Did Star Trek predict an Irish reunification in 2024?

It's finally 2024 and if you are a sci-fi nerd then this year might be one of significance especially if you love Star Trek: The Next Generation.

While 2024 might not have the same cultural significance as 2001: A Space Odyssey, for instance, you may well have seen a screenshot of an episode of the beloved 80s and 90s Star Trek series which suggests some historic will happen this year.

The image shows the android Data talking to Captain Jean-Luc Picard on the bridge of the Starship Enterprise. The picture is subtitled with the words 'the Irish unification of 2024.'

Now you could be forgiven for thinking that this is an online pop culture myth, such as Rambo III paying tribute to the 'Mujahideen Fighters of Afghanistan,’ but this one is actually true.

The scene occurred in season 3, episode 12, named 'The High Ground' which aired on January 27th 1990. The episode centres around Dr. Crusher, who is taken hostage by terrorists on a planet that is engaged in a civil-war that has been ongoing for centuries.

As Captain Picard contemplates how to negotiate with the terrorists, Data begins a conversation with him about the pros and cons of terrorism and lists several instances where it has worked including the, as of yet, fictional unification of Ireland in 2024.

Given that it is now 2024 the image has been shared by many pro-Irish unification supporters, resulting in it going viral on social media.

As you can imagine, the episode was mired in controversy because of the mention of the Irish unification. As a result, the episode wasn't broadcast in the UK or Ireland unedited until 2006.

In addition, the actual episode was also disliked by the series writer Ronald D Moore who said in an interview in 1995: "We didn't have anything interesting to say about terrorism except that it's bad and Beverly gets kidnapped – ho hum. They take her down to the caves and we get to have nice, big preachy speeches about terrorism and freedom, fighting and security forces versus society. It's a very unsatisfying episode and the staff wasn't really happy with it."

Whether he liked it or not, Moore inadvertently created a viral moment that will no doubt continue to resurface time and time over the next 12 months.

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