Madam, – If it should happen in the fullness of time that Tom Cooper (Irish Times, March 20th) refused a decoration offered by HM across the water, perhaps for some major services to humanity such as writing letters to The Irish Times, I wish it to be known that if there was an honorary OBE going a-begging that there is space available on my mantelpiece. I wonder if it would be delivered or would one have to go and collect it? – Yours, etc,
Madam, – In his letter (March 20th) decrying the award of honours such as the OBE by the British monarch to Irish citizens, Tom Cooper claims that he is not indulging in “petty, mean-spirited anti-British rhetoric”. The gentleman doth protest too much, methinks.
Why does he limit his complaint to British honours? Many Irish people have appropriately accepted similar honours from, for example, France, Spain, Austria and the Vatican in recognition of what they, as Irish citizens, have contributed to these states and/or to Ireland’s relations with them. It is no less valid for an Irish person to accept an honour from Britain – and it is nonsense to argue, as Mr Cooper does, that to do so should be regarded as inconsistent with Irish citizenship. Did Ronald Reagan and Senator Edward Kennedy compromise (to quote Mr Cooper) “the republican, egalitarian and separatist ethos” of the United States of America when they accepted honorary knighthoods from Britain? Did they thereby become “part of the British establishment”, which Mr Cooper claims is the fate of Irish citizens who accept British honours? Of course not. All Irish people should rejoice when the achievements of any of our number are recognised and honoured by another state, and those who do not are indeed petty and mean-spirited. – Yours, etc,