Northern Ireland

More than 1 million people in Northern Ireland are eligible to go to the polls today, in elections to a new, devolved Stormont Assembly. This will have 108 members, and all being well could set up an administration for the Province, devolved from central government in London. There was devolved government in Northern Ireland before, but this broke down following a scandal a few years ago.

Political pundits are pondering the possibility of a coalition between the protestant and catholic parties, headed by Ian Paisley and Gerry Adams respectively. The Reverend Ian Paisley heads the Democratic Unionist Party, and aims to retain Ulster within the United Kingdom. Gerry Adams is president of Sinn Feinn, Irish for We Ourselves, which used to advocate integration of the six counties of Ulster with the Irish Republic. Both men were vociferous enemies.

Until 1998, Northern Ireland had been wracked by nearly 30 years what was all (but in name) a civil war between the Protestant and Catholic factions. The Irish Republican Army, allied to Sinn Feinn, carried out bomb attacks and raids with armed fighters on security forces as well as members of the opposing side. The protestant armed groups did the same. The IRA was supported by many people overseas, with a large contingent in the USA. This support only dissipated in the wake of 9/11, when an attack on the American homeland brought home to many people in the USA what terrorism really is like on your own doorstep. The IRA had been terrorising the people of Ulster and mainland Britain for decades.

Now that the Irish Republican Army (allied to Sinn Feinn) has laid down its weapons, and Protestant armed groups appear to have done the same, the way has been opened to devolved government. The people of Ulster, weary of years of violence, can't wait. A coalition between Protestants and Catholics would be ideal.

What would be even better would be the secularisation of the political system in Northern Ireland, i.e. no divisions along religious lines.