It is remarkable to see continuing misunderstanding of ‘England Get Out of Ireland’ banners in St Patrick’s Day parades. Horrified reactions about mass unionist emigration or renewed armed struggle are wrong, simplistic, and perhaps, to use Naomi Long’s words “profoundly stupid”. Events like the ongoing Brexit fiasco, Karen Bradley’s blunders and the crown’s legacy strategy, show the true meaning goes to the heart of Ireland’s problems.
‘England Get Out of Ireland’ first and foremost is an expression of support for a sovereign 32-county united Ireland, but the meaning goes far deeper. The specific mention of England recognises that British rule from Westminster really serves English interests rather than the interests of all Irish people.
The main inspiration, according to Michael Flannery, who helped compose the wording, was Wolfe Tone’s aim “to break the connection with England” by means of “uniting Protestant, Catholic and Dissenter”. Rather than attacking unionists it invites them to take equal citizenship in a united nation serving all Irish people, instead of giving allegiance to British hegemony based on sectarian privilege.
Why should any republican hesitate to stand behind those words? Surely this is a legitimate aspiration and analysis. It is especially ironic to see the reaction from quarters whose slogan seems to be ‘Ulster Says No’.
The slogan was formulated in 1948, when there was neither an armed campaign nor Hunger Strike and Westminster ruled through a one-party Orange State. The words remained true, as Westminster introduced sectarian power-sharing to defuse the IRA campaign in the 1970s. Banners are carried proudly today by many contingents, who see Stormont dormant more than two years because of “deliberate provocation, arrogance and disrespect”.
Look at the Brexit fiasco which threatens disaster for Ireland north and south. Ireland got little say and less thought, as England voted fears about immigrants, European regulations and the loss of empire glory days. Brexit policies are set to suit English politics. Ireland is collateral damage. Why does May’s major concern about Ireland, seem limited to DUP votes?
Karen Bradley was appointed six county secretary before ever visiting the north. She did not even know about historic links between religion and political allegiances. With Ballymurphy Massacre Inquest testimony making headlines, an oblivious Bradley told Westminster, crown force killings were not crimes. Would blundering Bradley be kept if the north mattered more than her parliamentary vote?
Why does Britain deny and delay legacy truth as family members die, 21 years after the GFA?
Those who cannot understand the relevance of ‘England Get Out of Ireland’ simply refuse to understand the reality at the heart of Ireland’s problems.
MARTIN GALVIN
New York
British government places no value on Irish lives
It must be a great consolation to the relatives of those slaughtered on Bloody Sunday in Derry and in Ballymurphy, that they were shot down in a dignified and appropriate manner by the cowardly thugs of the Parachute Regiment.
If further proof was needed that Karen Bradley isn’t fit for the job, this statement was it. How cruel, how insensitive, how inhuman can she be to those long suffering relatives.
The DUP posed the question in Parliament, but it wouldn’t surprise me if they also had a hand in scripting the answer too.
When David Cameron made his belated apology 40 years after the event, it was designed to draw a line under the brutal and illegal act, and the relatives were supposed to be hugely impressed. As one commentator noted, he had apologised and his apology had been accepted.
What the people in this part of Ireland must realise is that the British place no value on Irish lives, be the men, women or children. They have shown that they’re prepared to gun down the people in the streets of their cities and towns, apologise 40 years later and the broken hearted families are supposed to suck it up.
The Derry people had the absolute gall to hold a civil rights march in their own city.
Why didn’t they already have civil rights after eight centuries of continuous foreign rule?
How much longer were they supposed to wait?
The Irish people must see by now that they’ll never get justice from the British.
They will have to take their courage come border poll time and make the border disappear, take control of the motherland and map out their own destiny be they Catholic, Protestant or Dissenter.
SEAMUS MacDAIBHID
Dungiven, Co Derry
There are better options to globalisation
I can’t see what’s so bad about a No Deal and the UK making its own trade deals with whoever it wants under World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules. A focus on domestic production would be healthy. Why should we desire the import of products we can produce in the UK anyway? Cheapness has always been a Trojan Horse.
It may be advantageous in the short-term to import cheap meat or cheap milk, for example, but in the long-term we will pay through the teeth for these items.
If the UK loses its farming industry or its farming industry is drastically shrunk by cheap imports and we lose our ability to meet the UK demand for farming produce and we then become dependent on the importation of farming produce, we will see that produce spiral upwards in price. We only need to import what we can’t produce in the UK.
So, maybe we need to trade less with the world and promote domestic production? However, the profit imperative in the economy disallows for this focus on domestic production. If only we could analyse the nature of global economics as we have with Brexit then we might realise there are better alternatives to globalisation and the insane pursuit of profit rather than production for human need.
LOUIS SHAWCROSS
Hillsborough, Co Down
Ruthless code of practice
Regarding the sacking of Laurence Kirkpatrick, correct me if I am wrong, but what I heard the professor say on the Talkback programme was that he would be horrified if the position of the Presbyterian Church on same-sex relationships were the only viewpoint to be taught in Union College.
The disciplinary procedures of the Presbyterian Church are, according to the Code, to be carried out with tenderness and compassion. In fact they are ruthless, even stooping to the kind of evidence gathering employed by Jezebel in the case of Naboth. I wouldn’t be surprised if they just chucked the Professor into the Lagan to see if he floats.
F ATKINS
Armagh City
Man’s world? I don’t think so
Anne Hailes (March 18) stated that it is certainly a man’s world. I disagree.
When a man is born they ask: “How is the mother?”
When a man gets married they say: “Isn’t she a beautiful bride.” And when a man dies they ask: “How much did he leave her?” A man’s world? I don’t think so.
JACK CAMPBELL
Glengormley, Co Antrim
