Opinion

Republicans died to achieve what is now before us – Irish reunification

Rejoice, the English are going home. The recent shenanigans in Westminster has confirmed that which we always knew about Northern Ireland – if it suits the English, we are expendable. Boris Johnson and his allies displayed a total disregard for what they are had promised beforehand and made plain to the whole of the UK that English Conservatism will eventually do whatever is needed to get Little England out of the clutches of Europe.

It no longer matters whether we leave Europe or not on this occasion, the English have made it clear that Northern Ireland and the promises made to unionism do not count – Perfidious Albion has returned.


The quickest and surest way to ensure the breakup of the UK is to push and vote for leave at every chance we get. English nationalism is on the rise, let us support it and help it in any way we can. There will come a point, it may not be for a number of years yet, when England will say to the rest of the UK, “we are leaving Europe and if you want to come with us you can, if you want to stay, stay”. There will be plenty of work for bricklayers rebuilding Hadrian’s Wall.

The DUP overplayed their hand, walking in the corridors of power they believed the words of what they considered their natural allies in the Conservative Party. What they didn’t take into consideration was that Johnson is not driven by a desire to leave the EU, he is driven by a desire to be prime minister and if Northern Ireland has to be sacrificed for him to achieve his aim, then so be it.

Where do we go now? Surely it is time for us to begin to seek new alliances with our friends in the Republic and the EU. Unionism, the static unmovable force of bulwark Ulster, has not learnt that empire building has changed from the heydays of 1690. The deal that Boris negotiated opens the first real fissure in the Irish Sea. Empires, be they of Rome, Byzantine or Britain, do not last forever. We are living through the beginnings of the demise of the US world empire and we are witnessing the last kicks of the dying British Empire. Nationalist Ireland should do everything it can to help it on its way, but we should also do everything we can to build a fair and just society – unlike the old Northern Ireland – where everyone can feel at home and economic opportunity is open to all. In this agreement we are getting the best of both worlds, in the EU and out of the EU; only Northern Ireland could get itself into such a unique position.

Irish republicans fought and died to achieve what is now before us – the effective reunification of Ireland. The name British will never leave Northern Ireland but the English are finally going home.

TURLOUGH QUINN


Portglenone, Co Antrim

Time to call an end to ‘bear pit’ mentality on our TV screens

I found it heartening to read the comments of Wilson Burgess – ‘Nolan Show has run its course’ (October 1). It was in my view quite appropriate. For some time now Mr Nolan’s show has covered various emotive topics. Nothing wrong with that you might think but I’m afraid the host’s approach, coupled with the pregnant pauses just doesn’t cut it with a lot of viewers.

Recently I watched the RTE’s Late Late Show and in complete contrast I witnessed an extremely harrowing interview with a young lady who suffered terrible abuse for most of her life. However, it was the way the host Ryan Tubridy showed his wonderful humane side in putting his vulnerable guest at ease and only would prefer certain questions only if they were comfortable enough to answer them.


I understand fully that there are members of the public who can’t get enough of these ‘sensational’ programmes. I believe that you have to be so responsible when tackling extremely emotive subjects and not to let it become an exercise in massaging one’s ego, twinned with the obsession of getting higher audience figures.


Another observation I have made is that a lot of these live television shows offer free admission to the show. However, it has now reached the stage that the same faces seem to keep turning up in the audience.  Let us just say that some other contributors were quite nasty and abrasive and in my view this is just what the programme makers love to see. Maybe now there’s an argument that says that the general public should have to pay in future.

Maybe then we might see an end to this ‘bear pit’ mentality on our TV screens.

LAURENCE McDERMOTT


Belfast BT11

Fantasy trading claims

Atypical churlish rant from David McNarry – ‘Republic can not object when there is little sympathy in unionist air (October 14).

The UK is not the fifth largest economy as continually claimed by Brexit supporters.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) placed its position at seven in January.  A long-term decline that will not be halted by fantasy trading claims.

Britain is no longer strong in manufacturing. The primary source of its wealth over many centuries was the exploitation of other nations  – India ‘the Jewel in the Crown’.

Britain had success at banking until the crash of 2008. Will Brexit set banking free? A no-deal exit has the city of London worried as British banks may not be awarded free passport rights to work freely across Europe.

There is nothing special in London’s clay soil that makes it exclusively suitable to banking. Other European cities, Amsterdam, Paris, Munich, Frankfurt and Dublin are frequently mentioned as competent relocation sites. It will enhance banking to have a better spread around the European continent and less reliable on a city outside the EU 27.

It should be remembered that the arrival of the Dutch in 1688 ie William of Orange assisted the creation of the ‘precious union’.  It has had a good run for 300 years.

A nasty English nationalism is now retreating inwards. This is welcome news for the Celtic nations.

BRIAN WILSON


Craigavon, Co Armagh

Abortion protest not a stunt

I write to correct anyone who thinks the recall to Stormont on Monday was just a DUP political stunt. It only became a stunt last week when Sinn Féin’s Michelle O’Neill decided it was, and the other pro-abortion parties then started repeating the accusation. I can assure Sinn Féin, SDLP and Alliance that the 20,000 people who marched against this Sinn Féin-sponsored abortion deal with the British, and the thousands more, including myself, who campaigned tirelessly over the last five months to halt the changes to abortion laws in Northern Ireland were not DUP stool pigeons nor were they participating in a stunt. To say otherwise is an insult to those who value all lives – born and unborn.

JOHN AUSTIN


Limavady, Co Derry