Dear editor, 

As your readers are likely aware, there was outcry in Ireland recently over the flying of the British union flag next to the Irish tricolour over Cork City Hall to mark the visit of Keir Starmer to the city for the 2nd UK-Ireland Summit on the 12th and 13th of March.

It is my opinion that, while the flying of the British union flag over the city (which was burned down by the British during the Irish war of independence of 1920) is a provocative gesture deserving of criticism, we must not limit our criticism in this instance to the flying of the union flag, but to expand it to include the very reason Keir Starmer was visiting. That is; the UK-Ireland Summit 2026, or UKIS 2026. And what it could mean for Ireland.

Readers may be aware of this summit which aims to strengthen the relationship between the UK and Ireland in neoliberal economic terms & in terms of security. Predictably it had little to say about anything beyond talk of data sharing, finance, and security concerns, completely neglecting shared issues such as the environment, the prospect of a United Ireland, the cost of living crisis, and Irish military neutrality. Though this is hardly surprising given the nature of both governments involved.

There is plenty that worries me about this summit, and plenty to critique but something I feel I’ve seen relatively little specific criticism of is the gradual integration of Ireland into economic & military spheres of influence against the interests & wishes of the Irish proletariat pushed by both external forces and, troublingly, by an Irish government eager to court power and further Ireland’s complicity in the crimes of the current global hegemony. 

We’ve seen this even more recently with Taoiseach Micheál Martin visiting Donald Trump at the White House for St Patrick’s day, to present the warmongering President of the United States with a bowl of Shamrock, and ending up vocally defending Keir Starmer to Trump. 

Given the present state of America, the UK and the 26-county Republic, all suffering from a range of similar crises, and with American hegemony itself in crisis, now more than ever we need to remain informed & critical of imperialism & militarism, and resist it in all its manifestations, on every front.

Yours,

Déaglán