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| - In Ireland's oldest city, republican lawmaker David Cullinane makes the case for a united Ireland when he canvasses voters for Saturday's general election. "In the throes of an election campaign, it's about finances, it's about money in people's pockets, it's about health and housing," said the Sinn Fein candidate in a Waterford cafe. "But I always try to bring it back to that bigger politics -- that we want to see a new republic." An Irish Times/Ipsos MRBI opinion poll published Monday put Sinn Fein in front on 25 percent -- a historic high for the party. A strong showing could result in their flagship policy of reuniting the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland becoming a key part of the next government's agenda. The island of Ireland was partitioned in 1921 following a war for independence, with Northern Ireland remaining part of the United Kingdom and the Republic becoming independent. Disputes over the territory have defined modern Ireland's history, particularly during 30 years of bloodshed in Northern Ireland dubbed "The Troubles". A 1998 accord brought peace and allowed the possibility of a referendum in Northern Ireland on joining the Republic -- if the change was likely to be approved. On Ireland's southeast coast, Waterford -- a city known for its cut glass -- lies 200 kilometres (125 miles) from Northern Ireland. But its residents would have just as much say as those in the province -- any referendum in Northern Ireland would have to be approved by another in the Republic. "I don't think most people in the south on a daily basis think about Irish unity," said Cullinane. "But equally, people do have a sense of vision and people do have a sense of the future." Sinn Fein's future, though, may hinge on shedding its past. During "The Troubles", the party was the political wing of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) paramilitary group. From 1983 until 2018, Sinn Fein was led by Gerry Adams, who has always denied being a senior figure in the IRA's leadership. But with a new leader in Mary Lou McDonald, there are signs the party is actively distancing itself from the darkest chapters in Irish history. Walking his dog through Waterford's shopping district, William Hoban said he previously declined to vote for the party because of their links to intimidation and violence. "I've never voted Sinn Fein, ever," said the 53-year-old but this year said he would "give them a chance". "They're getting more reasonable," he told AFP. Hoban cited Sinn Fein's left-wing stances on housing and wealth inequality compared with centre-right parties Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, which have alternated power. But a vote to unite Ireland is not high on his list of priorities. "It's just a bit early," he said. "It wouldn't be fair to unionists" -- those in Northern Ireland who want to remain part of the UK. A Panelbase poll for The Times newspaper's Ireland edition, published on Monday, suggested four in five Irish want to see a united Ireland at some point -- and 40 percent within a decade. After the Waterford Crystal factories shut in 2009, The Irish Handmade Glass Company was set up in the city's Viking Triangle. A furnace blasts heat as workers blow delicate glass in marbled colours. Strolling around the workshop floor, co-owner Tony Hayes said he would vote for Sinn Fein for the first time. "It's time for a change down here," he said, citing fears for the local economy. The 50-year-old backs a united Ireland but is hardly emphatic. "There's nothing wrong with it," he said. Nonetheless, his ballot on Saturday may set in motion a seismic shift. Sinn Fein is not fielding enough candidates to form a majority government and the two other main parties have ruled out a coalition with them. But a vote surge could see them become comfortably the island's largest party, combining their support on both sides of the border. Shutting them out of government in Dublin would not change the arithmetic on the issue of unity, according to Jon Tonge, a professor of British and Irish politics at Liverpool University. "For the first time there would be serious pressure, I think, from the Irish Republic for a united Ireland," he said. "It's not a story that's going to go away." jts/rjm/phz/jxb
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