Sir, - I agree with Dermot C. Clarke (December 23rd) about the difficulties of maintaining Irishness while abroad, especially in English-speaking countries or circles.
I have lived in three other countries besides my native Ireland, and have often found it hard to instil the fact that I am Irish, not British. In my experience, all things Irish have been largely ignored at best among British people or "joked" about at worst. My emotions on such occasions have ranged from mildly irritated to hopping mad!
Rejoining the Commonwealth (a legacy of the British Empire in which we fared so badly) would be an untimely, backward step for the Irish nation, which has now established itself in a modern, forward-looking institution called the European Union.
The Commonwealth is given great lip-service by the Queen, politicians and commentators. But many people from its member countries, often black, get a very cold reception in Britain and endure low status in that society.
By all means let us be friends and do business with Britain, but let us maintain our hard-won identity and prosperity.
Like Mr Clarke, my spouse is British, with wide horizons and sensitive to other countries' identities and cultures. I hope Bertie Ahern keeps a cool head on this question! - Yours, etc., Anne Gleave,
Rue de Rome, Lambersart, France.