Irish And Anglo-Irish

Sir, - Margaret Power puts questions to me (August 14th) which would be better put to John Boland, whose mischievous attribution…

Sir, - Margaret Power puts questions to me (August 14th) which would be better put to John Boland, whose mischievous attribution to me of a racist (i.e., biological) view of Irish nationality is entirely groundless. My view, which is on public record, is closer to the other, cultural/voluntarist, extreme from the biological. There is a choice involved in Irish nationality which does not arise in biological matters.But individual choice is made against a historical background as follows: the Cromwellian/ Williamite English colony in Ireland (the Anglo-Irish), who were the ruling caste for close on 200 years, failed to act independently of the English state, as, for example, the English in America did. The movement which established an Irish State was generated by other social elements.The Anglo-Irish were then obliged to choose between the state of their origin and the State which had developed in Ireland despite them. Elizabeth Bowen chose England. There were others who chose the Irish State. - Yours, etc.,JACK LANE,Aubane,Millstreet,Co Cork.