In our first Irishborderpoll.com podcast of 2025 we chat to Colin Harvey about all things United Ireland.
We talk about the chill factor, the new Irish government, attempts by some to dodge the Unity debate, timeframes and procrastinators. Colin explains the time for running away from constitutional change debate is over. He gives his views on the future of Stormont and power sharing in a unified Ireland. And tells us we are approaching half time in the Unity debate with all to play for.
He argues that we need to flip the presentation of the United Ireland debate from one of worry, fear and anxiety to a hope-filled discussion about the future. “There will be people embracing and dancing in the streets around the world if we get this right” . And he tells us what a privilege for him to be involved in the Unity project.
“People worry if this new Irish government is going to dodge the Irish Unity issue for the next five years”. But the time for running away is over, argues Colin.
“The worry I have is that the more the Irish and British governments stay away from the United Ireland debate the more they lend credibility to those people who say it is divisive.That creates a messaging that there’s something not quite right about the Unity debate. Think about what that means for us in the North trying to make the argument proactively? We need to keep calling this out and reiterate that pursuing Irish Unity should be uncontroversial”
“In the North there is still a chill factor in society about civic organisations, community groups and others joining the Unity conversation because there’s still that worry about the consequences of them doing so”. That shouldn’t be the case and needs to be vigorously confronted, he contends.
“The next time some worthy person stands up and lauds the GFA, keep reminding them that a border poll is a fundamental part of the agreement. Hardly a week goes by with reference to the principle of consent. Those of us making the argument are ultimately defending democracy and defending a democratic choice. That shouldn’t be shut down by implied threats – that if you keep talking about this stuff out loud, nudge, nudge, wink, wink”
“It’s no secret what has happened to me. What happened to me put my own position here at Queen’s at risk. There was a fairly concerted campaign in relation to my position at Queen’s University. The message was if you’re in public life, if you’re in professional life in the North this is what might happen to you if you do what Colin Harvey has done. I’m not the only one that this has happened to recently, willing to speak out on the Unity question. But in 2025 the conversation is a bit different and more people are on the pitch”.
“People expect leadership from the Irish government. We’re talking about what remains an imperative for the Irish government and state as laid out in article 3 of the constitution”. In that spirit he explains that it’s time to reclaim the shared Ireland concept and make it an intrinsic part of the United Ireland conversation.
In our first Irishborderpoll.com podcast of 2025 we chat to Colin Harvey about all things United Ireland.
We talk about the chill factor, the new Irish government, attempts by some to dodge the Unity debate, timeframes and procrastinators. Colin explains the time for running away from constitutional change debate is over. He gives his views on the future of Stormont and power sharing in a unified Ireland. And tells us we are approaching half time in the Unity debate with all to play for.
He argues that we need to flip the presentation of the United Ireland debate from one of worry, fear and anxiety to a hope-filled discussion about the future. “There will be people embracing and dancing in the streets around the world if we get this right” . And he tells us what a privilege for him to be involved in the Unity project.
“People worry if this new Irish government is going to dodge the Irish Unity issue for the next five years”. But the time for running away is over, argues Colin.
“The worry I have is that the more the Irish and British governments stay away from the United Ireland debate the more they lend credibility to those people who say it is divisive.That creates a messaging that there’s something not quite right about the Unity debate. Think about what that means for us in the North trying to make the argument proactively? We need to keep calling this out and reiterate that pursuing Irish Unity should be uncontroversial”
“In the North there is still a chill factor in society about civic organisations, community groups and others joining the Unity conversation because there’s still that worry about the consequences of them doing so”. That shouldn’t be the case and needs to be vigorously confronted, he contends.
“The next time some worthy person stands up and lauds the GFA, keep reminding them that a border poll is a fundamental part of the agreement. Hardly a week goes by with reference to the principle of consent. Those of us making the argument are ultimately defending democracy and defending a democratic choice. That shouldn’t be shut down by implied threats – that if you keep talking about this stuff out loud, nudge, nudge, wink, wink”
“It’s no secret what has happened to me. What happened to me put my own position here at Queen’s at risk. There was a fairly concerted campaign in relation to my position at Queen’s University. The message was if you’re in public life, if you’re in professional life in the North this is what might happen to you if you do what Colin Harvey has done. I’m not the only one that this has happened to recently, willing to speak out on the Unity question. But in 2025 the conversation is a bit different and more people are on the pitch”.
“People expect leadership from the Irish government. We’re talking about what remains an imperative for the Irish government and state as laid out in article 3 of the constitution”. In that spirit he explains that it’s time to reclaim the shared Ireland concept and make it an intrinsic part of the United Ireland conversation.
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