‘Original’ Sinn Féin

A chara, – Ray Burke’s otherwise informative piece on Edward Martyn (Irishman’s Diary, December 12th) recalls that “He was a co-founder of the original Sinn Féin”.

The value laden use of “original” smacks of a “good old” Sinn Féin versus a modern “bad” Sinn Féin.

Ray Burke also notes that Martyn was “a member of the Executive Committee of the Gaelic League”. Would that also have been the original? – Le meas,