Debate on anthem and flag is timely

LITTLE did he know what he was about to unleash as he sat in that Bedouin tent in Abu Dhabi fielding questions from the assembled press.

Hedidn’tknowwhathewasgoingtobe asked. Sure he could guess that certain topics would be raised – the forthcoming introduction of the mark, the new broadcast rights deal, the new settlement with the GPA, etc, etc.

This one question was a little left field, though not that left field. This was, after all, an All Stars tour in the Middle East, the express purpose of which (aside from the obvious jolly aspect) is to promote Gaelic Games in that part of the world.

It was put to him the possibility that the ubiquity of the flag and the anthem in GAA activities could prevent growth overseas, acting as an obstacle to non-Irish people getting involved in Gaelic Games.

Aogan Ó Fearghail’s answer suggests he either misunderstood the question or used it as an ideal opportunity to float a kite, given the walk back a couple of days later we suspect it was the former rather than the latter.

The GAA president started from the laudable position that the association must not “have closed minds about things that we always thought were precious and sacred.” He went on to express a broader point.

“The flag and the anthem means a lot to the GAA and will continue to do so, but who knows in the future? In the future, if there are different agreements in place for the whole of Ireland, of course the GAA would be inclusive in that.”

Pretty much as soon as those words – which were part of a more wide ranging and considered answer – were reported the push back began, thereby rather proving Ó Fearghail’s point in the first place.

An argument against knee-jerk opposition to change was met with a certain amount of knee jerk opposition and, you know what, that’s okay too. Even for those of us who are, at best, ambivalent towards nationalism (small n nationalism) the remarks initially seemed ill-considered and counter productive.

Hackles raised at the prospect of changing that which is precious to us for the benefit of accommodating the other is always going to be a difficult sell. The games are ours, for us, why shouldn’t we celebrate them with whatever symbols we choose?

Well because times change, because nothing is immutable, because sometimes you sacrifice for the greater good and the greater good Ó Fearghail references is a future in which Ireland is united and the Unionist minority needs to be accommodated.

Events of the past twelve months have in all likelihood dramatically increased the possibility of a united Ireland within a lot of our lifetimes. If Brexit means Brexit, as Theresa May is so fond of saying, that will make the argument for a united Ireland ever more coherent.

The harder the Brexit, the weaker the ties between Europe and the UK, the stronger the case for a thirty two county republic becomes. That the DUP didn’t see this when campaigning in favour of leaving the European Union seems to make little sense. Then again very little about Brexit makes sense.

By saying what he did, by opening up the possibility of change at a later date, by just opening up debate, Ó Fearaghail has done us a massive favour. Sure enough change comes slowly, but when it does come it comes all of a sudden. Better to thrash all this out now with time on our side than react in a rush when left with little other option.

The groundwork for a united Ireland must begin now and that united Ireland will have to be a united Ireland of shared values and a shared identity, not just one of the south assuming responsibility for the north in the manner of West Germany and the DDR.

It’s quite likely even that some sort of government would remain in place in Stormont post unification (which was one of the suggestions of the New Ireland forum). To prepare for such a future we in the south should take seriously what people up north have to say.

Last weekend former rugby international Trevor Ringland renewed a call that’s made quite often for the Republic to join the Commonwealth and compete in the Commonwealth Games saying “if that is unlikely, then people should stop talking about a United Ireland.

“It would have no consequence to it other than being part of a group of nations from around the world. If anyone is seriously talking about a United Ireland, if you want to include one million people in the concept of an Irish identity, then that would seem to me to be a no-brainer.”

Ringland’s logic is impeccable. The Republic should join – or re-join or however you want to characterise it – the Commonwealth. It would be a huge symbolic gesture to Unionism and wouldn’t cost the people of this state anything much at all.

If anything our failure to make this gesture before now speaks to a massive insecurity on our behalf. Some of the most significant independent republics in the world are members – India, Pakistan, South Africa – are they diminished by their participation? We need to get over it (and ourselves) and grow up.

Ó Fearghail comments represent a step in this direction. We should never be afraid of debate, even if we disagree with the sentiments expressed, even if, in the end, we decide to stick with what we know for

now.