Ireland’s Future: A “Cold House” for all faiths?

Colm Ó Cionnaith is currently a Peace Studies MA student in the HJI Grad School of Peace and Public Leadership and Secretary General of UPF Ireland.

Picture it: Oldbridge, Co. Meath, Ireland, July 12^th, 2050, unified and at peace with herself and her new identity: green, white and orange; red, white and blue – equally represented and equally proud as they celebrate their contribution to the island’s present as well as the past … the new Defence Forces of the 32 county Federal Republic form a guard of honour for King William V and Queen Kate at the now annual celebration of one of the Federal Republic’s three main national holidays (along with St. Patrick’s and Re-Unification Day), “Orangeday” at Oldbridge, Co. Meath.

This somewhat optimistic and mythical scene may seem like science fiction to some and laughable delusion to others but may represent at least a version of something many peace-loving citizens of this land would like to see, in the near or even distant future: an Ireland at peace with itself and its history. An Ireland that accommodates all and seems to thrive because of it … or does it?

“Irelands Future”^[1] is a movement set up in 2017, consisting of a broad range of political views, parties and persuasions, in order to prepare for what will happen if in the near future. Guided by the Good Friday (or Belfast) Agreement (GFA) it seeks to plan for when the inevitable “border poll” is called and should results indicate a strong mandate for re-unification. Established to advocate for, promote, debate and hold discussions as well as set out preparations for Ireland’s future, including the possibility and viability of new constitutional arrangements on the Island.

The realisation that we in the Republic were woefully unprepared for such a scenario as re-unification was not lost on the founders of Ireland’s Future. Its work since inception has been to educate and prepare all of us, North, South and beyond for such a scenario and try to ensure that when such a border poll is called that it will be at a time when it can be “won” by those who believe that only through unity can a better Ireland be created in terms of sustainable peace, human rights, justice, equality, culture and the economy.

It seeks to ensure that we will all be prepared to deal with the consequences of such a momentous outcome, especially those who oppose a re-united Ireland on the basis that they won’t have a stake in what they believe could be a “reverse cold house^[2]” for Unionists and others who wish to stay in the United Kingdom. In the nightmare scenario “Cultural Protestants” (as Dr. Brendan O’Leary^[3] calls them) would experience a “cold house”. A house once the dwelling of Cultural Catholics in the North’s ancien regime in the guise of the Protestant state which came into being after the partition of the island in 1922.

Therefore, the narrative from Ireland’s Future is that it is incumbent upon those who favour re-unification, to research and lay out plans as to how this can be achieved practically in terms of the economy, health, sovereignty, trade, employment, transport and a whole host of other areas which are all related to a greater or lesser degree with “culture” and “identity”.

Of course, to the reasonable this is all very laudable, especially given that those who will have the biggest say are the ones whose “hearts and minds” need to be won: namely, the 1 million or so Cultural Protestants, most of whom remain staunch believers in the Union and the overwhelming majority of which have no desire to unite with what was once perceived by them to be a “South” under “Rome Rule”. Most would resist re-unification with a Republic, which regardless of any economic or other benefits, seem to many in 2024 to have largely swapped “Rome Rule” for progressive wokeism as its national religion.

Therefore, why would this massive constituency (and as much as we may argue about exactly how big it is, Dr. O’Leary^[4] would no doubt agree with my characterisation of their role as “kingmakers”) who are God fearing and Church going, wish to be subjected to a Dublin (and Brussels agenda) which over the past 15 years or so has seen the Constitution radically reshaped? A diminution of parental rights, the destruction of the position of natural marriage, the introduction of abortion, as well as this year’s attempt to take the special position of mothers out of the Constitution, all part of this “progressive” march through the institutions as a still unreconstructed Church looked on helpless, indeed evening seeming to “cheer on” at times, as if keen to salvage some kind of popularity or credibility with their dwindling congregations. Other legislative “highlights” included the takeover of the educational system by “Comprehensive Sex Ed” mandated to all schools^[5].

While the pre-GFA Northern Ireland might have been a “cold house” for Nationalists, would this threat of future “re-unification” not just create the “Cold House” in reverse for Unionists, especially those who are Church going and “believers”? The slow decline of faith in Protestantism in the North does not seem to have been as dramatic as in the Republic, where the Catholic Church revealed through scandal after scandal from the 1980’s onwards, a clergy out of touch with the people. An institution high on its special position given by a combination of incompetence and lack of resources of the early “Free State” and the early Republic.

An institution that had long forgotten its core mission to preach, uphold and educate on the true meaning of Christ’s life and example and the importance of the values that flow from this for all, but especially for families, which are the bedrock of any nation and shape its national conscience and social fabric.

