The Death of Queen Elizabeth II on Sept. 8 was a sudden, shocking event with widespread ramifications for world history. Im- mediately after the death of The Queen was announced by Buckingham Palace at 6:31 p.m. GST, 15 nations representing 151 million people and roughly 7.2 million square miles of land, had a new head of state in His Majesty King Charles III, the now former Prince of Wales.
While the news of The Queen’s death is saddening– as our entire lives we’ve only known “the queen” to be a constant in our minds–we must not overlook what the British Monarchy has done to oppressed and marginalized peoples. While the atrocities committed by the British Armed Forces and colonial figures are equally important, from Africa to India to the Caribbean and everywhere else they had influence, one current oppression of a marginalized people hits closer to home for the British: Ireland & Northern Ireland.
With the declaration of independence of the Repub- lic of Ireland in 1916, The United Kingdom has forc- ibly kept the most north- ern 6 counties of the Island, now known as Northern Ire- land. Throughout the 105 years of this forced separa- tion of families and coun- trymen, countless military operations, guerilla war- fare tactics, and terrorist actions have taken place, collectively known as “The Troubles.” British forces during The Troubles im- prisoned Irish republicans, shot and killed unarmed ci- vilians, and more. Not until the signing of a truce, the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, did the violence more or less stop.
With the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth and the accession of King Charles III to the throne, I believe it is now time to have a serious and thoughtful discussion on the future of Ireland. While the violence may have stopped, the current political position is untenable. With the United Kingdom (and Northern Ire- land) having left the Euro- pean Union there has been discussions and deals that followed to protect trade routes and regulations.
There now exists a de facto border not between Ire- land and Northern Ireland, but between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom itself.
This is a failure of the government of the United Kingdom and of the pro-unionists in Northern Ireland to protect the interests of the residents of Northern Ireland, as unionist political parties and politicians refuse to participate in government un- til their demands related to this border are met.
Without a government, Northern Ireland can not operate to support families in their time of need, especially with the current inflation crisis we have seen throughout the world, nor can other public services be rightfully operated. This situation can only be rectified with the full repatriation of Northern Ireland back into Ireland. It will eliminate the headaches and pains the Northern Irish people have faced for over a hundred years. No longer will they feel as strangers in their own country. No longer will they have opportunists holding up their government for cheap political points. No longer will they be under a monarchy whose forces have killed their country men. A unified Ireland will give all the Irish the dignity they deserve.
This isn’t just an opinion held by a select few. Public support for reunification is at an all time high. In the Northern Ireland Assembly elections held earlier this year, the Irish Republican party, Sinn Féin, became the most voted for party for the first time ever, defeating the two main unionist parties.
In the Republic of Ireland, Sinn Féin is currently polling first among all other parties for the next election scheduled to be held in 2024, almost doubling their closest opponent (who, co- incidentally, also supports a united Ireland).
Sinn Féin, in just a few years time, may hold the top position in both the north and south for the First Minister of Northern Ireland, and the Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland, a first step in the process for an island united as one. We also know that with the death of Queen Elizabeth II, many of the nations who have the British Monarch as their head of state could now seek to eliminate them.
Barbados last year voted to eliminate the monarchy, and there are now serious discussions about such a move in Jamaica, Antigua & Barbuda, and even in Australia where the new government officially supports an Australian republic without the monarchy. It is quite likely that Northern Ireland, in joining the Republic of Ireland, will not be alone in getting rid of the British monarch as head of state.
In the end, the possibility of a United Ireland, along with the other nations listed getting rid of the monarchy, is not a question of “if.” It’s a question of “when.” Irish Republicans have a saying for this possibility: tiocfaidh ár lá (“our day will come”). When that day comes, whether it’s very soon or farther in the future, the mil- lions of Irish People–north and south–will all be better off because of it.