Trevor Ringland’s assertion that partition was perhaps the best solution to the Irish question compounds my view unionists lack in-depth knowledge of Irish history or more probably expound their one-sided account. In 1918 over 72 per cent in Ireland voted to end British rule but democracy was cast aside by the threat of unionist violence.
Astoundingly he quotes Edward Carson saying in 1913 that persuasion rather than the threat of violence was the way forward. The same Carson who formed the UVF the same year and organised the import of German guns the following year.
Trevor says we should examine how “we all” got it wrong in our respective communities. On the run up to partition my 76-year-old blind grandmother, my grandparents and their five children were burned out of their home in 1921, along with 21 neighbours, at 7.30am. Two of their children fought in the First World War. Was their religion how they got it wrong?
I never set eyes on any of my four uncles, all having to emigrate because Carson advocated for the government of a Protestant state for the “province of Ulster”. Similar views were endorsed by Craigavon in 1934. No opportunities for them to stay like Trevor, who feels fortunate to live here. My father, a fully qualified engineer, lived 150 yards from Mackies Engineering Company. Numerous attempts for employment there failed, resulting in him going to Canada two days after his marriage. Sirocco Works, Ropeworks and the Shipyard among others adhered to the advice of not having a Catholic about the place. Trevor is right in saying partition was the right solution but for only one section of the community. There are mistakes made as he says, then there is blatant discrimination. Trevor assumes a million pro-unionists live here. The disaster of Brexit, a declining unionist population plus the forthcoming census figures will be interesting.
Carson obviously had no hope for this place after partition, moving to England after declaring: “What a fool I was. I was only a puppet, and so was Ulster, and so was Ireland, in the political game that was to get the Conservative Party into power”.
Does the promise of no border down the Irish Sea ring a bell?
TOMÁS Ó DUBHAGÁIN
Belfast BT11
Dangerous precedent
Reneging on an international treaty sets a very dangerous precedent. It is totally hypocritical to lambast China for breaking the Hong Kong agreement when you are also guilty of the same offence. The message transmitted is that laws are similar to an a la carte menu in that you can choose those to observe and those to reject.
This, in conjunction with the illegal proroguing of parliament and a top government adviser flouting pandemic regulations with impunity (which also applies to executive ministers) brings laws into disrepute with the general public.
It also triggers a double whammy as the EU are not going to waste time and energy to reach a deal if they know it can be breached in a year’s time in addition to damaging the UK’s standing in the world.
Some unionists support this breach but that should surprise no-one as it is in their DNA. In the past they have disrespected laws and sometimes opposed them with violence when they were not to their liking. Examples are trying to march down the Garvaghy Road when it has been banned, overthrowing the power-sharing executive in 1974 with violence and intimidation.
Of course the biggest incident was early in the last century when unionists refused to accept the Home Rule Bill that was progressing through parliament and were the first to import arms illegally in preparation for resistance by force the very parliament to which they professed loyalty. There are some who would contend that unionist loyalty to the UK is conditional and simply the optimum pragmatic way to frustrate a united Ireland.
Perhaps it is time to resurrect the prospect of an independent Northern Ireland. This could potentially appeal to a majority as unionists wouldn’t be part of a unified Ireland and nationalists wouldn’t be part of the UK. In a sink or swim scenario it might compel both sections to genuinely cooperate in order to survive.
GERARD O’BOYLE
South Molton, Devon
Perpetuating a myth
THE Gospel according to Trevor Ringland states – ‘Northern Ireland exists, get over it and get on with it’ (September 1). In essence Trevor is now telling us the solution to what he calls the Irish question is a continuation of the problem. Trevor’s preachings are well past their sell by date.
The “compromise” he speaks of a century ago was delivered at the point of a British gun accompanied by the threat of bloody war.
Those who were bequeathed the power to rule the new colony had no plans for a shared home place, quite the opposite. Under Carson they quickly set about organising a sectarian armed militia, plus the formation of a sectarian RUC police force and a Protestant parliament for a Protestant people and the consequences for the nationalist republican people cut off from their national hinterland meant a deprived life living in fear and oppression of unionist rule. Those were the original sins which caused the colonial mess. Sir Edward Carson publicly recognised that partition could only be temporary, and he would also have known the idea that one million-plus unionists could hold five million-plus nationalists and republicans to ransom was never going to last. Carson also came to recognise that he himself was a sucker in the Brits war in Ireland. With the writing now on the wall it might be time for others to recognise their folly of having been conned, rather than continue to perpetuate the myth that there is such a place as Northern Ireland.
LAURENCE O’NEILL
Martinstown, Co Antrim
Dry your eyes, lads
Does anyone else find it ironic that Sinn Féin, the SDLP and Alliance are bleating about the Brits breaking an international treaty over the Brexit withdrawal agreement? Are their memories so short that they forget that the last time the Good Friday Agreement was trashed, a mere few months ago, they lobbied for it?
SF visited the Mother of Parliaments in Westminster no less than three times, asking for the decriminalisation of abortion, against the expressed will of the people who live here. Colum Eastwood agreed. The consultation with the people who live here showed that 80 per cent of the thousands who responded were opposed to the change.
So dry your eyes, lads.
Cllr ANNE McCLOSKEY
Aontú, Derry and Strabane District Council
Clarion call for help
The occupation of two Debenhams on Tuesday by some of the Debenhams workers is a clarion call for help.
The taoiseach has called their treatment shabby. After the closure of Clearys the then government promised to bring in new legislation so workers could be treated with decency. How long do they have to wait?
PAUL DORAN
Clondalkin, Dublin 22
