Sir, - This point may be misconstrued invidiously, but it has to be made. Kevin Myers's jingoistic tunnel vision (An Irishman's Diary, November 4th) relegates to second class the thousands of young patriotic Irishmen who answered the de Valera-Cosgrave "call to arms" in 1940, believing that their first duty was to defend their own country in accord with the overwhelming will of the people.
The benevolent neutrality policy did not satisfy some Paddyfactored hearties who echoed bellicose Churchill. The great General Dan McKenna clipped to a Brit rep: "If you come in we will fight you every step of the way". The Black-and-Tans were in living memory.
These young patriot soldiers endured five years of unglamorous hardship for their country. Their lot was aggravated by an unbelievably hostile Department of Finance - and by the likes of Mr Myers.
Hempel, the German minister, was bang on when, in his reports, he quoted de Valera: "und wenn wir fur diese sterben mussen, so mussen wir sterben" ("If we have to die for it, then we must die for it"). - Yours, etc.,
J. P. Duggan, Cedarmount Road, Mount Merrion, Co Dublin.