Sir, – The call by a Conservative MP, Michael Fabricant, for Ireland to rejoin the British Commonwealth following the successful state visit to the UK of President Michael D Higgins comes as no surprise. However, the response by Fine Gael TD Brian Hayes, who said “such a proposal should be considered”, does.
The Irish State formally left the British Commonwealth in 1949. At that time, this policy was seen as a natural further step in the direction of a fully sovereign State. Today, 65 years later, there are Irish political figures, and not just Brian Hayes, who are calling for the restoration of the Commonwealth link.
However, despite their machinations, there is no significant degree of support among the population for re-entry. Rejoining the Commonwealth would have the effect of gradually “re-Britishing” the Irish State and would amount to a rejection of the separatist aspect of Irish nationalism.
Because the British monarch has always been head of the Commonwealth, this would mean that symbolically speaking, the monarch would occupy a higher position politically than that of our own democratically elected head of state. We could find ourselves being embarrassed in the course of future royal visits, or state ceremonial occasions involving representatives of “Her Majesty”.
A “British dimension” would be restored to our political life. In terms of international affairs, we would once again become a white Commonwealth dominion. Much of Europe would interpret our move as a “return to the fold” and a rejection of our policies of separation from Great Britain.
Alongside the armies of Commonwealth nations, the Irish Defence Forces would be expected to participate in Armistice Day ceremonies and to ensure that army personnel wear the poppy. The re-Britishing of the 26 counties would restore attitudes of subservience and servility among sections of our political and social elite. Britain would continue the practice of handing out “hongs” to selected Irish citizens in the form of knighthoods and other titles of “nobility”.
The import of Brian Hayes’s statement must be clarified by Taoiseach Enda Kenny. I regard Ireland’s sovereignty as sacrosanct, probably because we had such a long and hard battle to secure it.
Irish separation from the embrace of the British polity and the existence of a Republic are non-negotiable basic principles. Ironically, it was a Fine Gael taoiseach, John A Costello, who in 1949 ended the last formal British link over most of Ireland.
It is imperative that we ensure that some in modern Fine Gael don’t try to undo that achievement. Yours, etc,
TOM COOPER,
Templeville Road,
Dublin 6W