On Saturday May 25th there was a democratic local referendum held in Crossmaglen and Creggan Upper, two electoral wards which straddle the British-imposed border between South Armagh and North Louth, the question posed being: “Should Ireland Be Reunited?”. On a 42% turn-out an overwhelming 92% of voters from north and south voted “Yes” to the reunification of the island of Ireland. Just 7% of the joint-electorate voted No.
The referendum was conducted by Sinn Féin and the independent community organisation “United Ireland – You Decide” and overseen by Michael Halpenny, the former Head of the Legal Rights Unit of the SIPTU trade union, and Catalan MP Alfred Bosch, who conducted a similar people’s referendum in Catalonia.
There is a promise of more local referenda in the coming months as Sinn Féin steps up its popular campaign for the ending of Britain’s occupation of the north-east of Ireland and the reintegration of the region with the rest of the country.
Question: Should Ireland Be Reunited?
Yes = 92.7%
No = 7.3%
AN SIONNACH FIONN 
this vote tells us nothing so 92% of people who voted in bandit country want a united Ireland surprise surprise , dup will run one next month in shankill 92% against ,smacks of desperation from sf
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I think the use of the term “Bandit Country” is unfortunate in relation to the people of South Armagh and North Louth but leaving that to one side, would you rather have war war than jaw jaw? This is being done from the community up and is a new and innovative way of pushing for the reunification of Ireland. It follows a similar (and so far very successful) campaign in Catalonia which is being copied elsewhere. This is the very thing Republicans should be engaged in. Using politics to make a difference and to push their policies and reach out to young people (and young voters).
Yes, perhaps the DUP will respond in like. And why not? Local democracy, local communal concerns given voice. That is a good thing.
This is just a test of the idea in an Irish context. More are expected now that this one has been so successful. And it does illustrate a point. People need to be given a choice on the matter and will be so in the coming decade.
Thanks for Commenting.
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the point is mo chara having that vote in that area is bit like asking cork people where the real capital is tells us and proves nothing. i didn’t mention war war as you put it and jaw jaw isn’t much good when your preaching to the believers. why is the use of the term bandit country unfortunate i thought republicans of that area took great pride in the fact that it was a no go area back in the day if it insults anyone then i apologize no offence intended.
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Since “Bandit Country” was a pejorative term bestowed on the people of the area by the British Forces and media I don’t know many who take pride in it. It was created for propaganda purposes with the obvious intent of vilifying and criminalising Irish communities in the region as well as the resistance to British rule that stemmed from some in those communities. But that is an aside.
This is just one referendum of hopefully many more to come. Some will be in areas where support would be high some in areas where support will be low. In any case it stills illustrates a fact that needs repeating – there exists immediately north and south of the border communities who object to the continued British Occupation and partition of our island-nation. Communities who wish to live in freedom and unity.
It reminds us that Irish citizens north of the border are denied the rights that we enjoy as free citizens of a free Ireland. Rights that are theirs too. While the greater part of our people and nation have their freedoms some still do not. Some still live under Britain’s colonial regime in Ireland, however much now filtered or diluted. As a Republican I and others wish to change that historic wrong.
If that can be done through peaceful political and community campaigning and events such as this then all the better. If those who continue to offer military resistance to the British Occupation could be persuaded of the value of such campaigns, could be offered a viable alternative to their own vision of the way forward, I think we would all be better off.
We may fail – but at least we will have tried 🙂
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that’s my point all of this is known of the area nothing new can be gleamed from this but yet sf expect people to see it as significant there was a 42% turnout , does that mean 58% didn’t care. – don,t the 1916 societies support a border poll-. I like some in the free state look forward to the day our land is united.
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The significance is that it happened and that it has sparked debates such as you see here. Which is a good thing. In Catalonia the mini-referendums have led to the 2014 one. That is the significance here and why some in SF see potential here to move the program of reunification forward.
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With all respect I agree with “nomoredebt” regarding the actual percentages applied by those used to make this misguided claim. The term “Bandit Country was applied to our border area somewhat too. It was a save face for Britains lack of control here etc. It never bothered me but some considered it an honor.
Anyway these polls are just time wasting ploys etc as its not going to happen.
In the past few years I did my own reading etc as there seemed and was too much to take in etc.etc
Everyone here experienced what some maintain or assumed happen.
Today I see and read things to my own perception of truth of past present and future.
In a United Ireland,what would Ireland be uniting as ” Romantic Ireland is dead and gone”???
It seems we are heading for the United States of Europe ,ie Federal and Ind Scotland etc will be a federal state. It will not be an ind Socialist Republic.
Socialism is gone ,rightly or wrongly.
Theres my input to this and done so with respect.
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I say the more referenda held the better. It would, in my opinion, reinforce the fact that the majority of people want to be unified under a single flag. Simply make sure that all votes are held fairly so no one can squawk about the results later.
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Agreed. This is just one small pebble dropped into one large pool. But it is a start. Judging by the amount of Comments and messages I have received the ripples from this vote are be having the desired effect of creating debate and discussion.
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Looking around on Google street, the border is hardly in evidence, only minor changes in traffic regulations etc. and the odd sign for a bureau de change mark it out as more than a county boundary. Neither side flies their flag, like you see e.g. on the English/Scottish border. So what I ask (genuine question) does it all amount to in practical terms? When the border looked like Checkpoint Charlie it was a serious matter but now when you can apparently just stroll across (can you?) I don’t even see any obvious CCTV cameras, and they’re everywhere in the UK.
