitutional change and of social justice to any new Ireland.

The two-day event brought together people from across the island and beyond with the aim of advancing constitutional change. Among the speakers was SIPTU deputy general secretary Gerry McCormack and Frank Connolly, author of ‘United Nation - The Case for Integrating Ireland’.

The Chair of TUNUI Seán McElhinney said: “ We believe that some of the worst aspects of social inequality and socio-economic disadvantage facing working people can only be addressed properly by changing how Ireland is governed - north and south …

“Constitutional change gives us a unique opportunity to start building something better than this, and we want to promote the importance of social justice in every conversation about our future.”

Urgent Appeal