Opinion

Feeney's long wake

HAVE never met Brian Feeney but If I ever do I will be prompted to extend my hand and say: "I am sorry for your trouble Brian".

Since he began writing for The Irish News hardly a month goes by (latest being February 11) that he does not refer to the demise of the SDLP. Ever since 1992 when his SDLP colleague Joe Hendron defeated him to win the party nomination to contest the Westminster Election in West Belfast Brian's attitude towards his former colleagues has greatly changed.

Defeat can be devastating but given as in sport or following election counts nothing can be changed.

It should only be a short-term feeling otherwise, if allowed to fester, the consequences can become a permanent and unhealthy condition. Brian Feeney is obviously a clever man but it is difficult to understand why he should allow a perceived unsatisfactory outcome back in 1992 to gnaw continuously at his innermost feelings.

As for his regular comments regarding the death of the SDLP, the words by Mark Twain come to mind. When commenting on his reported death, Twain said: "The report of my death was an exaggeration". Brian should have a re-think regarding his long time prediction of the death of the SDLP, otherwise he is forcing himself into living through the longest wake in Irish history.

S McKEEVER

Newtownabbey, Co Antrim