Brendan O’Neill Brendan O’Neill

The EU and US are playing Ireland like a fiddle

When did Sinn Fein become a cheerleader for empire?

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald (Credit: Getty images)

There’s a meme that goes: ‘I, for one, welcome our new overlords.’ It’s a paraphrase of a comment made by Kent Brockman, the newsreader on The Simpsons, and it’s intended to signify submission to some crazy powerful force. I couldn’t help but think of that line when I saw the photo of Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald giddily welcoming representatives of the American Empire to Dublin this week.

There she was, the leader of a party that was once devoted to liberating Ireland from external meddling, smiling widely as she greeted representatives of the most powerful military nation on Earth. Sinn Fein translates as ‘We Ourselves’. It was set up to get Britain out of Ireland. Now it’s welcoming America in. 

‘They wield considerable influence’, said Ms McDonald of the US delegation. Remember when SF thought it was a bad thing when foreign powers with considerable influence rocked up on Ireland’s shores? 

The US delegation, led by congressman Richard Neal, is in Ireland largely to moan about Brexit Britain

The US delegation, led by congressman Richard Neal, is in Ireland largely to moan about Brexit Britain.

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