Author Ben Collins responds to criticism of the Tricolour this week and argues for eyes kept firmly on the prize of Irish Unity and its benefits.
There has been a significant online debate in recent days about the merits or otherwise of the Irish Tricolour following an article published by Sam McBride in the Belfast Telegraph. The suggestion that the people of Ireland are not willing to change the flag and that the tricolour would be unacceptable for unionists from Northern Ireland, is missing the point of Irish unity. Symbolism is important and before we embark on a discussion about the merits of the current national flag, we need first to acknowledge what it was originally designed to represent. The tricolour is green, white and orange. The green and orange were chosen to represent the two main traditions on the island with white to signify peace between them. There is no gold in the flag.
I understand that for some from a unionist background there is an association of the tricolour with the actions of the Provisional IRA during the Troubles. We need to reintroduce the flag to people across the island to explain what the flag truly represents. I know how hurt, frustrated and still angry people from the unionist community feel about what happened during those dark days. Nationalists also suffered at that time. There is sometimes a belief that if we end up in a United Ireland, that will mean that the IRA has won. But the reality is that the Good Friday Agreement, imperfect though it was, ended the violence. All sides agreed to pursue their political objectives by solely peaceful and democratic means. Any constitutional change will only happen because people have voted for it by a majority. Unlike Brexit, where Northern Ireland was taken out of the EU against the expressed wishes of voters in the region, only those within Northern Ireland will decide if the region is to rejoin with the rest of Ireland. The Republic will also have a vote on deciding whether to reunify Ireland.
Sovereignty for me isn’t a flag on a pole, it’s food on the table and a roof over your head. I firmly believe that whenever the border poll comes, likely at some point in the next decade, people will vote with their head as well as their heart. Voters want to know how they can best ensure a good quality of life for themselves and their family. When we look at the metrics comparing how the South compares to the North in terms of the economy, healthcare, education, life expectancy, and disposable income, the South outperforms the North across every one of them. Unionists in a New Ireland will be represented in a National Parliament, where their votes matter, unlike at Westminster where the region is merely an afterthought. That’s if it is thought about at all.
We need to plan and prepare now in advance of the border poll, so that people know exactly what they are voting for and against. Irish unity must mean creating an all-Ireland approach to the economy, healthcare, education and other areas. There is no such thing as a kinder, gentler form of partition. This small island needs to provide a fully integrated range of public services. We make unionists and the entire population who live across Ireland feel at ease and welcome in a New Ireland, by providing good public services, good quality and affordable housing, a healthcare system which works for all and an economy in which everyone can benefit, regardless of where they live. Democracy must be transparent and accessible to everyone across Ireland. So there will be one national parliament making decisions for all citizens and Unionist representatives will have the opportunity to play their part in the government or as part of the opposition. They will no longer be a small number of backbench MPs. No Unionist MP from Northern Ireland has been part of the British Government as a Cabinet Minister since the Second World War. In a New Ireland, they will have a realistic opportunity to negotiate to be part of the national government from day one. Irish unity will be a process, rather than a single event.
It is ironic that Unionists claim that they will not be part of a United Ireland because the Republic will not change the Tricolour, when Unionists have repeatedly refused to countenance changing the flag of Northern Ireland from the ‘Ulster Banner’. This is despite that flag actually representing the old Northern Ireland Parliament which was abolished in 1972. Those of us who aspire to a United Ireland are expected to tolerate symbols of Unionism within this region. The hostility displayed towards Belfast City Council adopting a flag flying policy in line with cities across Britain in 2012 was shocking but not a surprise.
