A UNITED Ireland used to be a common nationalist aspiration. Now it has become a competition between nationalist parties to see which of them can promise the best way to achieve Irish unity.

The latest to enter the contest is Fine Gael (FG), the political descendants of those who fought the civil war in defence of partition.

Party leader Simon Harris has announced that he will have a united Ireland “blueprint” ready for the party’s November ard fheis.

So FG is effectively claiming that an oven-ready united Ireland can be prepared in four months – a ridiculous claim, but in a crowded field, posturing is the new nationalism.

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Sinn Féin (SF), for so long the sole runner in the race, has yet to offer a plan for Irish unity, although it regularly states that we need one.

It has relied instead on claiming that everyone is “having a conversation” about Irish unity.

This sounds equally ridiculous and the party appears unclear as to how talking (if it exists) can be transformed into action.

Fianna Fáil (FF) has a different approach. It believes unity can be best achieved by throwing money at it, while making sure never to use the words “united” or........

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