Irelands Future’s latest showpiece event on 15^th July 2024, billed as the most important yet, due to its location at Northern Ireland’s premier indoor venue, the SSE Arena, Belfast and the expectation that created, was held in front of a half empty auditorium, which had already been halved in size from the 10,000 capacity. Nationalists and sceptics alike were subjected to the usual socialist virtue signalling from Southern parties, Trade Unions and academics on the ever crowded Left, each trying hard to outdo the others in showing off their impeccable social justice warrior credentials, some even pathetically signing off their propaganda messages with the mantra “Free Palestine” or words to that effect.

The only potential banana skin in the line up from a progressive point of view was Aontú, the Republic’s only Pro-Life party with a sitting representative in the national parliament. Leader Peadar Tóibín, despite having an enormous chance to “sell” his vision of a United Ireland that would presumably emphasize the sanctity of life and the importance of faith and family, uncharacteristically fell short, instead imploring political parties to “organize in the North” and chastising those who he felt had not.

This missed opportunity was not the only victim of timing and being caught in local and European elections campaigning. Indeed, the whole event suffered from the fact that not just the aforementioned elections were taking place, but also that it fell in the middle of a Westminster election campaign too! The organisers were not to know about the snap timing of latter of course, but they would have known about the former. That said. NI Chair of the British Medical Council’s Dr Tom Black’s presentation on the woes of the Health System there and how the Republic had opened a significant gap in terms of waiting lists, outcomes, cancer care and other metrics was very interesting to hear, as well as how the higher wages paid under Sláinte care had created an exodus of medical professionals from North to South.

The low attendance may be understandable in that perhaps many may not have been too motivated to spend a Saturday afternoon in June at the SSE Arena^[6] in the middle of a perfect storm of elections. Nevertheless, the atmosphere there was relaxed and without any tension that I could see. In any case, there were some highlights: Professor Brendan O’Leary is still the consummate expert in all matters to do with the mechanics of how re-unification might come about and his book on re-unification is must-read for anyone interested in the topic. His segment was as insightful as Paddy Cullivan’s comedy sketch was enjoyable^[7].

”Protestant Perspectives” was carefully choreographed to ensure that those chosen, luminaries such as Lord Alderdice and a representative from the Quakers, who played such a huge role in negotiating peace in the North, were beating hard the drum of unity, integration and tolerance, but without ever showing us what role their faith would play in this new Ireland if any and how (presumably) important this tradition is for them and for our society in terms of informing a pro-life and pro-family value system.

In conclusion I feel that the “New Ireland” will look a lot like today’s Ireland, if the progressives which seem to be dominating Ireland’s Future have their way. The challenge for Unionists and Nationalists is that they need to decide what they care more about, Reunification or their faith and values? “Mainland” UK is a place that has a long time ago decided where it stands on these issues and has unfortunately largely dispensed with faith as a real political force, except to aid the odd Tory who might be stuck for rhetoric when addressing a group of OAPs at the British Legion or giving a quote to the Telegraph. The Republic, likewise, worse perhaps, apart from Aontú and some notable independents.

Northern Ireland however, forced by Westminster to accept abortion while Stormont was in mothballs, has managed to hang onto much of its core faith values, trundling along after the GFA, in an existence where most of the Cultural Protestants and Cultural Catholics for that matter have the highest rates of belief and worship in these islands … they will decide the future configuration of any new arrangements … if their demography remains strong, it will be those who go to Church or identify as believers who will decide whether or not re-unification will take place. Progressives, Marxists and “Wokesters” everywhere on the island would do well to change their propaganda message and realise that no amount of virtue signalling, and Israel bating will change the convictions of these people of faith, united if not politically (yet), certainly in a vision of what they DO NOT want for the Future Island.

1. “About Us.” Ireland’s Future, 2021. https://irelandsfuture.com/about-us/. Retrieved June 29, 2024 ↑
2. “The Nobel Peace Prize 1998.” NobelPrize.org. Accessed June 29, 2024. https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/1998/trimble/lecture/. ↑
3. B. O’Leary, Making Sense of a United Ireland (Sandycove, 2022). ↑
4. O’Leary, Dr Brendan”, 2030 The Tipping Point”, Irelands Future presentation at SSE Arena, Belfast 15^th June 2024, see https://www.youtube.com/live/8dARLmm8hDE (from 36 mis, retrieved June 29, 2024). ↑
5. admin-tom81. “Admin-Tom81.” Irish Council for Human Rights, October 13, 2022. https://ichr.ie/a-review-of-relationship-and-sexuality-education-in-ireland/. ↑
6. O’Neill, Julian. “UVF East Belfast ‘show of Strength’ Being Reviewed by PSNI.” BBC News, June 17, 2024. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckrr8yvxd79o. ↑
7. Cullivan, Pady “I Can’t Believe it’s not Ireland!”, Irelands Future segment at SSE Arena, Belfast 15^th June 2024, available at https://www.youtube.com/live/8dARLmm8hDE (from 3:11:52, retrieved June 29, 2024). ↑

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