On January 1, 2021, the Northern Ireland Protocol, part of the Brexit withdrawal agreement, came into effect, creating a trade border between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom. The protocol was designed to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland, but it caused significant political and economic disruption in Northern Ireland. The protocol became a major source of tension between unionists and nationalists, challenging the stability of the peace process.

The Northern Ireland Protocol, with its complex legal and political implications, became a subject of poetic reflection, with writers exploring the themes of borders, identity, and sovereignty. Poets like Sinead Morrissey and others engaged with the concept of a 'sea border,' using their work to question the meaning of nationhood in a post-Brexit context. The protocol's impact on Northern Ireland's constitutional status continues to inspire poetic inquiry.