Words on Wednesday features

United Irelander's Words on Wednesday feature sees me interview various figures from all walks of Irish political life.

Below you can view some of the interviews that have already taken place...

Words on Wednesday...with Damien Blake, Fianna Fáil Mayor of Letterkenny. (15/3/2006)

Words on Wednesday...with Seán Farren, SDLP MLA for North Antrim. (22/3/2006)

Words on Wednesday...with Ciarán Cuffe, Green Party TD for Dún Laoghaire. (29/3/2006)

Words on Wednesday...with Philip McGuigan, Sinn Féin MLA for North Antrim. (5/4/2006)

Words on Wednesday...with Witold Sobkow, Polish Ambassador to Ireland. (26/4/2006)

Words on Wednesday...with Joe O'Toole, Independent Senator and former President of ICTU. (3/5/2006)

Words on Wednesday...with Aine Ni Chonaill, Immigration Control Platform spokesperson. (10/5/2006)

Words on Wednesday...with Pat Rabbitte, Labour Party leader. (17/5/2006)

Words on Wednesday...with Dan Boyle, Green Party TD for Cork South Central. (24/5/2006)

Words on Wednesday...with David Norris, Senator and human rights activist. (31/5/2006)

Words on Wednesday...with Feargal Quinn, Senator and founder of Superquinn. (12/7/2006)

Words on Wednesday...with Joan Burton, Labour TD for Dublin West. (11/10/2006)

Words on Wednesday...with Gerry McGeough, Ind. Republican. (28/2/2007)

Words on Wednesday...with Tommy Broughan, Labour TD for Dublin North East. (21/3/2007)

Words on Wednesday...with Arthur Morgan, Sinn Féin TD for Louth. (28/3/2007)

Words on Wednesday...with Tony Gregory, Independent TD for Dublin Central. (4/4/2007)

Words on Wednesday...with Catherine Murphy, Independent TD for Kildare North. (25/4/2007)

Words on Wednesday...with Joanna Tuffy, Labour TD for Dublin Mid West. (13/6/2007)

Words on Wednesday...with Daithí McKay, Sinn Féin MLA for North Antrim. (5/9/2007)

Words on Wednesday...with Kieran Allen, Lisbon Treaty opponent and editor of VoteNo.ie (19/3/2008)

Words on Wednesday...with Carmel Hanna, SDLP MLA for South Belfast. (23/4/2008)

Words on Wednesday...with Dr Stephen Farry, Alliance Party MLA for North Down. (30/4/2008)

Words on Wednesday...with Dr Diana Panke, Lecturer of European Studies at University College Dublin. (7/5/2008)

Stay tuned to United Irelander for future interviews...

Weekend Words features

United Irelander's Weekend Words feature sees me interview non-political, popular figures from Irish society.

Below you can view some of the interviews that have already taken place...

Weekend Words...with Rick O'Shea, RTE 2fm presenter. (27/5/2006)

Weekend Words...with Audrey McCoy, Irish actress and star of RTE show Hollywood Trials. (3/5/2008)

Weekend Words...with Mark Little, RTE Prime Time presenter and journalist. (10/5/2008)

Weekend Words...with Klara McDonnell, Irish singer and actress. (25/5/2008)

Stay tuned to United Irelander for future interviews...

Commenting

The commenting policy on United Irelander follows the guidelines set out on Mick Fealty's Slugger O'Toole site: 'Play the ball and not the man'.

In other words, criticise the post rather than the person who is posting. Things that can result in a person being banned from commenting on United Irelander include:

- Vulgar language directed at an individual
- Deliberate and continuous attempts to take a thread off-topic
- Deliberate and continuous attempts to cause trouble or "shit stir"
- 'Playing the man and not the ball'

This is a rule book of sorts in order to keep things as civil as possible. All that is required is for people to conduct their argument in a respectful fashion as opposed to dragging the site down with unnecessary comments.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Q & A

I've realised that even though I have been the author of United Irelander for many months now, people still know very little about me or my political beliefs. Therefore, I've decided to answer some questions I'm sure people who don't know me might have.

Q: Who are you?

A: I write under the pseudonym United Irelander.

Q: Where are you from?

A: Dublin, Ireland.

Q: Why did you call your site United Irelander?

A: It's partly a reference to the "United Irishman" paper which some of the Young Irelanders wrote for. Likewise, this blog is called "The Nationalist" in reference to "The Nation".

Q: You are a nationalist then?

A: Yes.

Q: What do you hope to see for Ireland?

A: I hope to see Irish reunification take place.

Q: Are you an Irish Republican?

A: Hard to say since the term "Republican" has come to adopt other meanings in this day and age. I favour a republican system of government but I mainly want to see Ireland reunified. I'm willing to consider various options. If unity could occur without Ireland being a republic, then that's a sacrifice I'd be willing to make. I'd see myself as a republican with a small 'r'.

Q: So you don't mind the British monarchy having a role in Irish affairs?

A: If it will secure Irish unity, no. I believe the British monarchy will die sometime in the 21st century anyway. I wouldn't object to the monarchy having some sort of dual role along with the President as head of state. I think all options should be left open.

Q: Do you believe Ireland will be reunified?

A: I believe Ireland will be reunified sometime in the 21st century though how long this takes depends on the choices people make.

Q: Do you support Sinn Fein?

A: No.

Q: Why not?

A: I believe they are a partitionist party in that they feed off the segregation that the border brings with it. They are detested by the Unionist community and have no hope of ever convincing Unionists about the merits of Irish reunification. Furthermore, they are inextricably linked to the Provisional IRA who have not yet abandoned criminality. Sinn Fein for a long time were the single greatest obstacle to Irish reunification though recent steps taken by the Provoisional IRA to abandon their armed campaign and to decommission weapons are steps I welcome.

Q: Why do many nationalists in the North support Sinn Féin?

A: They are taken in by their rhetoric. There isn't a strong alternative to them at this point in time. It should be noted that most Irish people do not support them.

Q: Can Ireland be reunified with Sinn Fein as the voice of northern nationalism?

A: No.

Q: What party do you support?

A: I have no particular allegiance to any party. I'd describe myself as a floating voter.

Q: Why did you create United Irelander?

A: To put forward an alternative Irish nationalist opinion.

Q: Finally, why is it so important that Irish reunification takes place?

A: Because Ireland should never have been divided in the first place. It was divided without the consent of the majority of Irish people. Most of the people in the island of Ireland today want Partition ended yet it remains. The reunification of Ireland will be the greatest day in Ireland's history. In my opinion, it is Ireland's destiny. Let's see it happen.