The Christian Science Monitor

As Britain plans its exit from EU, Ireland proves a sticking point

A corner just down the road from Danny Morrison’s home in west Belfast used to house a police station barracks, a target of repeated bombings during the Troubles. Now it’s gone, replaced by a grassy plot and a cluster of young birch trees. An hour away, the border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland is visible only on a map. 

Since the changes brought about by the Belfast Agreement that ended the Troubles, nationalists “no longer feel vanquished” in Northern Ireland, says Mr. Morrison, a former provisional IRA volunteer who spent years in prison. Polarization over the status of Northern Ireland became less pressing as people focused on more immediate concerns. 

Despite his reservations over the compromise required, Mr. Morrison supported participating in the regional power-sharing government, known as Stormont. But because of the way British and Northern Irish

The backstopEnglish miscalculations?‘A united Ireland couldn’t be any worse than this’

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from The Christian Science Monitor

The Christian Science Monitor5 min read
How To Stop ‘Forever Chemicals’ From Lasting, Well, Forever
Long before the Environmental Protection Agency announced new rules this month about “forever chemicals” in drinking water, officials in the state of Vermont knew there was a problem. Regulators there began looking into PFAS – shorthand for synthetic
The Christian Science Monitor2 min read
The Joy In Mexico’s Election
Every now and then, an election draws back a curtain, revealing a society striving toward its higher ideals. Mexico is in the middle of such revelation. On June 2, voters will elect a new president, Congress, and thousands of local officials. Their t
The Christian Science Monitor5 min readAmerican Government
Rifts In Both Parties As Congress Weighs Aid To Ukraine, Israel
Rep. Jared Golden knows firsthand the toll of war. The Maine Democrat fought as a Marine infantryman in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Now he’s in the midst of a different battle, a political one. Congress is preparing to vote on sending U.S. aid to alli

Related Books & Audiobooks