It may be the most entertaining reality show in years, but there’s an importance to the Brexit saga that is less obvious.
There is increasing international discord. Between the US and Iran. Between the US and China. Between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Between China and its neighbours. Between the UK and the rest of Europe.
This doesn’t include the internal divisions such as between China and Hong Kongers. Or in Syria. Or the exceptional stresses to which the spirit of English nationalism has subjected their United Kingdom.
Cooler heads must reign if there is to be peace.
But if there is to be not-peace then this island must be able to secure its sea border.
Éire is the Ark. It is civilisation’s lifeboat and safe haven.
Once before we fulfilled this role. When the Dark Ages existed across Europe, it was in Irish monasteries that books were stored and copied. These enabled Western civilisation to surface and continue once perilous times ended.
The very least an Ark needs to be able to do is to use the water around it as protection if circumstances require that. A Brexiting UK does not have that as it’s first priority.
But it should be ours.