Latest news with #Irish-Americans
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Sinn Fein pushes for EU to back united Ireland
Sinn Fein has called on the European Union to help create a united Ireland and break up the United Kingdom. Unionists reacted with fury after the Republicans called on EU institutions to 'become directly involved' at an event in the European Parliament in Brussels. It comes as Leo Varadkar, Ireland's former taoiseach, told an audience in the US that Irish-Americans would be crucial in the 'great cause' of Irish unity. 'Colonial rule, partition and separate states in Ireland have all failed. Unity, through self determination, is the way forward,' said Declan Kearney, the Sinn Fein national chairperson, in Brussels. 'The EU can play a role in supporting the peaceful, democratic pathway to securing that objective.' 'We are on the cusp of a new and exciting era. Our appeal to Europe is to become part of the conversation, to share in the ambition,' Mr Kearney, the Northern Ireland Assembly member for South Antrim, said. 'The EU should help us open up the next phase of the peace process, and the achievement of reconciliation, reunification and a new Ireland for all.' Sinn Fein is the largest party in Northern Ireland but underperformed in Irish elections last year and is in opposition in the Republic. Its leadership has called for twin referendums on Irish unity by 2030. The Belfast or Good Friday Agreement states that the secretary of state for Northern Ireland, currently, must call a referendum if it 'appears likely' a majority wants a united Ireland. A border poll must also be held in the Republic. While polls show large support for reunification, they consistently show a majority in favour of remaining part of the UK in Northern Ireland. Lord Dodds, the Democratic Unionist Party peer, told The Telegraph: 'The recent general election in the Irish Republic showed there was little appetite for Irish unity, with Sinn Fein failing spectacularly, falling from red-hot favourites for government to also-rans. 'Sinn Fein alone is talking it up. This latest stunt will get nowhere with the people who matter here in Northern Ireland.' Jim Allister, the leader of the Traditional Unionist Voice party and MP for North Antrim, said Sinn Fein's demands were not a surprise. He said the Northern Ireland Protocol on post-Brexit trading arrangements was designed to 'further the plan of separatists to break up the UK'. Now known as the Windsor Framework, the treaty keeps Northern Ireland subject to hundreds of EU rules to prevent a hard border on the island of Ireland. British goods entering Northern Ireland are subject to border checks as part of the agreement, which gives the region access to both the UK and EU markets. 'The protocol achieved what the IRA wasn't able to do in 30 years of terrorism – move the border to the Irish Sea,' Mr Allister said. 'We now have a situation where, in 300 areas of law, Northern Ireland is ruled by colonial masters in Brussels who subject us to rules we do not make and cannot change. Very significantly, these are the very same laws which pertain in the Irish Republic.' Before Brexit took effect, Ireland secured a commitment from other EU governments that Northern Ireland would automatically rejoin the EU if Ireland was united. Most people in Northern Ireland voted Remain in 2016, and Brexit reinvigorated the debate over unity in the region, which has handed Sinn Fein a hat-trick of recent electoral victories over their unionist rivals. And despite Brexit, the EU remains involved in funding peace initiatives in Northern Ireland. Unionist anxieties over their place in the UK are exacerbated by the region's changing demographics. The 2021 census showed that traditionally nationalist Catholics outnumbered traditionally unionist protestants for the first time. Bobby McDonagh is a former Irish ambassador to the UK, to Italy and to the EU. He warned that Irish unity was still a way off. 'As Diana Ross sang, you can't hurry love. These things have to evolve,' he said. Mr McDonagh predicted that the EU would take its lead from Dublin when a border poll was called. 'I don't think that the European Union or the commission would take sides on the principle of Irish unity, but I do think that they would almost be obliged to explain what the implications of the change of the constitutional situation would be,' he said 'In doing that, they would probably try to be as positive as possible, which might be seen by unionists as favouring one side ahead of the other.' Micheál Martin, the taoiseach, this week announced one billion euros in funding for his Shared Island Initiative, which has funded projects, including a regular train from Belfast to Dublin. Prominent unionists were present at the Dublin Castle event where the funding was announced. The current Irish government, a coalition of the centre-Right Fianna Fail and Fine Gael parties, sees Irish unity as a long-term ambition and not a priority. Mr Varadkar, who was the Irish leader during Brexit, has become a vocal campaigner for unity since stepping down as taoiseach and Fine Gael leader last year. 'Every generation has its great cause. I believe ours is the cause of uniting our island, working to embrace differences instead of trying to erase them,' he told an audience in Philadelphia at an event for pro-unity group Ireland's Future. In a plea for Irish-American support, he added: 'London does not always pay attention to what's happening in Ireland, north or south. But they always pay attention to the White House.' The European Commission did not respond to requests for comment. Ireland's foreign ministry was also approached for comment. Last year, the government said a border poll was 'not a priority' for Labour. After his election, Sir Keir Starmer said he was totally committed to the Good Friday Agreement, which sets out the conditions for the referendum. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
