Letters: Ireland’s Future meeting was inclusive and informative

I was one of a minority of unionists who did attend the Ireland’s Future meeting at the Ulster Hall and I saw none of the ‘ethnic nationalist flag waving’ that Gerry Cullen criticised on your letters page (Ireland’s flag waving, November 28).

Being a unionist, I was not impressed by the presumption by some that Irish unity was inevitable, but I found this meeting to be much more inclusive and more informative than the previous one in Dublin.

There was a real attempt to reach out to the Protestant community in this meeting as evidenced by starting with a panel of five Protestant speakers, each describing how they came to support a move toward unity despite coming from a largely unionist community.

Glenn Bradley in particular impressed me by speaking bluntly about witnessing attacks by the IRA on his community during his childhood, including a no-warning IRA bomb that injured him and the kidnapping, torture and murder of his uncle.

The overwhelmingly nationalist audience listened respectfully to his comments, including his explanation of how the end to IRA murders made it possible for people like him to support unity without feeling they were betraying their own community.

There was also a proper attempt to address the possible advantages of integrating our health and education systems between north and south, with an indication that Northern Ireland could do much better on issues such as NHS waiting times, life expectancy and number of early school leavers.

Too often in NI we listen to politicians who tell us our services are world beating, when our reality could be much improved.

Just as it is wrong for nationalists to assume that Irish unity is inevitable, it is also wrong for us unionists to assume that we can learn nothing from the Irish Republic, or that Irish unity could never happen.

Irrespective of what decision is made (possibly by our children or grandchildren), Northern Ireland will remain as one unit and we will continue to live together as unionist and nationalist neighbours.

It is important that I understand and respect my nationalist neighbours, especially if their desire for Irish unity is thwarted, in the same way it is important they understand us unionists, especially if our desires are thwarted and we find ourselves in an Irish state.

Only by continuing to engage will this be achieved and, in the end, because neither side is ever satisfied, each community may be in need of a sympathetic understanding from the other.