Diarmaid Ferriter: Ireland’s complex ties with Catalonia
Republicans have a long history with Catalan nationalists, despite their significant differences
A demonstrator waves a Catalan separatist flag in Madrid, Spain. Photograph: Paul Hanna/Reuters
In seeking to smash the ballot boxes and the voters in last Sunday’s referendum on independence for Catalonia, the Spanish authorities inevitably scored a spectacular own goal, and managing the fallout will be tortuous.