Unionists are not for turning

■ Methinks Dan O’Brien’s article (‘United Ireland only possible if it isn’t a cold house for Unionists’, Irish Independent, June 14) puts the cart seriously before the horse.

Mr O’Brien strongly advocates far-reaching legal, constitutional, institutional, emblematic and cultural change in the interests of “winning the support of a broad swathe on this island who feel, and therefore are, British”.

Where’s his evidence for this? Experience over the past several decades shows us that successive constitutional amendments and administrative changes designed with Unionists in mind have little or no effect.

Such accommodations are promptly trousered before further concessions towards the Unionists are then sought – principally by liberal journalists from down south.

An example is membership of the British Commonwealth (aka the former British Empire) as mooted by Mr O’Brien.

As for the phrase about those on the island of Ireland “who feel, and therefore are, British”, this too is nonsense.

Just try adapting it to the situation in independent Ukraine and the Crimea, or to Spain and Catalonia.

The point is the Unionists in the North are not for turning.

But they would sullenly pocket any further concession that is offered to them.

Meanwhile, we in the Republic would be well on the way to re-joining the United Kingdom, all in the name of a sentimental reunification.

Seamas O Braonain

Teach Mealog, BAC 6w