Re-joining the Commonwealth would be worth doing for a United Ireland, Shane Coleman has said. 

Ireland left the organisation in 1949 when the Republic of Ireland Act came into force. 

Back then, each member state was required to recognise the British monarch as their head of state. 

When India announced it too would like to become a republic, the rules were changed and Britain’s King George VI became the organisation’s “symbol of the free association of its independent member nations and as such the Head of the Commonwealth.”

A poll published in The Irish Times today finds most voters in the Republic of Ireland have no interest in rejoining the organisation.

Pollsters asked whether people would be interested in rejoining in two different ways, one emphasising the British history of the organisation, the other noting most members are republics. 

Either way, over 60% of voters rejected the idea of membership in the event of a united Ireland. 

Despite this, Shane thinks it is one trade off that might have to be made if ever there was a 32 county republic. 

“I think the Commonwealth is an archaic organisation and it’s kind of a relic of imperialism,” he told Newstalk Breakfast listeners. 

“I’m not madly opposed to it; I just don’t think about it very much. 

“I don’t think it’s relevant, particularly in the 21st century. 

“So, am I in favour of Ireland rejoining the Commonwealth? No. 

“If it was part of a package of a United Ireland, if it was something that would assuage the concerns of unionists, I’d be willing to go along with it. 

“I don’t think it would make a huge difference either way whether we were a member of it or not."

A British flag flies next to an Irish Tricolour at Government Buildings in Dublin. Picture by: Brian O'Leary/RollingNews.ie

By contrast, his co-presenter Ciara said she had a “visceral” reaction to the idea of re-joining the organisation. 

“I’m pretty lukewarm on a united Ireland,” she said. 

“If we never have one, I won’t lose any sleep over it. I’m not against one either but I’m not someone who is an activist on it. 

“I’m not someone who is passionate about it, it’s not a personal aspiration of mine before I die to see the four green fields. 

“So, I’m pretty lukewarm but I found the idea of us rejoining the Commonwealth, I  had some kind of visceral, knee jerk reaction [that said], ‘No’.

“It was like literally ‘Ulster says no’.”

There are currently 56 countries in the Commonwealth and the last country to join was Togo in 2022.

Main image: Shane Coleman. 19/01/2024. Image: Newstalk.