Bonus Epilogue – The New Declarations

 

Bonus Epilogue – The New Declarations

Dublin – Leinster House, Three Months Later

The ornate parliamentary chamber was filled with quiet tension as Salty stood beside Sarah at the public gallery railing. Below, Ruairí O’Donnell spoke confidently to the assembled TDs and Senators.

“Today, we declare Ireland fully sovereign. EU directives are suspended pending review. Horizon assets remain under state seizure. And henceforth, all policies affecting Irish communities will be decided by Irish citizens alone.”

Applause broke out across the chamber. Sarah squeezed Salty’s hand. “We’ve come so far,” she whispered.

Salty nodded silently. The old tricolour lapel pin on his battered leather jacket glinted under the chandeliers. His mind, however, was already elsewhere – scanning the horizon for threats to this fragile freedom.

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🏴‍☠️ New Social Orders

After the collapse of Horizon and EU influence, local councils and citizen assemblies began drafting new cultural policies. Among them was a controversial measure passed in several counties, supported by rural representatives and traditionalist parties:

“All public marches must now seek local community approval to ensure harmony, economic flow, and moral cohesion.”

This included banning corporate-sponsored Pride marches, as many communities argued such events had become commercialised political displays rather than organic social gatherings. Instead, LGBT groups were encouraged to celebrate in designated venues or private grounds with full protections, ensuring public order remained focused on Ireland’s rebuilding.

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🌄 Salty’s View

That evening, Salty sat outside a small farmhouse in Meath with Sarah, overlooking golden fields swaying in the sunset breeze. The sweet smell of silage and peat smoke drifted through the quiet countryside.

“Do you think we’ve done the right thing?” Sarah asked softly, sipping tea from a chipped blue mug.

Salty rubbed his greying beard, eyes distant.

“We’ve done what needed to be done,” he said gruffly. “We’ve cut out the rot. Now… it’s up to the people to build a future worth defending.”

Sarah rested her head against his arm. Far in the distance, they could see new wind turbines turning gently on the hills, powering homes once owned by Horizon. Children’s laughter drifted up from a nearby farmyard.

Ireland had changed forever. Some changes sparked debate, others brought hope – but for the first time in decades, the Irish felt they were in charge of their own destiny again.