Opinion

Good gracious, a Fermanagh captain prepared to abandon ship

I had high hopes and nothing but good wishes for Arlene Foster, and was proud that a Fermanagh native had become first minister.

I had the pleasure of meeting her several times over the years, before and after she became first minister, at Washington functions. She was out-going, friendly and gracious.


This impressive lady is going to banish the unpleasant memory of the other famous Fermanagh unionist leader Basil Brooke (1888-1973), I remember thinking to myself.

And, now, I find out that Arlene on her own words would do what Basil Brooke would never have done – flee the north if she does not get her own way. She says she would abandon those whom she leads when Ireland is inevitably united.

Good gracious, a Fermanagh captain abandoning ship.

Whereas Basil Brooke (who became prime minister 1943-1963) was in 1940 even prepared to ask Churchill to offer a United Ireland as the price of defeating Hitler and thus save the British Empire.

Arlene, it appears, is prepared to do what Carson (a Dublin man) did –  abandon Protestants. In the Carson case, the Protestants that were abandoned were in counties Donegal, Cavan and Monaghan.


In 1920, Carson in the British Parliament declared (backed and egged on by the top British leaders) that not only Ireland had to be partitioned but Ulster as well. Because including counties Donegal, Cavan and Monaghan would mean too many Catholics in the new artificial state of Northern Ireland:

“We have to refer in these matters to Protestants and Catholics – we should only be making the very greatest camouflage of argument if we did not treat them in that way. On the other hand, while you would leave out 70,000 [Protestants]who are in these three counties [Donegal, Cavan, and Monaghan] you would bring in from these three counties into the northern province an additional 260,000 Roman Catholics.” (Edward Carson. Westminster, May 18, 1920).

To get his own way, Carson in 1920 was prepared to sell out the Protestants of counties Donegal, Cavan and Monaghan. And, equally, the treasonous Carson in 1914 conspired with Germany to arm unionists to fight His Majesty’s forces. No wonder Teddy Roosevelt, who couldn’t abide traitors, declared Carson should have been shot by His Majesty’s government. Instead, Carson in 1915 was made attorney general in the British coalition government.

And, now, Captain Arlene Foster is going to abandon the Good Six County Ship as the currents of historical necessity and modernity ineluctably steer it closer to the rest of Ulster, Connaught, Munster and Leinster.

Would the late Dr Paisley, God rest him, ever have said he would abandon the people he led or would he have said: ‘Never, never, never’ ?

Fr SEAN McMANUS


President Irish National Caucus


Washington DC

Saddened by Sinn Féin’s abandonment of principles

Article 40.3.3 of the Irish Constitution, better known as the Eighth Amendment was passed in a referendum in 1983 by 67 per cent of the Irish people, the north excluded. It reads: “The state acknowledges the right to life of the unborn and, with due regard to the life of the mother, guarantees in its laws to respect and, as far as practicable, by its laws to defend and vindicate that right.”

As part of their enthusiastic campaign to have that amendment repealed, Sinn Féin have denied their TDs their republican right to vote on this issue according to their consciences. It would seem reasonable, therefore, that Sinn Féin should now go the whole anti-republican hog and initiate a campaign to repeal article 44.2.1 of the constitution, which reads: “Freedom of conscience and the free profession and practice of religion are, subject to public order and morality, guaranteed to every citizen,” (the north excluded, of course.)

I have noted that Mary Lou makes much of the fact that there are a broad range of views and opinions within Sinn Féin which I am sure is correct but that members must obey the party whip. It is beyond me as to how she can expect someone who considers that life begins at the moment of conception to be part of a mechanism that provides for the destruction of human life.

From I was a young child I have always cherished my Irish identity and in particular those noble patriots who gave their lives for a future free Ireland. As an Irish republican I am saddened by the Sinn Féin abandonment of principles that were enshrined in the Easter Proclamation and in particular by the departure of the commitment to ‘cherish all the children of the nation equally’. 

KEVIN McGILL


Dungiven, Co Derry 

Abject failure of career politicians

While those who preached Peace in Northern Ireland, while running the Middle East to the ground, pat their back and take selfies in Belfast, let’s examine the abject failure to achieve a society based on mutual respect:

1. The brain drain from Northern Ireland led to the emergence of the ‘Victim Classes’ that sought vengeance on ‘themuns’. Orange and Green militants voted on the basis of their sectarian agenda. 

2. The ‘open borders’ policy set up by the European Union has enabled cheap labour to arrive in Northern Ireland, at the expense of local workers. The statistics about ‘Catholics set to outnumber Protestants’ are misleading as most EU migrants are from Catholic nations.

3. The ‘war on terror’ has been used by unionists to curry favour with the British and Americans in order to receive grace and favours. While – at the same time – nationalists have become too wet Liberal. Globalism has shaped our political mindset in a myriad of ways.

The abject failure of our career politicians to accept the fundamental differences between Gaels and Britons is the root cause of all the political process’ problems.

DESMOND DEVLIN


Ardboe, Co Tyrone

Typical British valour

If Assad used chemical weapons on some of his own citizens then that is clearly wrong. What, however, gives the US, Britain and France the right to be the world’s police. Let’s not forget, for example, the US use of agent Orange in Vietnam that impacted on the health of millions. The DUP in its usual true blue loyalism supported the British government action and Nigel Dodds said: “First and foremost we salute the courage of our brave servicemen and women. They have carried out their duty with typical discipline and valour.” Can I just say that Britain fired eight Storm Shadow cruise missiles during the operation which are fire and forget missiles that can be fired from a range of 300 miles without the pilots of the Tornado aircraft having to go anywhere near Syrian territory. 

The British would never have had the nerve to carry out such an attack if it was not relying on the protection of the US. How brave.

SEAN O'FIACH


Belfast BT11

A clear contradiction

Further to her personal views (March 24) I would like to inform Mary Lou McDonald that one does not legislate by theology but the study of God can support that task.

While she states: “I don’t want Catholic laws” – a reminder of Henry VIII – she nevertheless wants laws to “serve and accommodate everybody and protect everybody”.

I see a clear contradiction here – what about he protection of the right to life of the unborn?

Mary Lou McDonald states that Sinn Féin will be campaigning for the repeal of the Eighth Amendment which protects the rights of the unborn. So where does that leave the silent, vulnerable, unborn child?  How and where will they get a voice without Catholic input?

M HAYES


Belfast BT7