Today when people refer to the "The Republic of Ireland" they are usually talking about our soccer team but not so long ago our country was always described as a republic.
It is a shame that we seemed to have dropped this description because it should serve to remind us of the type of country we aspire to be.
In recent decades the perception has formed that republican meant anti monarchist or even anti British and I think this has lead to use of the term 'republic' being dropped in offical circles.
While many politicans and political parties have wrapped themselves up in the term republican along these lines the word Republic means so much more than these narrow definitions.
The word republic is derived from the Latin 'res publica' meaning the 'people's business' and a republican government while spurning monarchy, embraces the involvement of the people in public affairs.
A republic is a nation which derives its power to rule from the consent of the people and that's worth remembering and respecting.
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