Sir, - I am becoming increasingly riled by the seemingly growing tendency to draw distinctions between the two parts of this island in the matter of entitlement to have, express and enjoy the Irish identity.
It cannot be permitted to anyone, whether green, orange or the pucest of blue, having drawn a crooked line from Carlingford Lough to Donegal Bay, but veering wildly up to Lough Foyle in sudden fright at the roar of the Atlantic, to dictate that allegiance to the Irish nation and the proud profession of Irishness are available fully to those on one side only of that crazy line.
When those who profess and embrace the Irish identity, both the few millions at home and the tens of millions in exile, gaze at their navels, the spot that they see can be anywhere from Lambay to Slyne, Rathlin to Fastnet and Tory to Tuskar. How dare any of us, through the accident of an umbilical anchor on this side of the crazy line, seek to exclude those on the other side from their inalienable inheritance?
Of course we must be sensitive, forbearing and respectful to those on this island whose identities spring from another source. We cannot and must not force them to align their identity with ours. They also are welcome to their inheritance. That does not mean, however, that we ought to concede an indulgence of any kind to the unionist attempt to legitimise the crazy line and perpetuate it as an Iron Curtain behind which nonunionists must conform, outbreed or get out.
Articles 2 and 3 essentially acknowledge the undeniable rights of our fellow inheritors. They may, perhaps, be rephrased to avoid reasonable offence, but their essence must remain intact. - Yours, etc,
From Frank Farrell
Stillorgan, Co Dublin.