Activists from Belfast took to the streets of Divis tonight in what was the launch of a national initiative by the Irish Republican Socialist Party to bring the objective of a border poll on Irish Unity to the doorsteps of the Irish people.
Despite pouring wet conditions members took to the streets of West Belfast and scaled the stairs of the iconic Divis Tower, the gateway to West Belfast to ask householders if they would support a referendum on Irish Unity, responses were recorded in pre-prepared submissions which were later tallied up in Costello House on the nearby falls road. 93% of respondents said they wanted a border poll and would vote positively.
This initiative is the latest in a round of actions which have emerged since the launching of the IRSP position paper ‘Britain out of Ireland / Ireland out of the EU’ in which the party set out its stall in terms of support for the concept of a border poll while rejecting sentimental notions of Ireland remaining within the capitalist structures of the European Union.
The first of many public meetings promoting the campaign was held in Derry at the beginning of the month and was considered to be a success in every sense.
The IRSP intend to roll out the national border poll canvass across the country in the coming weeks and months.
The campaign’s Belfast coordinator Ciaran Cunningham said following tonight’s launch
“By canvassing in such a face to face way we hope to take the prospect of a border poll or unity referendum down to a street level, to where people can see that this is a tangible possibility and not just a vague prospect spoke about by politicians and the media”.
Further meeting venues and canvass areas will be announced in the coming weeks and months and any individuals who wish to assist us in the process are more than welcome to join us on the pavement.
