The Last Irish Question

A view of the south of Ireland ¿ political, social, geographical ¿ through the eyes of a liberal northern protestant being asked to rejoin it. ''A pleasure to read... Incisively mixing memoir, reportage and analysis'' Daily Mail''Discursive, humane and meticulously attentive to verbal nuances that can spell a world of meaning'' Irish Examiner''Patterson''s travels provide humorous asides, telling insights and sobering pessimism'' Irish IndependentThe reunification of Ireland, which in 1998 seemed to have been pushed over the far horizon as an aspiration, has returned with a vengeance. Brexit calls into question the British commitment to Northern Ireland and threatens its economy. There has been a surge in support for Sinn F¿ in the South, a party pushing relentlessly for a poll on the future of the border. If Sinn F¿ enters the government of the Republic, as seems inevitable in the coming years, this issue will move even higher up the agenda, with who knows what consequences north of t