I am unaware of any other occasion in our history, when the Catholic hierarchy of the day went out of their way to give the most fulsome praise to a public figure of Anglo-Irish ascendancy stock, when they described Wellington as ‘the most distinguished of Ireland’s sons’, ‘a hero’, and ‘as a man selected by the Almighty to break the soul which scourged Europe’ ie Napoleon (who had imprisoned the Pope) (Pastoral Letter, January 9 1830). That judgment made in the wake of Wellington as prime minister having the unique prestige to push Catholic emancipation past both the king and the House of Lords and ignoring the Brunswick Constitutional Clubs that sprung up all over Ireland in 1828 to stop it, has far more validity than the attempt to retrofit any particular set of modern values so as to damn him. It is more than sufficient reason why Wellington’s memory in Ireland should stand and indeed be more respected.
In 1793, the Irish Parliament was successfully pressured by the British government to extend votes to Catholics (with a property qualification). The young Arthur Wellesley MP articulated the prevailing opinion that it was not necessary to go further at that point and allow them to become MPs. That was wrong, but he was a pragmatist, not a bigot on matters of religion. He counted the clergy of Spain and Portugal as amongst his most valuable allies, and on one occasion at least heard Mass, and encouraged his soldiers, if they entered churches, to attend Mass as well.
Brian Patterson (August 25) calls Wellington ‘a killer’. He does not apply that term to Napoleon, who was far more responsible for human carnage on the grand scale and who, it is reported, told the Austrian Foreign Minister Metternich: ‘For a man like me, a million dead do not count’ (René Sédillot on the cost of the French revolution). His wars, especially post-1806-7, when he had largely conquered Europe, were not defensive. He just did not know when to stop. He later accepted that he should never have invaded Spain and Portugal. Of the 500,000 French troops that invaded Russia, also quite unnecessarily, two-thirds never came home, more of them dying of cold, hunger and disease than in battle..His was not the way to unite Europe.
I would never rely on right-wing British historians, most of whom I do not read.
I read the balanced histories, including French ones. A difficult reconciliation of traditions will be needed to underpin a united Ireland and will have a historical dimension. We should not spurn the potential commonalities that are already to hand, in favour of completely one-sided narratives.
MARTIN MANSERGH
Co Tipperary
Newry has public toilet shortage
Newry prides itself on its city status and yet its only purpose built toilets were at Railway Avenue to the west which remained closed for many years eventually to be destroyed by fire and the other at Newry Market.
Other toilets the public opt to use freely include the ones at Newry library and at Translink Bus Station all east of Newry Canal with the busy west end of our city left for many years with no accessible council purpose-built public toilets.
In contrast if you look at Banbridge and Armagh both of these places have excellent central purpose built non-communal public toilets, with Banbridge during a major refurbishing of Solitiude Park back in 2009 their council provided a row of six new toilets.
Today our council is eager to build a civic centre east of Newry Canal amidst a campaign to introduce an expensive DNA testing in relation to dog fouling and despite these plans the ordinary folk of our city are being denied their basic human needs that of public toilets in the west of Newry preferably at Monaghan Street.
There is clearly a disconnect between our elected representatives and those who put them into power with councillors wishing to spend millions of pounds on a civic centre and declaring war on dog fouling – the latter no doubt a necessity.
Yet when many of us are caught short we become dependent on the rare permission and Christian charity of local businesses.
To this end its about time our council sat down and worked this public toilet shortage problem out and a notice of motion from one of our councillors to resolve to build new public toilets in an area of great need would be a start.
JOHN McCABE
Newry, Co Down
SF has no strategy for a united Ireland
I remember in the run-up to the Good Friday Agreement republican spokespersons were predicting that by 2016 and possibly by 2012 there would be a united Ireland as a result of demographic changes and that if there was a peaceful way to achieve a united Ireland that republicans had a moral duty to try it. Now in 2020 Michelle O’Neill is predicting that because of Brexit there will be a united Ireland within the next 10 years, a reasonably short period of time to persuade republicans not to be too frustrated but long enough so that in 10 years time no-one will remember her prediction. What is interesting though is the suggestion that a united Ireland would come about as a result of Brexit and not because of anything that Sinn Féin has done or will do. What is abundantly clear from this prediction and previous predictions is that Sinn Féin has absolutely no strategy for a united Ireland and is totally dependent on external factors that it played no role in to bring about a united Ireland.
What’s equally clear is that Sinn Féin’s policy of normalisation following the GFA has only diminished and curbed the appetite for a united Ireland.
This is simply as a result of its zeal to help Britain to administer its rule here. In typical fashion, Boris flew into Belfast recently to give Michelle O’Neill and Arlene Foster their latest instructions. What an embarrassing scenario that should be for anyone trying to pretend they are an Irish republican.
SEAN O’FIACH
Belfast BT11
Talk PANTS campaign
It can be a daunting prospect to talk to our children about sexual abuse. It isn’t as straightforward as talking to them about crossing roads or dealing with strangers.
But while we all hope that our children will never be a victim of such crimes, we know that sexual abuse does happen.
The PSNI recorded more than 460 sexual offences against children aged four to eight during 2019/20,
While it’s never the responsibility of a child to keep themselves safe from sexual abuse, talking PANTS helps children to understand they have a right to safety and supports them to recognise when something isn’t okay and how to tell someone.
The NSPCC’s Talk PANTS campaign, promoted through the popular dinosaur character?Pantosaurus, helps protect young children by teaching them that: Privates are private;?Always remember your body belongs to you;?No means no;?Talk about secrets that upset you; and Speak up, someone can.
MARGARET GALLAGHER
NSPCC, Northern Ireland
