Last summer we kicked off our popular Northern Roots series in which we interview Northern Slant readers originally from Northern Ireland but currently living elsewhere – or vice versa – about home and hopes for the future. Residing in London, Edinburgh, Brussels, Washington, Kuwait and even further afield, interviewees have come from a wide range of political backgrounds and persuasions. In the first of three articles, here we’ve condensed – and quoted – some responses to the questions posed over the past 12 months.

When we asked interviewees what they think when they see Northern Ireland in the news and social media, whether they’re hopeful for the future and if Brexit will make a difference, the overwhelming theme emerging has been a sense of hope in spite of what they consider to be poor political leadership and sensationalist media coverage of our politics across the Irish Sea.

To us, expats have conveyed a pervasive sense of optimism in the abilities and potential of the people of Northern Ireland, rather than a particular group or political party to change things for the better. Most if not all interviewees have highlighted the need for a return to power-sharing at Stormont; plenty noted that society and civic groups have an important role to play if this place is to be genuinely transformed for the better.

They’ve gained a new perspective by being away from Northern Ireland, of course. But when asked whether they think they’ll return to Northern Ireland, for most this prospect was highly conditional – we’ll touch on this in our next article.

For now, here’s what some interviewees had to say about the future, what they see of home via media platforms, and predictions of Brexit panning out. Will local politicians heed their advice?

 

“I see a political leadership, if it can be called that, so out of touch with what the general public of NI want.”

“A generation of politicians have failed to embrace the actual ethos of power-sharing.”

 

What do you think when you see the Northern Ireland of today, in the news and on social media?

Danielle Thom from Belfast is in south London: “I think there’s a disconnect between the Northern Ireland you see on the news, and the real Northern Ireland. Since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement and the de-escalation of the Troubles, it features less and less regularly on the national news, to the point that many British people are utterly unfamiliar with the place, its politics and history. But when it does feature, all you see are political extremes which don’t really represent day-to-day life here.”

Shane Greer, in Washington DC, runs Campaigns & Elections, a publishing and events business serving the political campaign industry there: “It’s no exaggeration to say that I really hated the place as a child, and did everything I could to get away from it. There just seemed to be so much to lament, and so little opportunity for someone looking to get ahead in life. But now you see venerable publications like the New York Times publishing glowing reviews about Belfast as a weekend break destination. The sense you get is of a place that’s developed tremendously. I was back in Northern Ireland in May [2017] for the first time in more than six years and in some ways it felt like a different country to the one I left.”

Philip Ingram is in the West Midlands – a journalist, commentator and conference host specialising in Geopolitics: “I see hope being replaced with petulism, polarisation and anger. I see a political leadership, if it can be called that, so out of touch with what the general public of NI want, it is a sad reflection of their approach to their profession. I have a real concern that there doesn’t seem to be any leadership coming to the fore that gives political hope.”

Gareth Brown from Belfast is in Edinburgh, an Associate in a strategic communications and political relations firm: “On the one hand, we have Jekyll – a wonderful, charming country with great people and enormous potential… On the other hand, we have Hyde – I see a society that remains deeply divided on the margins, a centre that is fundamentally disengaged with the political process and an economy that cannot progress due to the same structural economic weaknesses that have existed for the last six decades. A generation of politicians have failed to embrace the actual ethos of power-sharing, despite occupying power-sharing structures, and lead our respective communities towards a reconciled, integrated society. The irony, of course, is that both political unionism and nationalism have done very little to advance a strategic and positive case for their own cause.”

Susan Whitla is in London leading a legal innovation team at an international law firm: “My social media accounts paint a much happier, brighter account of Northern Ireland. My social networks and the young generation in general appear politically aware but they are not shackled by the past. Their accounts show there is a lot more to Northern Ireland than this.”

 

“That European identity was vital in helping to foster some sense that the world is bigger than our bickering.”

“It’s enraging that nobody in Westminster really thought through the implications of the Irish border before calling the [Brexit] referendum.”

 

Are you hopeful for Northern Ireland’s future? Will Brexit make a difference?

Richard Clements is studying for a PhD at Cambridge University: “Politically, real reconciliation never happened – we still have peace walls and bitter debates over victim status. A lot of the stalemate comes down to regressive political leadership.”

Kerrie Milford was in Poland when we interviewed her; she returned to Northern Ireland this summer: “I fear Brexit will make an already somewhat insular country even more cut-off, for me that European identity was vital in helping to foster some sense that the world is bigger than our bickering… The huge rush for Irish passport applications recently, from people of all backgrounds, shows how much we value that European link and I think it could translate into more support for a united Ireland further down the line, from a pragmatic rather than ideological standpoint.”

James Cumiskey from County Armagh has also returned home since we spoke to him – he was in the US: “With our withdrawal of the EU forced upon us, I can’t see any international investment being attracted to NI, not to mention the loss of EU peace and regeneration money and farmers bursaries we’ve enjoyed for the last 20 years… I do think Brexit will act, though, as a reality check across all communities; how a decision made by Britain can impact us so negatively and will start the already ongoing discussion ‘Does Britain really have Northern Ireland’s best interests at heart?!’”

Danielle Thom: “It’s enraging that nobody in Westminster really thought through the implications of the Irish border before calling the [Brexit] referendum. Every time I come back I’m struck by something new and exciting, like the Ulster Museum refurbishment a few years ago, or the opening of the MAC centre. I can (just about) remember when you had to go through a security turnstile just to go shopping in Belfast, and it’s so much better now. It would be irresponsible to throw that away to score political points.”

Sinead O’Sullivan from Armagh has spent the last five years working in the space industry, working on NASA space missions, autonomous robotics, satellites and drones, and is now at Harvard Business School: “I am in the Irish and British Caucus at Harvard – a small group of economists, political scientists and business academics who meet weekly to discuss the future of the UK around Brexit, led by former UK Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer Ed Balls. What I regularly see there is that Northern Ireland is very rarely mentioned during discussions, debates and economical impact analyses – it is simply forgotten about. This is exceptionally worrying to me, and is a symptom of a much larger problem – is Northern Ireland losing its voice in the UK? Without any leadership, never mind good leadership, this is unlikely to change in time to take advantage of current negotiations around leaving Europe and clarifying our relationship with the United States.”

Also published on Medium.