It is rare that political leaders in Northern Ireland can make common cause without causing a reaction from their more extreme supporters. But that has happened after the Brexit vote as First Minister Arlene Foster and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness have emphasised their joint determination to protect the interests of the people of the North and North/South trade by maintaining a common travel area and seeking free movement of services and goods.
Progress will depend on the United Kingdom’s stance in negotiations with the European Union and on the ability of the Irish Government to convince EU leaders of the special relationships that exist on this island.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny will argue that historic ties and dual citizenship should be taken into account in order to underpin the peace process and the Belfast Agreement.
Ireland's economic interests, North and South, are so closely intertwined with the UK that a more distant relationship with the EU will have negative consequences. Meeting members of the Northern Ireland Executive in Belfast this week, Foreign Minister Charlie Flanagan cautioned against a return of the Border and emphasised the importance of common travel arrangements and free trade.
The contrasting attitudes of Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers and Democratic Unionist Party leader Arlene Foster were of particular interest, though both had campaigned for a "Leave" vote.
The outcome in the North: a 56:44 split in favour of remaining within the EU caused Ms Foster to welcome Government support in future negotiations while Ms Villiers insisted there could be no special status for Northern Ireland after the Brexit vote. The UK, she said, would be treated as one nation.
This fracturing of political interests is likely to grow, arising from the DUP's political miscalculation and increasing criticism from the Ulster Unionist Party, the SDLP and Alliance. Those parties favoured "Remain" and are outside of the Executive. For them – like Scottish Nationalists – a catch-cry about "taking back control from Europe" had little appeal, balanced against inevitability of falling living standards.
The creation of a North/South approach to economic matters remains a work in progress. Unionists should be reassured that the pursuit of common interests does not represent a threat to them.
In that regard, Sinn Féin's call for a border referendum was damaging and ill-judged and was dismissed as political grandstanding by the Government and Fianna Fáil. Since then, Mr McGuinness has concentrated on the issues at hand. Ms Foster and members of the Executive will visit Dublin next Monday for talks with the Taoiseach and Ministers on how the common travel area might be protected, along with the free movement of goods and services.