A Cynical Glance At That ‘Historic’ Handshake In Belfast

Martin McCauley writes from Belfast: They say Northern Ireland’s Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness’s handshake with Queen Elizabeth II was historic. (Allegedly, she asked him what he did for a living and he blushed and replied: ‘I’m a politician, these days, ma’am.’)

Anyway, the whole sorry occasion is being presented as a sign of reconciliation and forgiveness between the republicans in Northern Ireland and Britain. McGuinness is now a statesman, as some wide-eyed {CHANGE} hacks are saying, with others even going as far as pointing out that it was the Deputy First Minister who supposedly swallowed his pride and shook the hand of the British monarch.

It’s all rubbish, naturally. McGuinness, a former commander of the IRA, extended his hand to the Queen, the ‘symbol of British oppression in Ireland’ for republicans, because he and his brothers in arms considered it to be a tactical necessity and a victory of sorts. Sinn Féin, as the political arm of the IRA, dominates nationalist and Catholic politics in Ulster. As a party it has got as far as it can. Short of winning votes from the Protestant community, it is difficult to see what more it can do to extend its influence.

No, the real significance of McGuinness’s handshake with the Queen is not to be felt in Northern Ireland but in the Republic of Ireland. Sinn Féin leader, Gerry Adams, is growing in political influence over there. Sinn Féin may now be regarded as the second most influential party in the Republic. Come the next election, it may enter government. The other political parties have lost a lot of legitimacy due to the bribery and corruption scandals. Sinn Féin, representing the little people, is filling the vacuum.

So McGuinness’s handshake is a victory for the IRA and Sinn Féin. The Queen now accepts that the party’s desire to end British rule and influence in Northern Ireland is legitimate. McGuinness has not reneged on Sinn Féin’s goal of the unification of Ireland. What it does symbolise is that he believes that it can be achieved politically. He has conceded that violence will not attain the desired goal.

It is understandable that members of the Catholic and Protestant communities are disgusted at his action. Many Republicans see it as betrayal. Some Protestants see it as ignoring all the deaths and destruction wrought by IRA violence over several decades. Why should the Queen extend her hand to someone whose hand is covered with the blood of innocent women and children? One can understand these sentiments. However they miss the mark. There are those in the Republican movement in Northern Ireland who oppose the direction Sinn Féin is taking. They regard it as moving to the centre to win votes. They believe it is betraying its socialist or Marxist heritage.

Sinn Féin lost a lot of face last year when it demonstrated noisily against the Queen’s visit to the Republic. Irish people wanted reconciliation and the fact that the Queen began her address in Gaelic went down extremely well. Sinn Féin has learnt its lesson. It wants to enter government and work for the unification of Ireland from Dublin. It may take a long time but then it has been around for a long time already.

–End–

1 Comment

1. sam kiley says:

   June 28, 2012 at 3:19 pm

   The Queen is above all else the UKs highest paid full time civil servant. She does exactly what her master, the govt. of the day determines as bein in the public interest. Thus the Queen was ” obeying orders ” when she shook the bloodsoaked hand of IRA master terrorist Martin McGuinness. During the Queens 60 year reign she has had to meet many disguting vile Arab kings / dictators & shake their bloody hands, so whats another bloodsoaked hand to her, its all in a days work !