United States of the Atlantic Isles?

United States of the Atlantic Isles 

Willie Drennan

 

Fifteen years on from the Big Agreements as we each try to decipher the Good Friday, Belfast or St Andrews versions: as we listen to the experts deliver their indisputable analysis on what it all clearly means; in contradiction to other experts, is it time to think outside the box?

Okay ‘outside the box’ is an over-used buzz term these days but we really do need to get out of the boxes the government, or governments, have stuck us in. There really is not much glimmer of hope these days as the powerful ‘who call the shots’ are happiest when the local tribes are each other’s throats. It keeps them in power, keeps their employees on big salaries and pensions, keeps the Peace and Conflict Industries afloat.  Any genuine move to a harmonious free tolerant society is not going to come from any of the five main parties at Stormont: they simply have too much invested. We don’t even have an official opposition to address the lack of basic accountability and  transparency.

I’ve had notions for many years now, notions too idealistic and off the wall for me to even think about putting out there: but ever since an IRA commander and a Free Presbyterian commander became partners in government and close buddies, perhaps my ideas might now be entertained by some.

If you examine the history of the British Isles and then pause to wonder why we are where we are today, most of us will probably conclude that we just been pawns in the big game of chess played out by the lusters of power and the masters of war. And there really is no end to 400 years of conflict and division in sight until we all fully grasp this.

It’s getting scary in Scotland with the upcoming referendum and the potential break-up of the United Kingdom.  Then there are the calls for a UK referendum on the EU, not to mention Sinn Fein’s call for an Irish border poll: even though we all know there is now no chance of a Dublin controlled  united Ireland that could be separate from the rest of the British Isles. Is it time to consider a new political alignment of the British Isles?

I understand those in Ireland who feel it is important to respect their forefathers who fought for liberty for Ireland: but I don’t think their ancestors would be too happy about how the cause they fought for has evolved. Similarly those of us in Ulster who had ancestors who fought and died for our right to freedom will wonder if it was all worthwhile defending Derry, charging at the Somme or taking on the IRA. 

What we need is a dream that we can aspire to where there are no winners and no losers. Okay that’s too idealistic: there always have to be losers, but the losers should only be the few who haven’t had the foresight to jump ship before they get booted out.

So, can we explore the possibility of a new political alignment of the British Isles?   Is this too radical of a notion in these times when it looks like the United Kingdom is in for an overhaul whether we want it or not? Is it too much to ponder the notion that people in Ireland just might be better off having a federal-style government arrangement with its closest neighbours and ancient kinfolk: with real potential for a high degree of self-determination?  Would it really be out of the question for the people of Northern Ireland to have a mutual agreement with the wonderful folk across the Irish Border?

 

Okay for those of you who are still hinging in there with me, if only for amusement, what would you have to lose?  In Ulster we would get to celebrate the Twelfth in an atmosphere of tolerance - the Twelfth even in Dublin perhaps as Ireland gives the go ahead to promote its other distinct and rich culture. We could jointly sell our rich diversified culture world wide and figure out minor details like the Royal Family, European Landlords, armies and the Euro later.

 

The big winners would be the next generation.  Well okay then: anyone got a better idea?  More of the same for another 400 years?

 

[Written for Issue 11 of The Ulster Folk. June 2013

 

What's The Crack With Craic?

 What's the Crack with 'Craic'?

Willie Drennan

 

It's good to do that we have some dedicated readers who spot the deliberate mistakes that we sometimes throw in to make sure people are paying attention. In Issue 8 some of you did notice that in one of my stories the word crack was spelled ‘craic’. This spelling of course has become normal among young journalists and older writers who would like to be seen as being trendy: ‘crack’ or ‘craic’ is generally understood to mean jovial conversation.

 It is a word of Lowland Scots, and probably Old English, origin and has been in common use in parts of Ulster since the 17th century: it was popularized in Belfast during the Industrial Revolution when hundreds of families moved there from its rural hinterland. At some stage in was introduced into the Irish Language where it was spelled ‘craic’ because the letter 'k' does not exist in that language, but prior to that it was often used by Ulster and Scottish writers/poets/journalists etc. and commonly spelled ‘crack’. Mind you, occasionally in Ulster-Scots it has been spelled ‘crak’ or ‘crek’. This was either because they wanted to reflect how it was pronounced, didn’t know how to spell it or just because they wanted to be thran and different.

Now, I'm not trying to challenge the legitimacy of this word being considered 'Irish': that's just the way languages work. New words are introduced to most languages on a regular basis and it wouldn't surprise me if some wee man, or wee woman, in Oxford will introduce 'craic' into the Oxford Dictionary sometime soon. They may have already done so but I don’t care: I will continue to use the spelling ‘crack' as commonly used in rural County Antrim when I was a wean. Everybody else can spell it whatever way they want. I really do not care that much.

[From Issue 9 of The Ulster Folk]