Sir, - Robert Lyle (August 28th) is very selective when he presents Belfast's increase in population between 1841 and 1891 as evidence that "in Ulster, universal depopulation was not experienced". He accuses John Hume of "dancing to history's tune" by stating at the Humbert School that the Union with Britain effectively reduced the population of Ireland by almost 50 per cent.
The reality is that all of the six counties that comprise the present Northern Ireland suffered substantial decreases in population between 1841 and 1891, the single exception being the city of Belfast. The average decrease during the years in question for these six counties was 31 per cent, while the average decrease for the nine counties of Ulster was 36 per cent. Mr Lyle's own county of Down saw a decrease of 30 per cent, while Tyrone's was the highest at 45 per cent.
I would suggest to Mr Lyle that he check his facts a little more carefully in future. - Yours, etc., Margaret Urwin,
Court Farm,
Mulhuddart,
Dublin 15.