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Orange parades will have role in united Ireland: Adams

By Noel McAdam
Tuesday, 20 October 2009

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Orange Order marches would have a place in a new united Ireland, Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams said today.

In an speech to the British Irish Inter-Parliamentary Assembly, meeting in Wales, he insisted republicans had no desire to conquer or humiliate unionists.

The veteran party leader, who recently appealed through the Belfast Telegraph for the Order to open talks with Sinn Fein, said the genuine fears and concerns of unionists — including their sense of Britishness — needed to be explored in a meaningful way.

And he also told the gathering in Swansea, made up of MPs, members of the regional Assemblies as well as elected representatives from the Isle of Man and Channel Islands, that the people of Britain have a duty “to themselves, to unionists in particular, to the Irish in general and even to the world” to give their opinion on Irish reunification.

“We need to look at ways in which the unionist people can find their place in a new Ireland. In other words it needs to be their united Ireland,” the West Belfast MP said.

Sinn Fein’s vision of a new Ireland was where unionists have “equal ownership” with respect for cultural diversity, and political, social, economic and cultural equality because nationalists and republicans did not seek to deny the rights of others.

“The real distinction that we have always drawn is between justice and privilege. Justice for all and privilege for none. This means, for example, that Orange marches will have their place in a new Ireland, albeit on the basis of respect and co-operation,” he said.

With the main focus of the two-day event on the recession, Mr Adams argued that in economic terms the border is more than just an inconvenience — it is an obstacle to progress.

“While its adverse affects are most clearly felt in the communities that straddle the border, it also impacts negatively throughout the island. The reality is that the economy of the North is too small to exist in isolation.

“There are some who suggest that because we live in a period of severe economic difficulty that Irish reunification should be put off for the foreseeable future. In fact the opposite is the case,” Mr Adams went on.

“There is now a need, more than ever, for the island economy to be brought into being in the fullest sense, and for the political and administrative structures to be instituted with that in mind.”

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32 Comments

One can only hope that the pragmatic within the Unionists leadership will reply in a constructive and positive way for this new united Ireland formula.

Posted by Seamus O'hEarcain | 21.10.09, 01:25 GMT

Just think of the football team they would have if they were reunited. Makes no sense really, does it? Not a fan of Adams but he's dead on here.

Posted by Haranimal | 21.10.09, 00:37 GMT

Great to see that there is hope for the future of people on this Island When you have positive comments like that.

I don't think that a complete united Ireland would be possible in the near future though. Especially with private enterprise needing to adjust to the euro etc. Surely all things that can be resolved in time no doubt.

Unionists will have to have their identity respected to the degree that Southern Irish will need to get rid of the idea that the Unionist mindset is the same as it was in the troubles.

Everyone wants to move on apart from the headers who are in a minority. Community Policing is the way forward and lets all realize that there are other Nationalities and faiths now living in Ireland who need to be represented and respected also.

Posted by eoin | 20.10.09, 23:58 GMT

Hey Mr. Adams,

Why don't you spend as much time trying to fix this 'Ireland' as much as you do promoting the 'new United Ireland'?

Posted by colin | 20.10.09, 23:40 GMT

gerry wake upthe norths economy does not exist inisolation its aprt of one the largest economoes in the wotl the unitied kindgom the south is bankrupt. how manyso called nationalist are employed by the british state. gerry martin etc etc

Posted by get real | 20.10.09, 23:22 GMT

action's speak louder than words

Posted by David | 20.10.09, 23:16 GMT

Before the "loyalists" (to whom may I ask ?) start spewing their awesome hatred against a UI and the people of the Republic (who never did them any harm) let me say this.

Most of us in the Republic are TOTALLY INDIFFERENT at best to you and your pathetic little 17th century world. We are 21st century Irish Europeans, and 95% of us rarely or never give you a thought ! Read our papers if you don't believe me. Or (horror !) come and visit us, where you will find warm friendly TOLERANT people.

Gerry Adams and his like did their bit in bringing badly needed justice to NI and credit to him for it. But a UI is a long way off, since there are and will continue to be more than enough brainwashed fanatics, thanks to English Establishment mischief making (divide and rule) in NI which would surely result in car bombs in Dublin etc (my main concern) not to mention Belfast etc.
A UI will happen as sure as night follows day, but it will be in OUR time, and not Gerry Adam's or anyone else's.

