Irish Unity by Ben Collins sampler
Irish Unity is the first book to explore Irish reunification in the aftermath of Brexit which is written by Ben Collins who comes from a pro-British and Unionist background and has lived and worked across the UK. In this book Collins explains how he has come to favour Irish Unity. He uses his twenty years of experience working in political communications to give his insight on the current situation regarding the building momentum for Irish Unity, the importance of the Good Friday Agreement and Brexit. In this book he sets out what it would take to win a Border Poll referendum and the importance of preparation in advance. Inspired by the momentum of the Scottish referendum and taking lessons from elsewhere, Ben Collins guides the reader through the steps needed from both sides that he believes will unite Ireland. Collins gives deep insight from a Northern Ireland perspective about how the financial, cultural and social ramifications could pan out for citizens in both parts of Ireland and how it would affect the United Kingdom, Europe and the world.
Irish Unity is the first book to explore Irish reunification in the aftermath of Brexit which is written by Ben Collins who comes from a pro-British and Unionist background and has lived and worked across the UK. In this book Collins explains how he has come to favour Irish Unity. He uses his twenty years of experience working in political communications to give his insight on the current situation regarding the building momentum for Irish Unity, the importance of the Good Friday Agreement and Brexit. In this book he sets out what it would take to win a Border Poll referendum and the importance of preparation in advance.
Inspired by the momentum of the Scottish referendum and taking lessons from elsewhere, Ben Collins guides the reader through the steps needed from both sides that he believes will unite Ireland.
Collins gives deep insight from a Northern Ireland perspective about how the financial, cultural and social ramifications could pan out for citizens in both parts of Ireland and how it would affect the United Kingdom, Europe and the world.
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irish unity<br />
I believe that there will likely be <strong>Irish</strong> unity within the next ten years.<br />
Partition was the Brexit of its day – totally self- harming. Although<br />
there was never a referendum to seek the approval of people to<br />
divide the island, we will have one to secure its reunification.<br />
The island of Ireland has been blighted <strong>by</strong> violence and threats<br />
of political violence since before partition – we need to leave such<br />
destructive behaviour behind as we build a new nation within <strong>Irish</strong><br />
unity. There will be no peace or true prosperity until the malign<br />
influence of any violent political group is ended. Of course, people<br />
who were previously involved in such activity can have a future, if<br />
they renounce violence and focus on community building.<br />
Building momentum<br />
Several factors are gradually coalescing together to build momentum<br />
for reunification. The demographics are rapidly approaching<br />
a tipping point and this has been confirmed <strong>by</strong> the 2021 Northern<br />
Ireland census, which was published in late 2022. This means that<br />
for the first time in its history, Northern Ireland is no longer a state<br />
with a Protestant and unionist majority. While it is perhaps too simplistic<br />
to say that all Catholics want <strong>Irish</strong> unity and all Protestants<br />
want to stay part of the UK, there is a broad correlation. However,<br />
an equally significant implication is that a state that was carved out<br />
of the island of Ireland specifically to have both a permanent Protestant<br />
and unionist majority no longer has either. But, to truly be able<br />
to achieve <strong>Irish</strong> unity, we need to cherish our unionist and loyalist<br />
neighbours across Ireland.<br />
Era of great change<br />
We live in an era of great change, constant uncertainty and rapid<br />
technological advancement, yet society has suffered because we often<br />
choose to engage only with those who agree with us. If we want to<br />
deliver a New Ireland, we need to actively engage with people from<br />
across the entire political spectrum. Political Unionism may refuse<br />
to discuss the prospect of unity, but we know that civic unionism<br />
is already part of the conversation. We need to hold a constructive<br />
and respectful discussion about how we create this New Ireland –<br />
peacefully. Martin Luther King and Mahatma Gandhi showed<br />
that progressive change can happen <strong>by</strong> solely peaceful means.<br />
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