United Ireland closer to reality

Maurice Fitzgerald (Letters, Jun 2) says Gerry Adams and Sinn Féin are engaging in a wasted dream about a united Ireland.

Yet this wasted dream that will never happen, seems to have got Maurice excited enough for him to write a letter about it.

I suspect Maurice knows deep down that we are closer to a peacefully acquired united Ireland today that at any time since the country was partitioned 90 years ago.

I also suspect that Maurice is aware of the slow but steady changes that are taking place within unionism and its opening up to new ideas as part of the outreach programmes that are under way between it and republicanism. If he isn’t conscious of this, then perhaps he should read some more before he comments.

I would also like to ask Maurice what he means and who he is referring to when he says “the rest of us”, because everyone I speak to about this very topic always say they would like to see a united Ireland, once its achieved peacefully and democratically.

So who are “the rest of us” Maurice? Are you part of a minority within this State who would always oppose a united Ireland at the ballot box, even when today’s unionists — tomorrow’s republicans — have come around to the idea of one all-Ireland state? As for Maurice’s dismissive claim that a United Ireland is but a political theory, I would ask him to consider this. Sinn Féin is already in government on one part of this island and will also be in government in the other part in the not too distant future.

Do you really believe there will not be a strong emphasis on creating one strong all-Ireland economy on this island when that happens, and do you also believe that today’s unionists wont want to be a part of that exciting development? Unionists are already engaging and opening up their minds, Maurice. You should try it some time.

Kieran McCarthy

35 Lower Midleton St

Cobh