Posted by Evergreen | 20.10.09, 22:51 GMT

Very encouraging if Mr Adams is beginning to realize that people who have four hundred years of tradition in Ireland should be respected as indeed they should be expected to respect their Catholic neighbours.
Looking to a common pre and post Celtic History might be helpful.

Posted by Monty | 20.10.09, 21:41 GMT

Tell Gerry, there's not going to be a united Ireland

Posted by Jim | 20.10.09, 21:04 GMT

Calm down Billy Boy. Adams is an elected representative and has done more than most of those who your name suggests you would be more comfortable with (for which, clearly, read 'threatened by) to secure peace after nearly four decades of war (even Vietnam didn't last that long!). His argument has economic sense as well as political inevitability.

Posted by Patrick Bishop | 20.10.09, 20:49 GMT

Fair play to Gerry, he's fully dedicated to peace building.

Pity there are so many people out there against peace. The Orange Order, DUP and the micro groups come to mind.

It's time we all moved on for the sake of our children!

Posted by Donncha | 20.10.09, 20:33 GMT

It's really simple. Let Gerry call now for a referendum on the matter - as provided for under the GFA - and let the people of this island decide. My own view is that a United Ireland (in the narrow SF sense) is further away now than at any time since Partition - though paradoxically this has never mattered less to ordinary people or businesses. The challenge for administrative unification is the divergence of the economies North and South. What will even the most ardent republican have on her/his mind as they enter that poll booth? WHO WILL PAY? Who will backfill the British subvention...those billions that arrive from London each year to pay the public sector wage bill here? Of course, Gerry could mean "RE-unification" - the rejoining of the 26 counties with the rest of the devolved regions in a new UK - esp. given the millions of irish already in England, Scotland and Wales!

Posted by rs | 20.10.09, 18:50 GMT

"This means, for example, that Orange marches will have their place in a new Ireland, albeit on the basis of respect and co-operation,” he said.

So if Mr Adams can respect the culture of the orange order and would have a place for it in an equal united Ireland, then why is there no place for it in Northern Ireland today, on a basis of respect and co-operation??

Lip service to officals to try to increase the campaign for reunification of Ireland

Posted by Mark | 20.10.09, 17:49 GMT

Progress can only be made through talking. The OO should, in my opinion, come off their moral high ground and engage in dialogue with Sinn Fein and the nationalist community in general. Why does it always seem to be nationalists willing to talk? Or am I wrong on this?

While I am no fan or Gerry Adam or his party, I think Unionists should welcome his call. I do however understand why many may feel skeptical.

Regarding Mr. Adam's call for a United Ireland... it’s time for everyone on this island to talk openly and constructively about their desire or dislike for such a proposal and the implications it could have for us all.

Many in the Republic no longer want a united Ireland as they fear they will have to change their symbols, flags, anthem etc to appease unionists. While unionists by their very nature are appalled by the idea.

Perhaps a more advanced version of the status quo will be the answer. A quasi joint British/Irish locally ruled province.

Posted by Guinness | 20.10.09, 17:48 GMT

Yes, it is inevitable that this will happen and the Orange Order should play its part.

Posted by matt | 20.10.09, 17:40 GMT

Billy Boy... Did the Republic themselves not just vote recently to sell their souls to the European superstate, to which the UK is about to have a president sit?

Whats it really all about Billy and who really cares anymore?.....

Lets move on.....

Posted by RB | 20.10.09, 17:34 GMT

Interesting- having Mr Adams tell the people of Britain about their duty. I don't support his vision but surely if he wants to advance and engage Unionists he should frankly consider being quiet and support a gradualist approach. His past hardly enables him to build confidence with Unionists. Ah, perhaps his bold statement has more to do with galvanizing his own rusty boat, bobbing on a Republican sea of discontent. As for the Unionist people- they haven't gone away you know- and are unlikely too.

Posted by MarkP | 20.10.09, 17:21 GMT

Would you ever get over yourself, Gerry. They don't want it, you couldn't make them. Plenty of people round the border are doing pretty well, thank you - petrol in the south, everything else in the north?

Posted by neil in waterford | 20.10.09, 17:04 GMT

When can The Orange Walk along Dublin?

Posted by Frank Adam | 20.10.09, 16:59 GMT

Does N. Ireland really need these stupid marches? If you folks really have to march, how about some "Unity" parades?

OH!, I'm sorry, what a dumb idea, that might lead to peace and nobody in their right mind would want peace, would they?

Posted by Edward | 20.10.09, 16:33 GMT