Sir, – Newton Emerson suggests a new flag for a united Ireland having a harp on a blue background ("If the price of Irish unity was a new flag, would Sinn Féin agree to it?", Opinion and Analysis, August 19th). A golden harp, neither green nor orange, could work. – Yours, etc,
KEVIN McLOUGHLIN,
Ballina,
Co Mayo.
Sir, – In a proposed reunited Ireland, a letter writer (August 20th) suggests the best way to decide the issue of "flags, anthems, and all the rest would be to put it to a vote", with the majority to simply prevail over the minority.
Perhaps let us review the dysfunctional consequences of the majority simply ignoring the interests and views of the minority for the greater part of the 20th century in Northern Ireland, and consider whether it might be better to build a new Ireland based on a slightly different model. – Yours, etc,
IAN PAYNE,
Churchtown,
Dublin 14.