John Walsh: It is in all our interests for South to pay closer attention to events in the North

The current unstable backdrop in Northern Ireland could have consequences south of the border and it is crucial that differences over the protocol are resolved

A loyalist anti-Irish sea border poster near the entrance to Larne harbour: the election in Northern Ireland on May 5 is likely to position Sinn Féin as the largest party in Stormont. Picture: Getty

The election in Northern Ireland on May 5, which has the potential to deliver a political earthquake, is not getting the attention it deserves on this side of the border.

Based on current opinion polls, Sinn Féin is on course to be the largest party in Stormont and Michelle O’Neill is poised to become First Minister.

Unionism faces an existential crisis. The North was established just over a century ago with a “Protestant parliament for ...