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The plain people of Ireland?

Referring to members of the public as ‘ordinary citizens’ is insulting

Letters to the Editor. Illustration: Paul Scott
The Irish Times - Letters to the Editor.
Wed Apr 15 2026 - 06:00 • 1 MIN READ

Sir, – The letter from Niall McGlynn, “Who speaks for me?” (April 13th), reminded me of an article I once read about political hustings in rural Ireland.

At one such, where the politician was declaiming about the “plain people of Ireland”, a voice from the audience shouted, “who are the plain people of Ireland?” The politician answered: “The plain people of Ireland are the people who eat their dinner at 12 o’clock.” – Yours, etc,

EAMON McMAHON

Berkhamsted,

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Herts,

England.

Sir, – Why do elected politicians (and non-elected protesters) insist on referring to members of the general public as “ordinary citizens”? The term is insulting. It implies that we have tiers of citizenship in this country. That we do not have such tiers is something I hold dear as an Irish man. – Yours, etc,

JAMES O’SULLIVAN

Milltown Road,

Dublin 6.