Brexit at last frees Republic from the encumbrance of NI

As I have long suspected many people who can be described as unionists, such as Lord Kilclooney, hold a strong affection for the plucky little nation south of the border and don’t want to see a substantial and permanent parting of the ways.

However, I see what is taking place, regarding Brexit, as a miracle.

At long last, after countless centuries under the shadow of Britain, Ireland will fully break the shackles. The heartfelt cry of the Irish, over the centuries, was to break free from the ties holding the Irish in thrall to Britain.

Wonderfully, this is now about to happen.

The funny thing is that unionists, such as the good Lord Kilclooney, are, in conjunction with Sinn Fein, trying to tie a transom knot holding Ireland back from becoming a fully independent nation with its own vibrant language, culture and economy; all of which will, for the first time in centuries, have a real opportunity to flower in the free and an exhilarating UK and Northern Ireland-free EU.

Ireland, remaining in the European Union, will have the chance to be a real nation, proudly holding its own in the warm and tender embraces of our European cousins and loyal European friends.

The border with Northern Ireland is a distraction; it is a phantom chain tying Ireland to the UK; Ireland does not need Northern Ireland.

For heaven’s sake, the European Union has more than enough territory and geographic diversity for the Irish to handle.

For far too long Northern Ireland has cast a miserable and hateful shadow over Ireland; at Ireland’s inception it was the cause of a horrible civil war which stunted Ireland’s economic and cultural development for many generations; and in more recent history, for some 40 years and more, dragging Ireland into an intractable and fruitless republican/unionist conflict residing outside the bounds of humanity and rationality.

Alleluia, the UK’s imminent leaving, taking Northern Ireland along with it, frees Ireland, at last, from that weighty and weary encumbrance which is Northern Ireland; the Irish will now be able get on with a normal and beautiful life, with full confidence for the future, in the European Union.

Micheal O’Cathail, Fermanagh