It was the stand-out moment in Claire Byrne’s ‘Unifying Ireland’ programme last night. Claire, with her new grown-up glasses, was the firm and even furious schoolmarm, insisting that Joe Brolly put down that metre stick and go back to his desk. Joe of course ignored her and kept on listing the qualities he believes the DUP bring to the Unifying Ireland market. But since Claire was in control of the mics and the cameras, Joe was cut short and viewers got back to safer contributors.
Andrew Trimble, who has played rugby for Ireland, was new to me, and exhibited all the qualities we value in decent, thoughtful unionists. He emphasised what he had gained by living in the South and his awareness that a border poll was coming at some stage.
The exchange between Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald and Tánaiste Leo Varadkar was striking for (i) the fact that they both agreed a poll was coming; and (ii) Leo’s uncertainty about whether to call Mary Lou ‘Mary Lou’ or ‘Deputy McDonald.’ So he did both.
Gregory Campbell of the DUP came on in a Zoom link and laughed at the idea that he might become content to live in an Ireland where the democratic wishes of the people were paramount. Laughing at what other people value and love is what Gregory does best.
John Bruton cited John Hume so many times – it’s the people, not the territory, that needs uniting – he could have put the phrase on a recorded loop and gone home. Although he might have had to come back and add that he was horrified at Sinn Féin’s insistence on a border poll now. And pssst, John- every nation in the world unites or aims to unite both territory and people. It’s NOT an either or. Like walking and chewing gum – you can do both at the same time.
Last man up was Taoiseach Micheál Martin. He said that when he was young and shallow down in Cork, he had this simplistic idea of Brits Out. Now he saw the complexity of the problem and wasn’t inclined like the Shinners to go rushing mad bull into a border poll, the way the Brexiteers had done with their Brexit poll, and look at that damage, would you, boy.
One thing the debate lacked was clarity on a central point: nobody, and especially Sinn Féin, is in favour of a border poll right here right now. In fact Sinn Féin and others continually urge that we must start planning for one, look at ways in which unionism can be integrated and respected. So if somebody would please jump with both feet on this stupid falsehood, the better for the debate.
And one final point: how come there wasn’t detailed discussion of what kind of architecture is necessary, so that the problems and the potential of a new Ireland can be discussed. Now if Varadkar or Bruton or Martin had urged the pressing need to set up a citizens’ assembly or some such body, so that we could get down to the core issues, the programme would have been worthwhile.
As it was and as I tweeted last night, the programme was like Dr Johnson’s comment on the sight of a dog walking on its hind legs: the wonder is not how well he does it but that he does it at all.
But wouldn’t it be nice if RTÉ rapped Claire Byrne’s knuckles , except that won’t happen. Joe Brolly was listing the qualities exhibited by Know-Nothing DUP people -homophobic, nay-sayers, racist. What Claire Byrne should have done was challenged him to produce evidence of same. Joe, whose hobbies include shooting fish in a barrel, would I’m sure have been happy to oblige.
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