The aftershocks of Brexit’s failure could be gaining strength – a fearful prospect for Ireland
On our side of the Irish Sea we have made the best of a bad job. But we saw the damage a reckless and reactionary British government could do
TL;DR
- Brexit true believers blame Ireland for obstructing their vision of freedom and prosperity.
- Queen Elizabeth's 2011 visit to Ireland marked a shift towards relations of equals, influenced by the Northern Ireland peace process and EU membership.
- Irish people were shocked by the recklessness of Brexiters, who largely ignored the implications for Northern Ireland.
- The Irish government prepared thoroughly for Brexit, securing EU support to avoid a hard border and leading to the Northern Ireland Protocol.
- While Ireland "won" by being in a stronger negotiating position, the outcome was damage limitation, not victory, and trust was lost.
- The dominant feeling in Ireland is sadness over Brexit's economic and political consequences, not anger.
- Ireland fears that Brexit's aftershocks, including the potential rise of reactionary British governments, could strengthen and destabilize relationships.