12-04-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Sinn Fein pushes for EU to back united Ireland
Sinn Fein has called on the European Union to help create a united Ireland and break up the United Kingdom. Unionists reacted with fury after the Republicans called on EU institutions to 'become directly involved' at an event in the European Parliament in Brussels. It comes as Leo Varadkar, Ireland's former taoiseach, told an audience in the US that Irish-Americans would be crucial in the 'great cause' of Irish unity. 'Colonial rule, partition and separate states in Ireland have all failed. Unity, through self determination, is the way forward,' said Declan Kearney, the Sinn Fein national chairperson, in Brussels. 'The EU can play a role in supporting the peaceful, democratic pathway to securing that objective.' 'We are on the cusp of a new and exciting era. Our appeal to Europe is to become part of the conversation, to share in the ambition,' Mr Kearney, the Northern Ireland Assembly member for South Antrim, said. 'The EU should help us open up the next phase of the peace process, and the achievement of reconciliation, reunification and a new Ireland for all.' Sinn Fein is the largest party in Northern Ireland but underperformed in Irish elections last year and is in opposition in the Republic. Its leadership has called for twin referendums on Irish unity by 2030. The Belfast or Good Friday Agreement states that the secretary of state for Northern Ireland, currently, must call a referendum if it 'appears likely' a majority wants a united Ireland. A border poll must also be held in the Republic. While polls show large support for reunification, they consistently show a majority in favour of remaining part of the UK in Northern Ireland. 'Little appetite for Irish unity' Lord Dodds, the Democratic Unionist Party peer, told The Telegraph: 'The recent general election in the Irish Republic showed there was little appetite for Irish unity, with Sinn Fein failing spectacularly, falling from red-hot favourites for government to also-rans. 'Sinn Fein alone is talking it up. This latest stunt will get nowhere with the people who matter here in Northern Ireland.' Jim Allister, the leader of the Traditional Unionist Voice party and MP for North Antrim, said Sinn Fein's demands were not a surprise. He said the Northern Ireland Protocol on post-Brexit trading arrangements was designed to 'further the plan of separatists to break up the UK'. Now known as the Windsor Framework, the treaty keeps Northern Ireland subject to hundreds of EU rules to prevent a hard border on the island of Ireland. British goods entering Northern Ireland are subject to border checks as part of the agreement, which gives the region access to both the UK and EU markets. 'The protocol achieved what the IRA wasn't able to do in 30 years of terrorism – move the border to the Irish Sea,' Mr Allister said. 'We now have a situation where, in 300 areas of law, Northern Ireland is ruled by colonial masters in Brussels who subject us to rules we do not make and cannot change. Very significantly, these are the very same laws which pertain in the Irish Republic.' Before Brexit took effect, Ireland secured a commitment from other EU governments that Northern Ireland would automatically rejoin the EU if Ireland was united. Most people in Northern Ireland voted Remain in 2016, and Brexit reinvigorated the debate over unity in the region, which has handed Sinn Fein a hat-trick of recent electoral victories over their unionist rivals. And despite Brexit, the EU remains involved in funding peace initiatives in Northern Ireland. Unionist anxieties over their place in the UK are exacerbated by the region's changing demographics. The 2021 census showed that traditionally nationalist Catholics outnumbered traditionally unionist protestants for the first time. 'These things have to evolve' Bobby McDonagh is a former Irish ambassador to the UK, to Italy and to the EU. He warned that Irish unity was still a way off. 'As Diana Ross sang, you can't hurry love. These things have to evolve,' he said. Mr McDonagh predicted that the EU would take its lead from Dublin when a border poll was called. 'I don't think that the European Union or the commission would take sides on the principle of Irish unity, but I do think that they would almost be obliged to explain what the implications of the change of the constitutional situation would be,' he said 'In doing that, they would probably try to be as positive as possible, which might be seen by unionists as favouring one side ahead of the other.' Micheál Martin, the taoiseach, this week announced one billion euros in funding for his Shared Island Initiative, which has funded projects, including a regular train from Belfast to Dublin. Prominent unionists were present at the Dublin Castle event where the funding was announced. The current Irish government, a coalition of the centre-Right Fianna Fail and Fine Gael parties, sees Irish unity as a long-term ambition and not a priority. Mr Varadkar, who was the Irish leader during Brexit, has become a vocal campaigner for unity since stepping down as taoiseach and Fine Gael leader last year. 'Every generation has its great cause. I believe ours is the cause of uniting our island, working to embrace differences instead of trying to erase them,' he told an audience in Philadelphia at an event for pro-unity group Ireland's Future. In a plea for Irish-American support, he added: 'London does not always pay attention to what's happening in Ireland, north or south. But they always pay attention to the White House.' The European Commission did not respond to requests for comment. Ireland's foreign ministry was also approached for comment. Last year, the government said a border poll was 'not a priority' for Labour. After his election, Sir Keir Starmer said he was totally committed to the Good Friday Agreement, which sets out the conditions for the referendum.
