In a week of solemn intonation and symbolic meaning, the sight of Sinn Féin’s leader Michelle O’Neill shaking hands with the King at Hillsborough Castle was yet another event to be dissected and extrapolated.
Hushed tones providing narration from London fell over themselves to stress the meaning of this and repeated the article of faith: ‘How far we’ve come’. From the BBC to Sky, and even GB News, broadcasters were united on that front in their commentary.
Others, especially those outriders for the so-called ‘New Ireland’ which would appear following any border poll, pointed triumphantly. This gesture showed that unionists had nothing to fear and that their traditions would be accommodated.
Sinn Féin will no doubt have concluded they had yet another good day under their softer, PR-savvy leadership. Who knew being reasonable to a grieving son was such a quantum leap of magnanimity and decency?
Who knew being reasonable to a grieving son was such a quantum leap of magnanimity and decency?
The perceived wisdom in the past 24 hours is that in the never-ending quest to deliver an Irish republic, this was yet another game changer.
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