Sean Bresnahan thinks Irish Republicanism needs to reassert itself to make Irish unity a reality.
The remarks of Micheál Martin over the weekend, on the BBC’s ‘Sunday Politics’ broadcast, point not just to the establishment’s indifference on Irish Unity but to its outright hostility towards the concept, with its contempt for all-Ireland sovereignty.

They are proof positive that Irish Unity cannot be left to the diktats of elites, whose sectional views are unrepresentative of the wider will of the Irish people. Indeed their ultimate logic is obvious: if Irish Unity is ever to be realised then we must seize it for ourselves, as a people.

As the political narrative returns to Brexit, Republicans must pick up the slack. For let there be no doubt, organised Irish Republicanism is the only force capable of countering this drive to close down constitutional change.

The responsibility incumbent here is huge: there must be a renewed campaign on our part, with the Irish Republic at its masthead. On setting this in train is where the energies of Republicans must be channeled over the time now to hand.

Sean Bresnahan is an independent Republican from Co. Tyrone who 
blogs @ Claidheamh Soluis. Follow Sean Bresnahan on Twitter @bres79

Irish Unity The Property Of The People ➤ Not Of A Political Elite

Sean Bresnahan thinks Irish Republicanism needs to reassert itself to make Irish unity a reality.
The remarks of Micheál Martin over the weekend, on the BBC’s ‘Sunday Politics’ broadcast, point not just to the establishment’s indifference on Irish Unity but to its outright hostility towards the concept, with its contempt for all-Ireland sovereignty.

They are proof positive that Irish Unity cannot be left to the diktats of elites, whose sectional views are unrepresentative of the wider will of the Irish people. Indeed their ultimate logic is obvious: if Irish Unity is ever to be realised then we must seize it for ourselves, as a people.

As the political narrative returns to Brexit, Republicans must pick up the slack. For let there be no doubt, organised Irish Republicanism is the only force capable of countering this drive to close down constitutional change.

The responsibility incumbent here is huge: there must be a renewed campaign on our part, with the Irish Republic at its masthead. On setting this in train is where the energies of Republicans must be channeled over the time now to hand.

Sean Bresnahan is an independent Republican from Co. Tyrone who 
blogs @ Claidheamh Soluis. Follow Sean Bresnahan on Twitter @bres79

4 comments:

  1. Sean,

    we haven't had a banter in a long time but here's my take on your current offering:
    Firstly your position is essentially undemocratic. The Irish people have collectively endorsed partition. I personally opposed, campaigned and postered against it but I have come to accept it insofar as if the crowd choose Barabbas ... that's democracy.

    Secondly, Martin is a manager rather than a leader and is just as unprincipled as those so-called republicans who failed initially to oppose GFA and equally just as gullible as those who dismissed the historical warnings of an experienced subset of the movement.

    However that battle is now lost and traditional republicans, at least to my mind, can no longer claim any legitimate democratic mandate. The people have spoken ...

    If it's any consolation Martin's position is dodgy enough. The opposition has been blooded. The fight ought now be in them ... and the independents will follow the popular mood!

    But Martin gone won't solve your bind. The sovereignty of the Irish people is now accepted as that expressed in the GFA.


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  2. Good to hear from you HJ — it’s been a while. My own view is that we need to popularise the concept of Irish Unity at a grassroots level and force, thus, the political establishment (which exercises power and control over the matter to hand) to either swim with the tide or sink, this while working to influence them more directly along that same journey.

    (The fiasco with the mooted Black and Tan commemoration and its reversal at the behest of a public outcry shows that this isn’t without prospect.)

    What we need to build over the months and years ahead is some form of an ‘Irish Unity Now’ initiative modelled on what the Scottish are doing. Some of this has already begun but we need to re-engage the work, particularly now that Brexit is again taking centre stage. There is a dynamic in play, now, which no regressive force will be able to contain, try as it might, because it is born of demographic and not political considerations.

    In 15 years time this will be far more evident but we just don’t sit about waiting until then. It’s a longer term project we face but it must begin now with a structured proposal as to what, specifically, we are calling for to happen. This, in turn, we then work to build support for through political campaign.

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  3. Sean,

    thanks for your response.

    Opposition is essential for social cohesion as challenge is for testing and refining ideas. Exchanges within such contexts ought always be facilitated and welcomed.

    The significance you attribute to Blueshirt Oliver J's cub, Charlie Flanagan, faux-pas is very much over estimated. Sure, it wasn't politically astute on his behalf but to consider it as a rebuttal of 'West-Brittism' and for a real and sustainable expression of republican fervour for unity is way off the mark. At 64 years of age and now having lived almost twice as long in the Southern State as I lived in the Northern one I can assure you Martin's position is a fair reflection of popular opinion. I'd even bet there're many, Johney-come-lately SF voters down here who'd privately agree with him.

    Most citizens in the 26 counties will have a degree of sympathy with you Sean. They will sympathise with you and will essentially agree that you have, for the largest degree, been dominated and suppressed by what they might see as aggressive bullies. However, when push comes to shove, they won't want to be seen, for doing unto Unionists for what they condemned Unionists for doing onto Northern Nationalists.

    'Irish Unity Now' is too aggressive, too immediate and broadly unsupportable. Better an 'Understand Unity' campaign, and respectfully then set about becoming patient persuaders for same.

    Those who didn't or don't presently and unquestionably support the current 'Pacification Process' can adapt. They can adopt Pat Ward's 'long war' strategy and authentically rare it as a 'long peace' one.

    Of course those who have the tenacity for a political campaign will have to maintain humility and resist participation in Partitionist Parliaments whilst still actively engaging the parliamentary election processes. A tall order to sustain in 'an instant gratification' society.

    Good luck with that.

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  4. Irish unity as we once envisaged it seems as far off as ever. Nor is there any sign of a real desire for it down here. It will progress I imagine by a series of compromises which will always undermine those who for whatever reason are unable to compromise. If there was a logic to it down here fifty years after partition, it seems even less so fifty years after the start of the Provisional IRA campaign. I suppose the establishment got its way by holding firm to the principle of no unity without a consent of a Northern majority.
    For all the unease within FF if Micheal Martin is to be upended it will not be a surge of opinion in favour of Irish unity.
    SF will prove no different from FF in government. Realpolitik will guarantee that much.
    For republicans like Sean popularising the concept of Irish unity has not yet managed to make the leap from slogan to strategy.
    In the market place of ideas there are many trying to popularise their own brand. Micheal Martin's view is probably the popular one at present.

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