A chara, – Further to John A Murphy's "Why we should be wary of Sinn Féin in government" (Opinion & Analysis, July 9th), when will people like Prof Murphy actually accept the work that Gerry Adams has done, at great personal risk, in helping to bring peace to this island? Is it really too much for him to acknowledge?
Prof Murphy is one of many who appear to be unable to accept the peace we have, the ongoing work Mr Adams and others have put into that peace, the role Sinn Féin has played in attaining that peace and Sinn Féin’s current standing in the polls.
This is Ireland in 2014. The Belfast Agreement was signed 16 years ago. It is not a completed work, but it is an ongoing work. It is time for the bitter sniping from the uninvolved on the sidelines to cease. It is time for everybody to roll up their sleeves, get involved and work for peace. Is that really too much to ask? – Is mise,
EF FANNING,
Whitehall Road,
Churchtown,
Dublin 14.
Sir, – Sinn Féin under Gerry Adams did no more than Fianna Fáil under Eamon de Valera in steering the extremes away from violence – surely a consummation to be more devoutly wished than the alternative, ie chaos as the norm for the 25 years from 1969.
Sinn Féin does not hold exclusivity on self-righteousness and sanctimoniousness, as Prof Murphy suggests. Any trawl through the record of Dáil speeches by the current taoiseach would, alas, quickly dispel that misguided idea. But he is correct in his surmise that the rise of Sinn Féin is a backlash against austerity. Its policies, however untested, cannot and will not be worse than those visited upon this hapless country of Éire, Ireland, the Republic, or whatever you wish to call it, by those who do the bidding of Brussels. – Yours, etc,
MAURICE
O’CALLAGHAN,
Ferndale Road,
Rathmichael,
Co Dublin.
Sir, – I must commend John A Murphy for his opinion piece.
In a climate of turning a blind eye to the unpalatable, his analysis and clear exposition of the past performance and current threat to us all posed by Sinn Féin should be compulsory reading for everyone.
His reasoned warning is simple and stark. – Yours, etc,
WILLIAM HANNA
Knock,
Belfast.
Sir, – John A Murphy’s long article covers a lot of old ground. We have heard it all before.
There is a fairly sophisticated and educated electorate out there now and they make their decisions at the ballot box. If that has brought “remarkable success for Sinn Féin in the recent local and European contests”, then so be it. That is democracy in action. Some may not approve the electorate’s choice, but that’s the reality.
Guessing what future government formations may emerge and what agenda will be pursued is pure speculation. Time enough to see that. – Yours, etc,
P O CALLANÁIN,
Clonkeen Drive,
Foxrock,
Dublin 18.