Emma deSouza: Ireland must prepare for the prospect of a border poll

Ireland's Future underlined how certainties about identity in the North are changing rapidly especially since Brexit. The question remains whether people in the Republic are ready for change

The 3 Arena in Dublin was filled to capacity on Saturday for the conference organised by Ireland's Future which is 'campaigning for a referendum on a shared, united, and new Ireland'. Picture: Niall Carson/PA Wire

This weekend, thousands of people from across the island of Ireland filled the 3 Arena in Dublin for the largest conference on constitutional change in its history thus far.

There will be those who seek to talk down the significance of the Ireland's Future event, but with 10 political party members participating — five of whom are party leaders — this is a moment of living history, and a definitive signal of intent politically.