Gulf Insider
21-03-2025
- Politics
- Gulf Insider
'Make Ireland Great Again' - Conor McGregor Announces Run For Irish Presidency
Three days after an Oval Office visit with President Trump and Elon Musk, UFC fighter and strident anti-immigration hawk Conor McGregor announced he is running for the Irish presidency. McGregor's announcement centered on his opposition to the EU's European Migration Pact, which would streamline screening and asylum processing, with other provisions also aimed at accelerating the deportations of people whose asylum claims are rejected. Last summer, the Irish government committed to the pact, and must start implementing it by June 12, 2026. In preparation for that milestone, Ireland will need to pass several legislative acts so its migration practices conform to the pact. In making his announcement via his accounts on X and Instagram, the 36-year-old McGregor attacked Ireland's adoption of the European Migration Pact and promised to give the Irish people a chance to veto it, rather than the implementation being decided by House of the Oireachtas and the president : 'The next presidential election must take place by 11 Nov 2025. Who else will stand up to Government and oppose this bill? Any other Presidential candidate they attempt to put forward will be of no resistance to them. I will! For clarity also, as President, I would put forth this bill to referendum. Although I oppose greatly this pact, it is neither mine nor governments choice to make. It is the people of Irelands choice!' On his Monday visit to Washington, McGregor stepped to the microphone in White House briefing room and laid down a brief yet blistering condemnation of the state of affairs on the Emerald Isle. 'What is going on in Ireland is a travesty. Our government is the government of zero action with zero accountability. Our money is being spent on overseas issues that have nothing to do with the Irish people. The illegal immigration racket is running ravage on the country. There are rural towns in Ireland that have been overrun in one swoop, that have become minority in one swoop…Irish-Americans need to hear this because if [these issues are not addressed], there will be no place to come home and visit.' Conor McGregor: "The illegal immigration racket is running ravage on [Ireland]. There are rural towns that have been overrun in one swoop.""Irish-Americans need to hear this because there will be no place to come home and visit." — Border Hawk (@BorderHawkNews) March 17, 2025 Click here to read more…
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
'Toxic': Conor McGregor's White House visit highlights fractured relationship between UFC star, Irish homeland
Conor McGregor speaks on St. Patrick's Day from the White House briefing room podium in Washington, DC. (JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images) (JIM WATSON via Getty Images) Last week at a Limp Bizkit concert in Dublin's 3 Arena, the same venue wherein Conor McGregor boarded his rocket ship to UFC superstardom 11 years prior with a knockout of Diego Brandao, just the mention of the former two-division champion's name drew a boisterous boo from the sold-out Irish crowd. Many would have wagered that there would be no better example of how far his stock has plummeted in his homeland, at least for the month of March. Yet, after being received as a guest of U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on St. Patrick's Day this past Monday, the outpouring of anger within Ireland directed at the once-celebrated UFC star has been palpable. Advertisement Since the 1950s, the Taoiseach, the head of the Irish state, has regularly visited the White House on March 17, a day dedicated to the country's foremost patron saint. This year, the current Taoiseach Micheál Martin visited five days before McGregor, who took to the dais on Monday and unleashed a warning to Irish-Americans that 'the immigration racket is running ravage (sic) on [Ireland].' Reaction Both McGregor's presence and declarations at the White House garnered criticism by a number of Irish government officials, with Martin underlining that McGregor has no democratic mandate. 'St. Patrick's Day around the world is a day rooted in community, humanity, friendship and fellowship,' Martin posted on X. 'Conor McGregor's remarks are wrong, and do not reflect the spirit of St. Patrick's Day, or the views of the people of Ireland.' Advertisement Speaking in New York on the same day, Tánaiste Simon Harris — the second ranking member of the Irish government — echoed Martin's sentiments. 'I know there's a real sense back home though in relation to Conor McGregor being in the White House yesterday of disgust,' Harris said. 'But let me say this as a representative of the government of Ireland and to the people of Ireland: Conor McGregor does not only not speak for Ireland, he doesn't only not represent our values, he's actually the opposite of all of the values we're proud about in Ireland. He represents the very worst of toxic masculinity and I think we need to be very clear on that.' A sampling of Irish coverage of Conor McGregor's St. Patrick's Day visit. (Photo via Petesy Carroll) McGregor's visit garnered front page news across many of Ireland's national publications, with opinion pieces within citing 'widespread outrage' and others declaring that it was embarrassment to the country. Advertisement It was also featured on bulletins across radio outlets nationwide and was featured on prime time news segments ran by the national broadcaster, RTE, and Virgin Media. 