Sir, – Ian Elliott suggests the introduction, or reintroduction, of the Order of St Patrick for the island of Ireland (Letters, September 15th).
The last thing we need within a republic is an awards system supposedly honouring some citizens above others. If the example of the United Kingdom is anything to go by, we would end up with awards being made to aging actors and TV personalities by virtue of the fact that they have lived long enough, the winning captains of each year’s All-Ireland teams, musicians in favour with the establishment, and retiring taoisigh, regardless of their performance in office. Then we would have the window-dressing of naming a lollipop man, dinner lady, or sports coach above their peers doing equally worthwhile work. That’s all without selecting recipients to ensure parity of gender, geography, ethnicity and social class. We’ll not even think about political influence or bias. Thank you but no thanks. We’ve managed for 100 years just fine without an honours system. – Yours, etc,
PAT MULLEN,
Kilkerley,
Co Louth.
Sir, – Contrary to Ian Elliott (Letters, September 15th) the Order of St Patrick did not end in 1922. Three appointments were made after that year: the then Prince of Wales ( later Edward VIII) was made a knight in 1927, and his younger brother, the Duke of Gloucester, was appointed in 1934.
The last appointment, that of the Duke of York (later George VI), occurred on St Patrick’s Day, 1936.
Mr Elliott’s idea that the Order (which appears to be dormant rather than dead) should be revived is not a new one: the first Lord Brookeborough tried to have it restored during his period as prime minister of Northern Ireland. – Yours, etc,
CDC ARMSTRONG,
Belfast.