In my book Irish Unity: Time to Prepare I set out some potential options for an alternative flag for a United Ireland, for example a green harp on a white background or a green harp on a white background with a St Patrick’s flag in the background. There are other options as well. I do not think disagreements about the current flag will cause a barrier to reunification. We do not need to dismantle all the symbols of the existing state to bring the North into a New Ireland. But when it comes to Irish unity, the first priority must be to focus on how we deliver the best life experience for all citizens across Ireland. It has to be about peace and prosperity. I would say though that if people think their best argument for remaining within the UK and not becoming part of a United Ireland, is because they don’t like the Irish Tricolour, I would suggest that is not a strong argument. We are now a quarter century on from the Good Friday Agreement and the time when we need to choose our constitutional future is approaching. I look forward to that debate, where we can discuss our options, focusing on how do we best ensure a good quality of life. Having that discussion will mean that we all win, as we consider the options and make an evidence-based decision on what it best for our families and ourselves.
Symbolism and identity are important, but I believe that most of us, a majority, will vote for the option which provides the vibrant economy, unfettered access to the world’s largest economic trading bloc as part of the European Union, an education system which is not structured for segregation and a state which has the ability to provide the much need affordable and good quality housing. We cannot solve the climate crisis on our own, but as part of the EU, we can make a significant contribution as we transition to net zero and tap into a burgeoning continent wide, renewables driven, energy market.
Keir Starmer has been right to focus on the potential of AI to transform public services and the economy. But we know that Tech leaders like Mark Zuckerburg are calling on Donald Trump to stop the EU from putting restrictions on how they operate. The EU is known to be the world leader in regulation and this is crucial as we adopt these new technologies. Trump and his team have already made it clear that they expect the UK to choose the USA over the EU. I want to live somewhere that can take advantage of these emerging technologies, but there needs to be an effective regulatory framework. For me, being part of the EU offers the potential to do that. I do not think that the UK, in an ever more unstable geopolitical environment will be able to provide those same safeguards. So having a discussion about flags is important, it has its place as part of the constitutional conversation but we owe it to everyone who lives across Ireland, to focus on quality of life first and foremost. If I can be certain that I will have better public services, education opportunities for future generations and being part of a robust economy, then I will happily accept the Irish Tricolour. After all, I believe the idealism of the two main traditions on the island with peace between them being represented on our national flag, is as relevant today as it was one hundred years ago.
Author Ben Collins responds to criticism of the Tricolour this week and argues for eyes kept firmly on the prize of Irish Unity and its benefits.
There has been a significant online debate in recent days about the merits or otherwise of the Irish Tricolour following an article published by Sam McBride in the Belfast Telegraph. The suggestion that the people of Ireland are not willing to change the flag and that the tricolour would be unacceptable for unionists from Northern Ireland, is missing the point of Irish unity. Symbolism is important and before we embark on a discussion about the merits of the current national flag, we need first to acknowledge what it was originally designed to represent. The tricolour is green, white and orange. The green and orange were chosen to represent the two main traditions on the island with white to signify peace between them. There is no gold in the flag.
I understand that for some from a unionist background there is an association of the tricolour with the actions of the Provisional IRA during the Troubles. We need to reintroduce the flag to people across the island to explain what the flag truly represents. I know how hurt, frustrated and still angry people from the unionist community feel about what happened during those dark days. Nationalists also suffered at that time. There is sometimes a belief that if we end up in a United Ireland, that will mean that the IRA has won. But the reality is that the Good Friday Agreement, imperfect though it was, ended the violence. All sides agreed to pursue their political objectives by solely peaceful and democratic means. Any constitutional change will only happen because people have voted for it by a majority. Unlike Brexit, where Northern Ireland was taken out of the EU against the expressed wishes of voters in the region, only those within Northern Ireland will decide if the region is to rejoin with the rest of Ireland. The Republic will also have a vote on deciding whether to reunify Ireland.
Sovereignty for me isn’t a flag on a pole, it’s food on the table and a roof over your head. I firmly believe that whenever the border poll comes, likely at some point in the next decade, people will vote with their head as well as their heart. Voters want to know how they can best ensure a good quality of life for themselves and their family. When we look at the metrics comparing how the South compares to the North in terms of the economy, healthcare, education, life expectancy, and disposable income, the South outperforms the North across every one of them. Unionists in a New Ireland will be represented in a National Parliament, where their votes matter, unlike at Westminster where the region is merely an afterthought. That’s if it is thought about at all.
