ARCHBISHOP Eamon Martin, the Derry-born leader of Ireland’s Catholics, has called for a United Ireland.
The Catholic Primate made his call during an interview with Dublin-based music magazine Hot Press.
“I do believe that Ireland should be one,” he said.
“And I would like to work for that, and continue to work for that, by peaceful means and by persuasion, recognising that there are many people on this island who do not want that.”
He revealed that he believes the current border between the North of Ireland and the Republic is less important than it was, and will become even less so in a modern Europe.
Archbishop Martin explained that his own diocese of Armagh straddles the border, with 60% of its parishioners in the North and 40% in the Republic – “but we see ourselves as one”.
“The vision of a united Europe was one in which political borders would be less important and we’d work more on our common humanity, on our common economic needs, on our common social needs as a people of Europe and I think that has largely happened,” he said.
“To the extent I think the border between Northern Ireland and the rest of Ireland has become increasingly less important, I would like to see that trend continuing.”
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