'A sinister event' McGregor's visit to the White House came four months after a High Court civil jury found he sexually assaulted Nikita Hand in Dublin hotel in 2018, awarding the plaintiff approximately €250,000. The mixed martial artist is currently in the midst of appealing the court's findings. In the aftermath of Hand winning the civil case, more than 1,000 retailers boycotted products associated with McGregor across the U.K. and Ireland. The company that owns the whiskey brand he co-founded, Proper 12, also announced that would no longer be using his likeness or image on the products. Advertisement On Tuesday, the Dublin Rape Crisis Center contacted the US embassy in relation to McGregor's White House visit, describing it as a 'very sinister event'. Speaking to RTÉ, the charity's CEO Rachel Morrogh said: '[Monday's] meeting was a very sinister event and it needs to be called out for what I believe it was, which on one hand was normalizing sexual violence and on the other hand an attempt to rebuild the very damaged reputation of Conor McGregor.' 'What is sobering and shocking is that the office of the president of the U.S., which is so respected and trusted and esteemed, is being used for both of those things. And on St Patrick's Day, that office was used to launder Conor McGregor's reputation. Every backslap, every word of flattery, every aspect of that meeting showed a really callous indifference to every survivor of sexual violence.' She added: 'There has been a really strong reaction amongst the Irish public that this is not something they agree with, and I hope that [Monday's] performance doesn't have a chill effect on people coming forward.' Conor McGregor speaks at the briefing room lectern, with White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt at his side. (REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque) (REUTERS / Reuters) Presidential hopes McGregor has been endorsed for a presidential role by the likes of Elon Musk and Andrew Tate. Despite the Irish presidency being a predominantly ceremonial institution, McGregor underlined his intention to run for election during a January trip to the U.S. for President Trump's inauguration. Advertisement In December 2023, nearly a year before his highly publicized civil court case, a Ireland poll showed that only 8% of people would vote for Conor McGregor, with 89% of people polled claiming they would not vote for him. In an interview with Sky News, Gail McElroy, a professor of political science at Trinity College Dublin, gave McGregor a 'close to zero' chance of even being nominated to run for presidential election. 'There's two hurdles. First, you have to get nominated and then you have to win a majority of the vote. Both of those hurdles are almost insurmountable [for McGregor],' said McElroy. Candidates for the Irish presidency can be nominated in two ways, one of which is securing 20 nominations from of the Oireachtas — the houses of Irish parliament. Advertisement 'There's a lot of [Oireachtas members] — 60 senators and 174 TDs [Irish MPs], but most of those are party affiliated and they won't nominate [McGregor],' McElroy explained. The other way a candidate can be nominated via local authorities, like county councils. McElroy, however, thinks McGregor's chances of gaining an endorsement this way are unlikely. "You're talking about different types of characters," McElroy said. "You know Mary Davis, who runs the Special Olympics [who ran for president in 2011]. It's likable candidates who county councils feel should have the option to run. Conor McGregor is toxic in Ireland. I think it's almost inconceivable that four county councils would endorse him.'
The Hill
17-03-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Trump meets with Irish UFC fighter Conor McGregor on Saint Patrick's Day
President Trump met at the White House on Monday with controversial mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor to mark St. Patrick's Day. McGregor met with other White House officials during his visit to the campus, and he spoke to reporters briefly in the briefing room. 'We couldn't think of a better guest to have with us on St. Patrick's Day,' press secretary Karoline Leavitt said as she stood next to McGregor at the podium. McGregor used the opportunity to bemoan that an influx of illegal immigration was 'ravaging' Ireland. 'Rural towns where Irish have become minorities. Irish-Americans need to hear this, we need U.S. leadership,' McGregor said. Trump is a vocal fan of boxing and mixed martial arts. He is a frequent guest at Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) events. McGregor is a long-time supporter of the president. McGregor has been at the center of controversy. A jury in Dublin last year found him civilly liable for sexual assault during a December 2018 incident. McGregor is appealing the judgment.
