The Pitfall of a Dual Identity

The Pit-fall of a Dual Identity.

The Reverend Stanley Gamble at the Orange demonstrations in Rossnowlagh in Donegal has called for a dual British/Irish identity to be recognised in the Republic just as a dual British/Irish identity is recognised in N. Ireland.

What the Reverend Gamble fails to understand is that the dual British/Irish identity in N. Ireland is a prime factor in the instability of the N. Ireland state and its proclivity to violence. A stable peaceful state should have only one citizen identity. In the United States of America the melting pot ensures that there is only one identity –American. It’s true there are Irish Americans, Italian American etc but when the chips are down these groups are first and foremost American who accept and abide by the American constitution. In N. Ireland one identity of citizens accept the constitution while another group rejects it. In such a socio- constitutional set up violence is the outcome as is obvious in recent rioting in Belfast.

In Great Britain there ought to be one identity i.e. British. If however a new wave immigrant population insists on retaining a different Moslem/Arab identity, inter- communal strife will be the future in Britain just as inter-communal strife has been the past and present in N. Ireland. The Republic would be well advised to retain a single Irish Identity and the Reverend Gamble should think again.

Derry/Londonderry