Amid debates of flags and anthems in a united Ireland, writer Barbara Scully said Irish people consider themselves very welcoming and modern – except when it comes to unionists. 

A poll by The Irish Times found people with a Protestant background from Northern Ireland would not want the Irish tricolour to be the national flag of a potential united Ireland. 

Voters in the Republic of Ireland and Catholics in Northern Ireland, however, were in favour of using the tricolour in a united Ireland, along with retaining the current national anthem ‘Amhrán na bhFiann’. 

The poll also found that people in the State would not rejoin the Commonwealth under the United Kingdom as part of a united Ireland. 

Speaking on The Anton Savage Show today, writer Barbara Scully said many Irish people might remain particularly defensive against the British. 

“It's funny we now consider ourselves very modern, very multicultural, very diverse – except when it comes to unionists,” she said. 

“It’s only recently that I sat down and worked out I was born just 40 years after [Irish] independence. 

“I think we forget how recent our independence is and we have this kind of visceral connection to things that were very much part of us getting independence. 

“That’s our tricolour, our anthem, leaving the Commonwealth.” 

Flags 'massively important' in Northern Ireland

Host Anton Savage agreed, pointing out "leading” questions asked by The Irish Times/ARINS in the poll didn’t affect people’s opinions. 

“One was ‘you realise the importance of [the tricolour] that it is the Orange tradition and Fenian tradition living together in peace,” he said. 

“The other one was about its role in 1916... but it didn’t matter a damn either way it went, the unionists said, ‘Good luck to you, we don’t want that’.” 

Irish Independent Ireland Editor Fionnán Sheahan also noted flags “as symbols are massively important in Northern Ireland” for both unionists and nationalists.

“Flags and symbols are this really awkward thing there that no one really in Dublin or London understand how intrinsic it is,” he said. 

'Concessions' for unionists

Mr Sheahan said the current attitude of many Irish people regarding a united Ireland and unionists isn’t particuarlying unifying. 

“We’re not giving up the flag, we’re not giving up our anthem... are we still going to allow them to support the Rangers?” he said. 

“What exactly are we conceding to a million unionists who we are bringing to this nation?” 

“There doesn’t seem to be any acknowledged concession – it's just this idea that we’re going to be a country of seven million people and one million [unionists] are going to have to like it.” 

Barbara also pointed out it is "too early" to consider the implications of the tricolour for unionists and nationalists in a united Ireland.

Higher Education Minister Simon Harris previously told Newstalk there is “no scenario” where Ireland would rejoin the Commonwealth, an organisation led by the United Kingdom. 

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