Whereas in the North, obviously a lot more factors would come into play, but I don’t think it would pass.”For Carolan, the issue is time. “I think we probably will see a united Ireland in my lifetime, but I don’t think it will happen in the next 20 years. “People [in the South] don’t quite realise whenever I tell them I’m from Northern Ireland. They say, ‘I’ve been to Belfast, and that’s lovely.’ I’m like, ‘No, I don’t think you quite understand. “Young people in the North now are the peace generation, so I think there’s a bit of forgetfulness there.

Source: The Irish Times March 23, 2026 19:00 UTC