GAA pundit Joe Brolly told of alternative to United Ireland – ‘uniting people’

A former Irish international rugby player has challenged a GAA pundit’s claim that opposition to an Irish language Act has made Catholics “psychologically wedded” to a united Ireland.
GAA pundit Joe Brolly said Catholics are now wedded to a United Ireland. Photo: Paul Faith/PA WireGAA pundit Joe Brolly said Catholics are now wedded to a United Ireland. Photo: Paul Faith/PA Wire
GAA pundit Joe Brolly said Catholics are now wedded to a United Ireland. Photo: Paul Faith/PA Wire

Former rugby star, now community relations campaigner, Trevor Ringland responded to GAA pundit Joe Brolly by saying his focus is on “uniting people”.

Mr Brolly, who featured in Derry’s 1993 All-Ireland GAA winning team, said the DUP had “squandered” the opportunity of making NI work.

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“They’ve blown it,” the Belfast barrister said, adding: “Deeper down now, the Catholic people of the north say: ‘Well, look, it’s a united Ireland now. That’s where we are and that’s where we’re moving to now’.

“Psychologically, I think the DUP has played a huge role in creating that because they really did make it a cold house for Catholics,” he told the Irish News.

“And there was no need for it. [In relation to an Irish Language Act], they should have been saying: ‘Of course, there will be an Irish Language Act because it’s very important to a lot of people in this community and that it’s a vibrant language in some parts of the north.”

He added that he has detected a “distinct change of attitude” beyond nationalist communities towards the DUP’s “Old Testament sort of stuff, the inhumane stuff that they espouse, it is no longer acceptable”.

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But fellow lawyer Trevor Ringland responded that his focus was on “uniting people”.

“Most of the rest of us are focussing on uniting people and as bad as the DUP are I do not think that Arlene Foster feels that the murder of her neighbours was right or justified or in any way necessary,” he said, with an implied criticism of politicians who continue to justify Troubles-era murders. “It is also obvious to most of us now that the promotion of one extreme promotes the other, albeit both have moderated their behaviour somewhat in their pursuit of power.

“The only way to pursue a constitutional preference is by making NI work socially and economically with great relations across the Island and between the Islands.

“Joe is stuck with me and I with him and both of us – due to the lack of courage of the rwo Governments – with Sinn Féin and the DUP. So we should dry our eyes and get on with undoing the damage their two ideologies caused, bring out the true character othe people here by building relationships and enjoy this beautiful place we share.”

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DUP Upper Bann MLA Jonathan Buckley said Mr Brolly “loves a controversial stunt to generate headlines” but that pro-united Ireland parties’ share of the general election vote shrunk from 42% in 2001 to 38% in 2019.

“But Joe won’t let the facts get in the way of a headline.” Unionists should be working to make NI “feel like home for everyone” he added.