Sir, – Tom Cooper (Letters, April 26th) is worried that if Ireland joined the Commonwealth it would lead to the “re-Britishing” of the country. Such concerns are not borne out by the experience of the 50-odd member-states of the Commonwealth, a majority of them republics, who maintain their distinct national identifies alongside membership of an organisation that hasn’t been called “British” since 1949.
The Commonwealth is an association of free, democratic and sovereign states. Indeed, in the 1920s and 1930s the Irish Free State played a crucial role in the transformation of the Commonwealth from a form of the British empire into an independent organisation. By agreement of the member states the queen is head of the Commonwealth, but only as the symbol of a free association of independent countries.
Members of the Commonwealth share a common heritage and history, including an Irish diaspora of some 20 million people. The values of the Commonwealth are the same as those of the Irish state – democracy, peace, human rights, sustainable development and the rule of law.
Of course, the Commonwealth is not some ideal organisation: it has problems of its own, not least the failure of some states to live up to the obligations of membership. But its aspirations are as admirable as its practical activities. As a member Ireland could make a significant contribution to the further realisation of the Commonwealth’s values and ideas.
A decision to join would be commensurate with those developments in British-Irish relations that seem to cause Mr Cooper so much anxiety: the reciprocal state visits of Queen Elizabeth and President Higgins and the invitation to members of the British royal family to attend the 100th anniversary commemoration of 1916.
Ireland’s membership of the Commonwealth would also build more bridges to the unionist community in Northern Ireland, where it would be seen as a significant gesture of reconciliation.
To paraphrase Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the only thing to fear about the prospect of Ireland joining the Commonwealth is fear itself. Yours, etc,
PROF GEOFFREY
ROBERTS,
School of History,
University College Cork
Sir, – The call by a Conservative MP, Michael Fabricant, for Ireland to join the Commonwealth following the successful state visit to the UK of President Michael D Higgins is most welcome. Fine Gael’s Brian Hayes deserves the support of all Irish people who cherish the values of reconciliation, conflict resolution and peaceful cooperation.
The Commonwealth includes many republics as members. Ireland would not once again become a white Commonwealth dominion but remain a republic. In contrast to EU membership, membership of the Commonwealth would not affect Irish sovereignty, which constitutionally is a matter for the Irish people alone. A referendum would not be required.
Ireland is of course very “British” already, probably more so than most Commonwealth states other than the UK itself. This is due to to geography, economics, shared history over hundreds of years, movement of population in both directions, close family ties, the English language, and media penetration.
Have India, Pakistan, Nigeria, Ghana, and South Africa been “re-Britished”? Are Canada, New Zealand and Australia more “British” than they were in 1949? Commonwealth membership is a distinct issue from Anglo-Irish co-operation, but Ireland has closer political links and a more healthy relationship with the UK than ever before in her history due to Anglo-Irish rapprochement and the unprecedented co-operation necessitated by Republican terrorism over the last few decades.
Ireland’s presence in the Commonwealth would reassure many other nations with not dissimilar histories in what is a free association of states, many with substantial populations of Irish origin, all devoted to conflict resolution, peace, reconciliation, mutual co-operation and mutual support. Yours, etc,
JEREMIAH P WALSH,
Kew Green,
Richmond,
Surrey
Sir, – Elements of the political class seem to believe the Commonwealth is some sort of effective international forum; it is not . Last year, despite herculean efforts by William Hague, it could not even agree on the decriminalisation of homosexuality. Commonwealth membership made sense when we had dominion status and were able to secure the “freedom to achieve freedom” under the Statute of Westminster 1931 . It is an absurd conservative relic in the 21st century. Yours, etc,
BRIAN DINEEN LLM,
Henry Street,
Limerick
Sir, – “I regard Ireland’s sovereignty as sacrosanct,” says Tom Cooper (Letters, April 26th).Tell that to the troika! Yours, etc,
PAUL DELANEY,
Beacon Hill,
Dalkey