United Nation: The case for integrating Ireland

by Frank Connolly

One hundred years after the Anglo-Irish Treaty and partition, after 30 years of Troubles, the Good Friday Agreement and Brexit, the debate on Irish unity has intensified.

But what could a united Ireland look like, and what would it mean for those both north and south of the border? In this meticulously researched book, Frank Connolly interviews people from all sides, and presents his conclusions as to how and whether a united Ireland could create a viable, vibrant new country. United Nation is a timely look at the possibility of an integrated and united Ireland.

512 pages, Paperback

Published July 20, 2022

Reviews

[Killian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extremely detailed read about the practical issues involved in uniting Ireland. Heavy at times, but necessary

[Eleanor Horn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unfortunately, this was tedious and poorly structured. Whilst there is a compelling case to be made for a united Ireland this book did not make it.

Loses extra marks for terrible usage of statistics (too many, confusingly delivered, regularly adjusted in a way that whilst probably justified immediately raised suspicions) and ridiculously long quotations from newspaper articles which often didn't add much to the narrative.

Loses more marks with me personally for lots of talk about Covid and Brexit.

Also laughable lists of "notable people who support discussions about Irish unity" including ... someone who climbed Everest and lots of Gaelic football players.

Non-fiction at its worst.

[Andrew · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing. This was very pro SF and very critical of FF, FG and the DUP. I am concerned that a unity referendum can be decided on a simple 50% plus 1 vote - how did that work out for the Brexit vote?
I am no wiser on knowing how:
- we can expect the Unionist side to give up their currency with the queen's head on coins and bank notes
- we can expect the Unionist side to accept that all road signs for places and streets will have to have the Irish version as well on them
- we can expect that those who hang the Union Jack out their window will now have to use the tricolour instead.

If Scotland hopes to become an independent country outside of the UK why not Northern Ireland as well? Estonia, North Macedonia, Kosovo and Montenegro all have populations of around 2 million or less. Why does it have to be either union with the UK or the Republic of Ireland?

[John McAuliff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Connolly introduces a transformative concept, that the goal is not unification of two separate Irelands. It is integrating the disparate parts and histories of a single country.

He gives many examples of how the reality is that integration is already underway and a natural process. Accelerated by Brexit, the border is increasingly nominal in the daily lives of the population, regardless of religious and ethnic identity.

Integration means that both parts of the country will be different than they are today and stronger as a result. Connolly suggests ways to make the process more transparent and intentional.

Connolly's book is a real contribution to imagining and enabling the future.

[David Cowpar · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really important beginning into a conversation that we need to start having on this island. The author spoke to a variety of people, across many different walks of life, some from the Republic, some from Nationalistic leanings and some from Unionist beginnings in the North about what an integrated, unified Ireland might look like, what happened that led us to having this conversation, and the importance of having people prepare for a border poll that is very likely to occur in the next decade or so and what the North would be voting for with regards to a United Ireland. And what we down south would be voting for in a referendum to welcome the North into the Republic were such a vote to return a result in favour of ending Partition.

[Peter Thew · Rating 4 out of 5]

A timely book on the likelihood of a 32 county Ireland, but one that needed to be more focussed.

The back cover blurb promises consideration of "health, education, the economy, cultural identity and the arts, constitutional change and international relations" and it delivers all this. But it's buried within a recounting of political life in Ireland, North and South through 2020 and 2021 - the covid years and the endless Brexit arguments. He said/she said "conversations" are laid out, few of which advance the arguments elsewhere in the book. Had he cut out half of the current political claptrap and focussed more on the promised areas where agreement is needed, it would have been a much better book.

[Ryan O'Malley · Rating 2 out of 5]

So. Repetitive. This book was all over place. The chapters provided no cohesion and often just muddled together. The author easily could have made a chapter for each issue facing Unity and how to address it but instead chose a much more confusing path. Covid showing the need for an all Ireland healthcare system can be correct but that point does not need to be repeated every 15 pages.

The best part of the book was the openness the author showed is required to reach an agreement where the country truly is for all.