We need to plan and prepare now in advance of the border poll, so that people know exactly what they are voting for and against. Irish unity must mean creating an all-Ireland approach to the economy, healthcare, education and other areas. There is no such thing as a kinder, gentler form of partition. This small island needs to provide a fully integrated range of public services. We make unionists and the entire population who live across Ireland feel at ease and welcome in a New Ireland, by providing good public services, good quality and affordable housing, a healthcare system which works for all and an economy in which everyone can benefit, regardless of where they live. Democracy must be transparent and accessible to everyone across Ireland. So there will be one national parliament making decisions for all citizens and Unionist representatives will have the opportunity to play their part in the government or as part of the opposition. They will no longer be a small number of backbench MPs. No Unionist MP from Northern Ireland has been part of the British Government as a Cabinet Minister since the Second World War. In a New Ireland, they will have a realistic opportunity to negotiate to be part of the national government from day one. Irish unity will be a process, rather than a single event.
It is ironic that Unionists claim that they will not be part of a United Ireland because the Republic will not change the Tricolour, when Unionists have repeatedly refused to countenance changing the flag of Northern Ireland from the ‘Ulster Banner’. This is despite that flag actually representing the old Northern Ireland Parliament which was abolished in 1972. Those of us who aspire to a United Ireland are expected to tolerate symbols of Unionism within this region. The hostility displayed towards Belfast City Council adopting a flag flying policy in line with cities across Britain in 2012 was shocking but not a surprise.
In my book Irish Unity: Time to Prepare I set out some potential options for an alternative flag for a United Ireland, for example a green harp on a white background or a green harp on a white background with a St Patrick’s flag in the background. There are other options as well. I do not think disagreements about the current flag will cause a barrier to reunification. We do not need to dismantle all the symbols of the existing state to bring the North into a New Ireland. But when it comes to Irish unity, the first priority must be to focus on how we deliver the best life experience for all citizens across Ireland. It has to be about peace and prosperity. I would say though that if people think their best argument for remaining within the UK and not becoming part of a United Ireland, is because they don’t like the Irish Tricolour, I would suggest that is not a strong argument. We are now a quarter century on from the Good Friday Agreement and the time when we need to choose our constitutional future is approaching. I look forward to that debate, where we can discuss our options, focusing on how do we best ensure a good quality of life. Having that discussion will mean that we all win, as we consider the options and make an evidence-based decision on what it best for our families and ourselves.
Symbolism and identity are important, but I believe that most of us, a majority, will vote for the option which provides the vibrant economy, unfettered access to the world’s largest economic trading bloc as part of the European Union, an education system which is not structured for segregation and a state which has the ability to provide the much need affordable and good quality housing. We cannot solve the climate crisis on our own, but as part of the EU, we can make a significant contribution as we transition to net zero and tap into a burgeoning continent wide, renewables driven, energy market.
Keir Starmer has been right to focus on the potential of AI to transform public services and the economy. But we know that Tech leaders like Mark Zuckerburg are calling on Donald Trump to stop the EU from putting restrictions on how they operate. The EU is known to be the world leader in regulation and this is crucial as we adopt these new technologies. Trump and his team have already made it clear that they expect the UK to choose the USA over the EU. I want to live somewhere that can take advantage of these emerging technologies, but there needs to be an effective regulatory framework. For me, being part of the EU offers the potential to do that. I do not think that the UK, in an ever more unstable geopolitical environment will be able to provide those same safeguards. So having a discussion about flags is important, it has its place as part of the constitutional conversation but we owe it to everyone who lives across Ireland, to focus on quality of life first and foremost. If I can be certain that I will have better public services, education opportunities for future generations and being part of a robust economy, then I will happily accept the Irish Tricolour. After all, I believe the idealism of the two main traditions on the island with peace between them being represented on our national flag, is as relevant today as it was one hundred years ago.