Sir, – The article “Partition offers a lesson in the dangers of creative ambiguity” by Diarmaid Ferriter (Opinion, December 16th) confirmed a theory, even belief, that the boundary commission set up in the wake of the Anglo Irish Treaty of 1921 was a farce right from the start; in that it was a cynical arrangement by the British and the unionists to thwart any change in the agreed border, other than, as Diarmaid Ferriter ponted out, a large slice of Donegal being added to the six counties.
The leaders of unionism did everything in their power not to have the commission meet and it took five years before it was even appointed, its chairman being an English-born South-African who contrary to the perceived notion that he was unbiased, was anything but, leaning heavily towards the unionist position.
Of course the Irish side didn’t help their cause by appointing Eoin McNeill, he of the countermanding of the Rising (and an Ulsterman to boot) who was putty in the hands of the unionists.
If ever there was a case of going through the motions, surely that was one, as the outcome was determined long before the Commission even met. – Yours, etc,
PETER PALLAS,
Bantry, Co Cork.