Connor Hayes speaks with Francie Molloy, Sinn Féin MP for Mid Ulster, about the current prospects for achieving a unified Ireland, division within the Unionist movement in Northern Ireland, parallels between the Kurdish and Irish struggles, and lessons that can be drawn from the peace process between the Irish movement and the British state that are relevant for the Kurdish movement’s efforts to realise a peace process with the Turkish state.

Francie Molloy MP has been a Republican activist since the Civil Rights campaign 50 years ago. He is one of Sinn Féin’s longest serving elected representatives, having been first elected onto Dungannon District Council in 1985 for the Torrent area. He served as an Assembly Member for Mid Ulster, as well as Deputy Speaker in the Assembly. He was elected to Westminster as the MP for Mid Ulster in 2013 as a member of Sinn Féin, which has been a consistent supporter of the Kurdish struggle for more than 30 years.

Connor Hayes is an activist, researcher, and a student of philosophy. He was a member of the 2019 International Peace Delegation to Imrali.

This interview is sponsored by the Peace in Kurdistan Campaign and the Campaign Against Criminalising Communities.