Sir, – In his letter of May 13th, Shane Bergin comments as follows on liberals in Ireland: "They are under attack as are their values – education, rights, respect and ethics".
One would think from this that the Irish liberal community is a timid and besieged outpost.
But, on the contrary, it seems clear to me that the opposite is the case. Secular liberalism in Ireland is in rude good health and is aggressively on the front foot while the conservative traditional side sits timidly on the back foot.
The contest to win hearts and minds is waged in the media. A clear majority of prominent opinion formers in the media enthusiastically and continuously promote the liberal agenda, for example on abortion, euthanasia, post-nationalism and, above all, on removing religion (meaning Catholicism) from the public square.
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Conservatism in Ireland, although in a majority position, is currently disillusioned and disheartened. It will be interesting to see how things play out when it recovers its resolve. – Yours, etc,
WILLIAM REVILLE,
Waterfall,
Co Cork.