New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch attend the 265th St. Patrick's Day Parade on 5th Avenue Manhattan in New York City, U.S., March 17, 2026. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz
(New York, NY) – Did you get a chance to split the G yesterday during St. Paddy’s celebrations? How about some Irish soda bread? While everyone was having fun with Irish culture and traditions, New York politicians got to talking about the current state of affairs in the island nation across the pond.
Over a century ago, the British government broke off 6 counties declaring them part of the United Kingdom, establishing Northern Ireland. This resulted in years of violence and conflict, known as “The Troubles” which came to an end with the Good Friday Agreement. The treaty established an independent southern Republic of Ireland, and also laid the foundation for future reunification. Currently, Ireland’s “Sinn Fein” party holds the second most seats in the republic’s main legislature. The party was once the political arm for the Irish Republican Army. The sitting Irish president, Catherine Connolly, is also a vocal supporter of unity.
Ahead of the parade, Mayor Zohran Mamdani was asked his thoughts on Irish reunification on Monday. Mamdani, who has been vocal about Palestinian liberation in the Middle East, said he had not thought much about the topic. Then the next day at the parade, when pressed on the subject again by reporters, Mamdani said he supports every country’s right to self determination and believes the future of Ireland should be determined by the Irish people. Meanwhile, Hochul did not have to think twice. When asked the same question on Fifth Ave, Hochul said “indeed”, she does support the unification of Ireland.
