Dr. John Robb - New Ireland

[5intheface]

This week saw the publication of 'A Confederation of 300' - A Road Map to Irish Unity for a New Ireland'

Dr. John Robb is a retired surgeon from Ballymoney, County Antrim, deep in the Paisleyite bible-belt and from a strong Unionist, Carsonite background.

He has however, for 30 years been the driving force behind the New Ireland group which has espoused a fresh approach to unity on the island of Ireland through respect for cultural difference. He was also appointed to the Seanad for 7 years by both FF & FG but has long been critical of consecutive southern regimes.

A serial letter writer and campaigner, much of what he had to say was treated (by myself included) as wishy-washy, Alliance type pipe-dreams within the status quo.

Having started to read this very academic work, it is clear that he is pushing for huge change both sides of the border with in-depth plans for the political, cultural, educational, community and economic systems with an emphasis on the sections of the populations who have suffered/are suffering the most.

John Robb sees himself as an Irishman, not British but fiercely protective of the culture of the noerthern Protestant whilst also learning the Irish language and taking part in both cultures as aspects of the one nation.

There is much to discuss, debate and argue about in Robb's publication but there is no question that he raises difficult and controversial challenges but unlike so many others, presents his solutions for those problems.

Well worth checking out;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Ireland_Group

http://newirelander.weebly.com/1/cat...%20robb/1.html

http://www.newirelander.com/2012/04/...on-of-300.html

[Fraxinus]

Cheers 5...will read with interest. For a sec there I thought it was the Stone Roses biographer...though just checked there and there's another reason he sounded familiar, he's in Susan MacKays Unsettled People book.

Very topical also considering Robinson's speech of late and his comments on the death of those from a unionist background considering themselves as Irish. Also Meyers was rambling yesterday about the cultural arm wrestle on the island.

[5intheface]

The more I read of this, the more it becomes clear that the major influence on Robb's thinking is Wolfe Tone and the United Irishmen.

There's plenty in it which I would raise my eyebrows at but I do have to admire the detail which he goes into, especially where looking after local communities is concerned.