An Irish community leader in Aotearoa says the election of Sinn Féin in Northern Ireland is a historic day which will hopefully continue the peace process.
Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland, and Irish republican Sinn Fein party Northern Leader Michelle O'Neill reacts with part Leader Mary Lou McDonald. Photo: AFP or licensors
The party, lead by Michelle O'Neill, secured 29 percent of first-preference votes compared with 21 percent for the pro-British Democratic Unionist Party.
It was the first time the Irish nationalist party has topped the voting in the British-controlled region
O'Neill said there should now be an "honest debate" around the party's goal of unifying the territory with the Republic of Ireland.
Christchurch Irish Society president Kieran McErlain said two of his grandparents travelled from Ireland to New Zealand in the mid 1920s.
"I remember granddad saying that one thing he will never see in his lifetime is a united Ireland, and that was 30 years ago.
"But with the developments of today, the family still back home - as we call it - back in Ireland, it will be great to see a united Ireland."
He has a lot more hope for reunification after the election results.
"To see a united Ireland would be the wishes of a lot of people, I believe, and for me to see that, I believe ... it can occur in my lifetime.
"It will be a process that takes time and within the next ten years, it could be a major change."
The Sinn Fein victory will not change the region's status, as the referendum required to leave the United Kingdom is at the discretion of the British government and likely years away.
- RNZ / Reuters