Eamon Hanna’s letter (May 23) was as comical as it was ahistorical. He condemns Parnell for working with the deplorable Rhodes but ignores the fact that Redmond implored Irish men to fight for the empire that committed genocide and implemented separate development in Zimbabwe. Also he dismisses historical research by professionals in Oxford while offering platitudes with no supporting evidence. He spoke of the 1918 and 1921 mandates expiring yet disingenuously insinuates that somehow Sunningdale 2’s mandate is timeless and never will expire. On the American Civil War he implies that all Northern Republicans were abolitionists and that all Southern Democrats were wedded to slavery. This simply isn’t true. Lincoln wrote to Horace Greeley that if he could have won the war without freeing the slaves he would have done so, Lincoln also believed African Americans should be deported to Africa and he never freed his own slaves. Ulysses S Grant owned a slave plantation called White Haven and drove all Ashkenazim Jews out of his military district. Robert E Lee by contrast believed in abolition. The Confederate Army did not segregate, unlike the Union, and was the first institution in America to pay African Americans equally in relation to European Aryans.
Wolfe Tone’s life amounted to far more than a failed plan to annex Hawaii. Also it makes Edward Fitzgerald no less heroic that, prior to his republican activities, he previously had fought for the British during the American Revolutionary War. Connelly like Fitzgerald fought for the British before his ultimate sacrifice for the Republic. In any case if Eamon Hanna is such a republican then why is seeking to denigrate those who advocated uniting Protestant, Catholic and Dissenter to create a cordial union between all the people of Ireland? Is it any coincidence that he sought to deride a well regarded and much loved Anglican figure among republicans?
Can he explain how O’Connell was absolutely opposed to violence when he perpetrated horrific violence against the Society of United Irishmen and the people of Ireland as a whole?
Also he goes further and calls sectarian six county veto a core aim of the SDLP. This proves my point that the SDLP are more unionist than they are republican. It also shows that the SDLP don’t believe in cherishing all the children of the nation equally oblivious to differences carefully fostered by an alien government as the SDLP acquiesces to that alien government dividing this province and the country on a sectarian headcount.
If Eamon Hanna’s ‘knowledge’ of history was not seriously lacking he would’ve remembered Thatcher’s out, out, out dismissal of the New Ireland Forum proposals. He unwittingly highlighted that a British premier effectively vetoed the people of Ireland’s wishes. In any case the New Ireland Forum federal proposal was not akin to Éire Nua. This also shows where the power lies in setting the de facto position in this country. Eamon Hanna can project and gas light about myself lacking historical knowledge but it is clear that ‘reading history backwards’ is preferable to not reading history at all.
EAMONN MacGRIANNA
Beal Feirste BT11
Humility not arrogance needed during Brexit talks
I hear Theresa May’s repeated claim that somehow the other 27 EU countries will be very impressed, not to mention somewhat intimidated, by a strong Tory government in the aftermath of Thursday’s election.
It makes you wonder what planet the Tories are on.
Imagine the message received by the rest of Europe just under a year ago.
We, proud Britishers that we are, don’t wish to be associated with you lot any longer. We will be a lot better off without you. In fact, you’ve been holding us back for years and primarily we wish, in future, to keep as many of you out of Britain as we can.
Now let’s not be prissy and let’s get down to giving Britain the kind of deal that we deserve. And so, the scene is set. Sadly, any British delegation is set for stormy waters whether they be Tory, Labour or other. The Europeans simply see Britishers who voted across the political spectrum to get out of their club and, I suspect, negotiations will be hard-nosed irrespective of who leads for Britain.
It won’t have escaped the notice of all Europeans that the Tories through internal faction fighting not only brought about a referendum but that senior figures proceeded to mislead vulnerable and ill-informed people and thus achieved their aim.
In short, any Britisher will get a tough reception in Brexit negotiations but a Tory has much less chance of concessions. Jeremy Corbyn has a certain humility about him and let’s face it Britain will get the deal the Europeans believe to be best for the est of Europe. Jeremy’s humility in contrast to Tory arrogance, might just win a small handful of sweeties for Britain.
KIERAN McMULLAN
Randalstown, Co Antrim
SF can’t take credit for ‘new dynamic’ on partition
When I read the report of the Sinn Féin election manifesto launch (May 23) I couldn’t help thinking about Patrick Murphy’s comment (May 20) where he stated: “Dublin politicians have made an amazing discovery. It is called the border.
Almost 100 years since Britain imposed it and 20 years after nationalists voted to keep it, the great and the good in Dublin have discovered that partition is real and not just an election slogan.”
The same applies to Sinn Féin. Their manifesto states “the imposition of Brexit and cuts from the Tories demonstrates the unjust and undemocratic nature of partition and the union. Ending partition has now taken on a new dynamic following the Brexit referendum.”
If this is true, then surely as a republican party, supposedly wanting an end to partition, they should have campaigned for Brexit. The opposite was the case and if Sinn Féin’s position, anti-Brexit, had won the referendum, there would not be that ‘new dynamic” for ending partition. They can hardly claim the credit for it being on the agenda now.
SEAMUS McALORAN
Belfast BT15
Failure of Catholic Church
While I share JDP McAllion’s views on abortion (May 30) Sinn Féin, just like all the other nationalist parties in Ireland – Fianna Fáil, Fianna Gael etc – all have the same views on the abortion issue. Where does the blame for this lie? Firmly and squarely on the shoulders of the Catholic Church in this country whose abject failure to preach and teach the Catholic faith and its values for many years now.
During last year’s same sex marriage referendum there were some priests who called from the pulpit for a yes vote and received no censure from any of their superiors.
So blame should be apportioned not just to Sinn Féin but for the refusal of the Catholic bishops here to ensure proper leadership to their flock.
D FINNEGAN
Newry, Co Down
