Madam, - The participation of Ireland's naval service flagship LE Eithne and the training ship Asgard II in the international fleet review by Queen Elizabeth II to mark the bicentenary of the Battle of Trafalgar is regrettable, but not unexpected.
Although we are a sovereign State, we now participate at the Royal British Legion's Remembrance Day ceremonies in Ireland and conform to the pomp and solemn pageantry of the British military ethos. This is nothing less than a surrender of sovereign control over State ceremonial to those who oppose Irish separatist nationhood.
Having surrendered Articles 2 and 3 of our Constitution following the Belfast Agreement of 1998 and accepted the awarding of titles and honours to Irish citizens at an unprecedented rate, one wonders just when we will be asked to consider re-entry into the British Commonwealth to complete the re-Britishing of the State. - Yours, etc,
TOM COOPER,
Delaford Lawn,
Knocklyon,
Dublin 16.