The handshake that lasted 3.7 seconds kept the broadcast media on knife-edge as the
crowning moment of the so-called peace process. However, beneath the carefully
choreographed piece of political theatre is a settlement built on sand, on managing
sectarianism and regulating division, rather than confronting and removing the causes of
conflict in our society. ---- As former IRA member Tommy McKearney summed up, ‘Therein
lies the real difficulty many of us have with this contrived handshake. It was merely a
piece of theatre, which does nothing to address the real problems faced by the people of
Northern Ireland. If anything, this type of symbolic posturing is actually harmful. It
displaces and/or prevents mature and necessary debate and reflection on the unequal nature
of our society and the detrimental impact of Britain’s ruling class upon the public’s
...