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Recusants of the past

Inappropriate use of term

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The Irish Times - Letters to the Editor.

Sir, – In an otherwise valuable defence of Ireland’s recent engagement with EU institutions, it was disappointing to see Barry Andrews MEP refer to Poland and Hungary as “recusants” (“Ignore the negativity. Michael McGrath’s new job is a win for Ireland”, Opinion, September 18th).

Mr Andrews uses “recusant” to criticise these countries for their governments’ shaky record on democracy, human rights and the rule of law. He must know (given our own Daniel O’Connell’s role as “the Liberator”) that recusants were members of a persecuted religious minority – Catholics (and non-conforming Protestants) in the United Kingdom between the Reformation and Catholic Emancipation.

It is inappropriate to conflate the victims of sectarian persecution with the reasonable criticisms he levels at the governments in question – all the more so given the substantial Catholic populations of both countries. – Yours, etc,

ALAN EUSTACE,

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Assistant professor,

School of Law,

Trinity College Dublin.