Sir, - I'm a Northerner, a Catholic and a Nationalist. I have lived in Dublin and Co Kildare for more than 20 years. I feel that this is my home as much as my native Antrim. Over these 20 years I have known and worked with hundreds - thousands - of Southerners. I have never found that there was a widespread anti-Northern spirit in this part of the country. People take me as they find me. For some my being a Northerner is even something of an attraction. I have met a few people who have displayed a bias and shown irritation at the very sound of my voice. But these are very few. You always find some parochialism and xenophobia in every population. Now I am being told in the media that being a Northern, Catholic nationalist might make voters here dubious about me if I wanted to seek high office. From my own experience I don't believe that's true. If it were true I think something very sad must have happened in our country. Tell me, from what else might my origins disqualify me? - Yours, etc.,
From Alan McGuckian SJ
Leinster Road, Dublin 6