TAOISEACH Micheál Martin met Prime Minister Andy Burnham in Manchester last week, just days after US President Donald Trump’s dramatic remarks on Irish unity during his visit to Ireland.
At their first meeting as national leaders, the Taoiseach said the issue had not been discussed in detail.
“We didn’t. We discussed a wide range of issues, and I don’t think at this stage that the British government is at that position,” he told reporters.
Pressed on whether Irish unity had been prioritised, Mr Martin added pointedly: “As I said, it was a broad discussion in terms of the Good Friday Agreement, and I’m leaving it at that.”
The Taoiseach became the first international leader to visit the British Prime Minister at his newly established “No 10 North” office in Manchester, where Mr Burnham previously served as mayor.
Mr Burnham, who recently declared that a border poll was “off the table”, greeted Mr Martin in a modern, LED-lit room, joking that he was working on “a red carpet — or even a green carpet for you the next time”.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Taoiseach Micheál Martin celebrate the 90th birthday of club patron Patrick McNally at the Brian Boru Irish Club (Pic: Lauren Hurley/No 10 Downing Street)He emphasised the importance of ties between the two countries, saying: “The relationship between the UK and Ireland matters so much on every single level.”
The visit came days after President Trump described Irish reunification as “one of the naturals of all time” and said he would “love to see it happen”. He made the remarks to the media in Dublin and at his Doonbeg golf course.
His comments intensified political debate, with Sinn Féin, the Scottish National Party and Plaid Cymru jointly calling for constitutional change following a meeting of the parties’ leaders in Cardiff.
In a broadside against Irish republicans, Mr Martin criticised attempts to link Irish unity with Scottish and Welsh independence.
“I’m not clear that Sinn Féin is on the right track at all and may even set back unity,” he said.
Legacy issues dominated the Manchester meeting. Mr Burnham said he was “very keen” to see the vexed issue of Troubles legislation resolved and an agreement “get over the line”.
The Taoiseach also stressed the urgency of finding a solution.
“We’ve been 30 years endeavouring to put something together on legacy,” he said, adding that securing agreement would be “a really significant step forward in reconciliation”.
Afterwards, the two leaders travelled together to the Brian Boru Irish Club in Mr Burnham’s nearby Makerfield constituency. They arrived during a celebration marking the 90th birthday of Canon Patrick McNally, originally from Louisburgh, Co. Mayo.
Pointing to Mr Martin, Mr Burnham told the priest: “There you go, Canon Pat, that’s a pretty good birthday guest.”
Staff at Britain’s oldest Irish club had been kept “in the dark” about the identity of their distinguished visitors, learning who was coming only when security officers arrived.
“We weren’t actually told it was the Prime Minister of Ireland and the Prime Minister of the UK, so that was quite a shock,” said the club’s manager, Tom Moran.
Specialist security teams had been at the club from early in the week, with the operation intensifying on the Friday morning.
“There were search dogs, eight burly officers in bulletproof vests, and they even dismantled the toilet cistern to check for explosives,” Mr Moran said.
Despite the intense security, the atmosphere inside was relaxed and good-humoured. The two leaders joked over cups of Barry’s tea, debating whether it was better than the local Tetley brand, and chatted with club members about Gaelic games.
Mr Burnham said: “I’d love to get to the All-Ireland final some day.”
Mr Martin replied: “Look, we can arrange that.”
Mr Burnham reflected on his own Irish heritage and the connections between Ireland and the north-west of England.
“This part of the world has deep links to Ireland,” he told the Taoiseach. “Your visit, Micheál, today will be so important to them.”
The event brought together representatives of several Irish organisations, including Liverpool Irish Centre, Warrington Irish Centre, Irish Community Care and the local GAA.
Club committee member Alison Matthews said the heavy police presence outside contrasted sharply with the warmth of the gathering.
“It was friendly and down to earth,” she said. “I’ve been to a lot of stuffy events at embassies, but this wasn’t one of them. It felt really natural and heartwarming.”
Canon McNally, who has celebrated the club’s St Patrick’s Day Mass for the past 18 years, received particular attention from the two leaders.
“They were really good with the Canon,” Ms Matthews said. “I think he thought the whole event was for his birthday.”
She said the occasion left many of those present unexpectedly moved.
“You felt part of something, which I don’t think we do very often any more,” she said. “We just felt we were part of history.”
As Mr Martin departed, he thanked the club, which was founded by Irish emigrants in 1889, for providing a “home from home” for generations of the Irish community.
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