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The Votes Are In: Three Irish Colleges Have Decided On Their United Ireland Stance

In lieu of today's College Roundup, we're going to take a look at some of the biggest news that happened in Irish colleges this week: united Ireland referendums. And it seems the students have voted very strongly for what side of the debate their college is on - NUIG, UCC and UCD all will now take a pro-united Ireland stance.

In a press release after the vote, NUIG Sinn Féin commented: ”This is just the beginning. The message is clear, we’re stronger united which is why NUI Galway students have endorsed the call for a United Ireland".

As for UCD, Lucy Connor, Chair of UCD for Unity, told The University Times she was “absolutely over the moon” with the result.

“We think that now, given the circumstances with Brexit, given the way the North has been treated, given the way the North has absolutely no say whatsoever in what way it’s future’s going, the way the two economies are going, we think that now is the time to have a serious debate on the alternatives to the status quo at the minute.”

“The reason we specifically did it in UCD was a few weeks ago a couple of the chairs of different societies in Cork, Galway, Dublin and Belfast came together and decided to lobby their students’ union for a united Ireland”, Connor explained.

Speaking to Trinity News, Kate Kelly, the chair of UCC Sinn Féin, had a similar response: “Being part of the Yes2UnityUCC we were thrilled with the result. It has now passed by a strong majority in both NUIG and UCC showing that students are engaging with the topic".

So what happens next? The colleges with a pro stance will lobby for the reunification of Ireland, and will encourage students to get involved.

Next week on the 14th and 15th of March, Trinity College will also go to the vote, and if the previous three outcomes are anything to go by, there might be another college with a pro-united stance.

Tell us your thoughts in the comments.

Also read: A Dublin University Just Elected An Anti-Abortion Activist As SU President

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Emma is an editor and writer from Brisbane, Australia and has been living in Dublin since September 2016 after she decided warm weather and beaches were overrated. She now wears three pairs of trousers every day and loves it.