The Shinners need to watch they don't re-invent British rule across Ireland by the back door.
At the moment, there's more chance of the Republic wanting to become a dominion again than the North being booted into the 26 counties.
Look at the evidence. An important survey indicating that even less Catholics fancy a united Ireland, the Celtic Tiger economically screwed, the south up to its eyeballs in debt and queen Bess setting foot in Croker!
A key Shinner to note is Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA and rising star Phil Flanagan.
He recently called for the creation of an all-Ireland economic forum to advance economic harmony on the island.
He's Sinn Féin's enterprise spokesman and a republican whose utterings all unionists and loyalists should note.
It might seem highly strange that a radical Right-wing, Presbyterian Unionist like me is recommending to the pro-Union community that it should take heed of a top border rebel from the republican stronghold of Garrison.
But just as the Provos realised that their bombing and murder campaign was going nowhere, the Shinners must also realise their dream of a democratic socialist republic is down the tubes.
Basically, the Brits are preparing the South for Irish Home Rule, but the price will be the Republic becoming a dominion once again – just like in the days of the good old Free State.
The Shinners are holding a series of conferences entitled: "Uniting Ireland: towards a new republic." They should be named: "Uniting the island: towards the new Dominion."
Partition marked the Great Betrayal of the Southern Unionist population.
While not the largest political group in the 26 counties in 1921, it was certainly one of the most influential.
There is also no doubt that had World War One not erupted in 1914, the Irish Civil War would have been between Carson's Ulster Volunteers and the nationalist Irish Volunteers.
The resulting Unionist state would not have been a six-county imposed format. Instead, the UVF would have routed nationalists and ended up with a Northern empire of up to 18 Irish counties.
Unionists should now view the queen's visit and the cash-strapped Southern state as a chance to extend their political control over the Republic through an all-island scenario.
Flanagan was spot on when he stated: "It does not make sense on an island this small with just six million people to have two states and two governments. Every single day, I see the negative impact of partition on the social and economic life of communities."
Well said, Phil!
We need more republicans to publicly recognise the failure of the Southern state!
I will go further and point out that a return to dominion status under the British crown is the only way to save the Republic from economic disaster.
Dominion status within a new Union and Commonwealth is the only workable solution if the South is to avoid becoming nothing more than a third-rate, African-style banana Republic.
Unionists and nationalists on both sides of the border need to recognise the EU multi-billion euro bailout is not the solution to rebuilding this island into the proud nation it was before partition.
For many of the African states, gaining independence put them on the road to long-term economic ruin.
The colonial nations need to step into their former dominions and rescue them from bankruptcy.
The same is sadly true of the Emerald Isle. It cannot rely on Irish American donations to revive the Celtic Tiger.
It may be a bitter pill to swallow, but if Republicans are to have an island where there is a decent quality of life, then the Brits must come back.
There needs to be an urgent return to an all-island, Unionist-influenced state.
To paraphrase the famous Star Wars movie – the Empire must strike back.