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Yes, for all practical purposes the “border” is now invisible (though it frequently was for much of its length even during the worse of the conflict despite the British Army bridge demolitions, road cratering and fortified checkpoints and bunkers). One can cross from north to south by foot, car or train without hindrance – it is genuinely no different from travelling to anywhere else in Ireland. Cross-border traffic is a daily occurrence. People freely work, educate their children, socialise and shop on both sides of the border.
Where differences do occur they are in law and order, policing, education, employment opportunities (discrimination still means that Catholics suffer significantly greater levels of unemployment, poverty), etc. Despite the progress the feeling of “Occupation” is a real presence in some Nationalist areas. In others it is a thing of the past.
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I’ve followed the referendums in Catalunya since Arenys de Munt in 2009, and it’s encouraging that these first results are very similar to the results achieved there (96% Yes on a 41% turnout).
Of course 92% isn’t the critical figure; the critical figure is the turnout. Unofficial referendums like these will always attract a Yes vote of around 90% or more, because those who would vote No in an official referendum will, in the main, just stay at home. But 92% on a 42% turnout is 38.6% of the electorate, and in an official referendum the turnout might be 70%, so it would be won with 35% of the electorate voting Yes. Therefore this is still a win, although a more marginal one than 92% would suggest.
However the real value is in raising awareness and creating a sense of momentum from the ground up rather than from the top down. In Catalunya, more and more municipalities joined the movement started in Arenys de Munt and conducted their own referendums in a series of waves. And this is what led other mainstream political parties (other than ERC, who always wanted independence) to eventually change their policies to support either independence or the right to decide. Now Catalunya will almost certainly vote Yes when a referendum is held, probably next year. A lot can happen in just a few short years.
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Exactly. This is about raising awareness, creating debate and challenging the received orthodoxy. It was also the point of the Peace Process in the first place. The achievement of change through politics and popular support. People who criticised Sinn Féin in times past for being in their view “anti-democratic” now complain that the party is “too” democratic in relation to ending British colonial rule in Ireland.
To me at least, some (but not all) of the voices of criticism are more inspired by opposition to Reunited Ireland under any circumstancess. They simply don’t want it to happen and therefore anything that may initiate it is a challenge to be put down.
Again, I don’t include all critics in that view. Some have genuine points to make and need to be heard and some have spoken here. Others though…
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What was the point of this? In these areas, surprise, surprise, most people want a united Ireland : tell us something we don’t know! Instead of wasting time on these pointless publicity stunts Sinn Fein would be better advised to direct their energy and resources to the alleviation of the economic situation of their constituents in feifdoms like West Belfast.
Perhaps the D.U.P. will now hold a referendum in two electoral divisions in North Antrim which will come up with the surprise result that almost 100% of voters there don’t want the border to go! It’s the economy stupid, get on with it.
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The point is to initiate a process that will in time yield the reunification of Ireland through peaceful political means and to do so by sparking debate and discussions in the here and now. Its called politics. Engaging in this policy program does not negate others. Including socio-economic matters.
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Waste of time exactly on forgone conclusions.
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I think the organisers of this poll and the people of Crossmaglen and Creggan Upper should be hugely congratulated on what they have achieved. Quite aside from the positive result we should be celebrating the fact that an area synonymous with some of the worst violence of the Troubles is now working towards a United Ireland through peaceful political means.
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Agreed. It may be a small step but it is a forward one.
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You might enjoy the latest opinion poll on my Blog.Everyone is welcome to vote.
http://hoboroadpoliticalhighway.blogspot.co.uk/
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Its pointless commenting here for some reason as it just disappears or theres no followup
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Not sure what you mean, Joe. All Comments should go through.
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Seamus It could be to do with G8 security around here as mobiles ,internet are up the left.
I send comments ,then a few days later check and they haven’t gone through.
It could be to that or ??
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Ah, the coming “lock-down” in Fermanagh and the neighbouring counties is insane. Meant to write something on it. Provocative in the extreme.
Checked all the technical settings here so should be no problem. Might well be issues if there are links in the Comment. Those are automatically filtered to the Spam folder for reviewing.
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Its a lock-down already and in being impartial as possible ,Security has to be tight for obvious reasons. But the irony is that this G8 conference will bring substantial business to Enniskillen and Fermanagh will not occur by security measures being put in place.
There was all the publicity regarding local hotels ,house renting etc being ful to capacity.
However They are building a temporary village complex surrounded by impregnable fencing.
Inside this all the security ,press officials etc shall reside. within these temporary structures.
.
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Yes, one has heard about the “Green Zone” they have in place. The so-called boost to the local economy from journalists and media crews will no doubt be off-set by the disruption caused. And that is setting aside any protests that may appear.
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Voted, though my nomination is in second place 😉
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I see the “eye of newt”, commented on this poll in his Saturday column of the Irish News, putting forward his view that becasue 99% of the population (his words not mine) was catholic or nationalist/republican, and that 7% said no to reunification, then an actual unification poll would never pass. Any thoughts?
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The phrase “whistling pass the graveyard” springs to mind 😉
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I feel that the idea on Patriotic terms has lost big time. The GFA cancelled any claim. If this was seen as an unacceptable public view this claim would not have been signed away.
Apart from Patriotic aspirations ,what advantages would unification have.
These polls are irreverent by their nature and should contain or investigate more on non Patriotic concerns.
From recent experiences and attitudes ,Iv seen little interest.
Anyway I dont see it happening as we are heading for United States of Europe.
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One sees mixed reactions but polling still gives a (slim) majority in favour of a reunited Ireland, even with greater economic expense.
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