Humphreys recalls attending Orange parades but says she now supports Irish unity

By Jonathan McCambridge, PA

Presidential hopeful Heather Humphreys has said she attended Orange Order parades as a child but stopped going when the Troubles broke out.

The Fine Gael candidate, who is a Presbyterian, said she would now vote for Irish unity and that she was an example to unionists in Northern Ireland of Irish “tolerance and inclusivity”.

Ms Humphreys launched her campaign in her home county of Monaghan on Saturday, close to the border with Northern Ireland.

When we were children I attended (Orange Order) parades with my parents. It was a family day out, it was a cultural day.

In a speech to party members, she talked about how her grandfather had signed the Ulster Covenant in 1912 – an oath of resistance signed by hundreds of thousands of unionists against home rule on the island of Ireland.

Speaking to the media, she referenced her Protestant heritage as she said she wanted to “reach out” to communities in Northern Ireland.

She said: “When we were children, I attended (Orange Order) parades with my parents.

“It was a family day out, it was a cultural day.

“When the Troubles started, people were concerned and I didn’t go then after that.”

She added: “Things have moved on a lot. I have been in St Patrick’s Day parades in Cootehill, in Cavan Town, when Orange bands from Northern Ireland took part in those parades.

“I think that is a sign of where we are now.

“I want to continue to build on the work of (former Irish president) Mary McAleese, she did wonderful work in reaching out to communities in Northern Ireland.

“I feel I am well placed to do that, to extend the hand of friendship and to break down those barriers and to have that conversation.”

Ms Humphreys said the Good Friday Agreement was the basis for any discussion about Irish unity.

I am an example of a tolerant, inclusive Ireland that can accommodate different traditions and different viewpoints.

She said: “I certainly want to see a united Ireland, I definitely do, I have committed to that, but only through working with people and bringing them together.

“I think when people from the unionist background look at me, for example, I can honestly say to them this country has given me everything I have, it has made me what I am.

“I am an example of a tolerant, inclusive Ireland that can accommodate different traditions and different viewpoints.”

She added: “Of course I’ll vote for a united Ireland.”

Asked if she would use the office of president to advocate for Irish unity, she said: “What I want to do is convince people that this is a safe place, this is a good country, this is a safe place when it comes to your culture, when it comes to your identity.

“You will be respected.

“I will work towards that but only on the basis that we bring people together and try to break down those divisions that still exist.

“I’ve been up in the north many, many times and when you scratch back the surface, there are deep divisions there and we have to really, really hard on that so that one day we will have a united people and a united Ireland.”

Ms Humphreys would not put a timeline on when she believed a unity referendum would take place.

She said: “We don’t want to end up in a situation like we had with a referendum in the UK on Brexit and 51 per cent said no and 49 per cent said yes.

“That is not going to solve problems.

“It is about moving it along, building the trust.

“The presidency is a seven-year term and I’m committed to spending my time trying to do that.”