A chara, – Fintan O'Toole's commentary is often insightful and sometimes challenging, especially in dealing with issues of inequality and the negative social impact of conservatism.
However in his recent column (“Labour Party’s long road from tragedy to farce”, Opinion & Analysis, May 27th), Fintan displays a disturbing ambiguity when it comes to the scourge of sectarianism.
Describing as “irredentist” those who seek a peaceful, democratic, inclusive route to Irish unity, he fails to recognise that partition institutionalised sectarianism and sustained inequality for decades.
Sinn Féin makes no apologies for seeking to end partition, or for tackling sectarianism and inequality. For us, genuine national reconciliation is the cornerstone of building a new Republic that is pluralist, diverse and based on the equality of all citizens.
The Good Friday agreement provides a peaceful, democratic path to Irish unity through a referendum. Sinn Féin supports such a referendum and seeks an informed, inclusive and respectful debate on the merits of Irish unity as opposed to continued partition as part of such a process.
This is not about a sectarian headcount. It’s about building maximum consensus on the future options for this island and its people in all their diversity.
The future cannot be held hostage to threats of sectarian violence, which have no place in society and must be faced down by the primacy of politics and democracy. – Is mise,
GERRY ADAMS, TD
Sinn Féin President,
Kildare Street,
Dublin 2.
Sir, – That was a good analysis by Fintan O’Toole on the mistakes made by the Labour Party in 2011 and 1918, even if it is difficult to see how the country could have had a stable government for the last three years without Labour going into a coalition.
After the disasters of the previous three years, Fianna Fáil was hardly going to find itself asked if it would like to participate, and the voters had spoken in the election.
In every election following a coalition, the smaller partners have suffered – and some have even vanished.
Labour was hardly unaware that this scenario was not going to change. Sailing off into the sunset on a ministerial pension may be attractive, but we should not disregard the notion that there was some sense of public duty involved in the decision to enter coalition three years ago, irrespective of the probable consequences.
1918 was a disaster for the left in Irish politics, and the decision to give Sinn Féin a free run then condemned Labour to the role of also-rans in a conservative State for decades.
Fintan could have gone back further, to 1916, when the decision of the left in the form of Connolly and the Citizen Army to take part in what was largely a nationalist rebellion meant that when the country was being fashioned with the politics of Griffith, Cosgrave and de Valera in years to come, the left was marginalised.
It is suggested that Connolly had told his small force of Citizen Army men, and women, to hold unto their weapons should the Rising be successful, as there could be need for further action either in defence or attack against the new leaders of Ireland. He had nothing in common with those prospective new leaders, except the desire to force Britain out of Ireland. Pearse may have yearned for a blood sacrifice. It didn’t do Connolly’s politics, or the Labour Party of which he was the founder, any good. – Yours, etc,
MICHAEL HALLIDAY,
Clonard Drive,
Dublin16.
Sir, – Wow. Fintan O'Toole quoting Fintan O'Toole. Does it get more ex cathedra? – Yours, etc,
PAT NOLAN,
Maretimo Gardens,
Blackrock,
Co Dublin.
Sir, – Fintan O’Toole (as might be expected) sums up Labour’s current unenviable, if eminently predictable, situation: “Eamon Gilmore and his senior colleagues . . . knew very well that they were destroying the Labour Party and with it the honourable social democratic tradition it represented. They decided to do it anyway.” I respectfully submit that they be beaten over the head with this succinct observation at every available opportunity! – Yours, etc,
JD MANGAN,
Stillorgan Road,
Stillorgan,
Co Dublin.