Sir, – Philip Flynn (September 19th) takes a swipe at unionists when he writes: “So let me clear it up for unionists: 1. “There is no equality of historically appalling behaviour as between unionist treatment of nationalists in Northern Ireland and the Irish State’s history”.
Mr Flynn fails to recall the appalling behaviour of IRA dissidents in the South of Ireland who made life unbearable for Irish Protestants in the Republic, during and just after the War of Independence in 1921.
Towards the end of that war, Protestant families, particularly those living in remote areas of the country, were singled out for rough treatment. Many had their farmhouses burnt to the ground as a warning to their kinfolk.
Many were hauled from their beds and shot dead based on trumped-up charges that they were colluding with the RIC. Catholic friends were afraid to give support to their Protestant neighbours for fear of reprisal.
There is evidence that some of these attacks were sanctioned by IRA leaders. Ordinary Protestant farmers saw no future for their families in what was, without doubt, a cold house for Protestants and made their way to the relative safety of Northern Ireland.
So yes, Mr Flynn, unionists did behave appallingly in Northern Ireland post 1922, but feelings of resentment and hatred were triggered by the activities of marauding IRA dissidents in the Republic of Ireland. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – The voice of Michael Lillis (September 19th) should be heeded as he is one of the architects of the agreements (Anglo-Irish, Belfast, St Andrew’s) that have brought us such an amazing and unexpected peace. We welcome the loyalist apology of last week which was hailed as “unprecedented” and offers hope of a peaceful march on Saturday week.
However, apology cannot be a one-way street. Rather does one good turn deserve another.
Everybody knows that certain figures in Fianna Fáil paid some people to break away from the very socialist IRA of the 1960s. One condition was that they would not criticise Fianna Fáil. At the time it was said that the now “Official” IRA members went to Mass once a year while the Provisionals went once a week. The leader of Fine Gael could apologise for this; but surely it is more important that Micheál Martin would do so.
I doubt if it would be possible at present, but ought it not be part of the agenda for producing a new and purified Fianna Fáil? I wonder has Mr Martin ever engaged with any loyalist groups as Albert Reynolds did.
A hundred years ago, people thought that they were on the theshold of a Home Rule Ireland. Nationalist leaders, however, gave little thought to the place of the Protestants in an Ireland ruled by a Catholic majority. Just once John Redmond said that they should have “Home Rule inside Home Rule”, but nothing concrete was put forward. We know now the elaborate arrangements that would have required. I think that it is a task Ireland should face now. A power-sharing executive for the whole of Ireland would bring about an agreed united Ireland. For this we will need more Michael Lillises. – Yours, etc,