Sir, On August 29th, UTV transmitted as part of its series "No Offence" a programme titled Ireland's Other Protestants. It was, in my opinion, on the whole a well balanced programme, reporting the views of southern Protestants on their status in the Republic and their attitude to their co-religionists in the North.
Needless to say, it included Mr Paisley who, in his usual misguided way, stated that Protestants in the South "have largely been eliminated down from 10 per cent when the Border was drawn to now 21/2 per cent." But it is not with Mr Paisley that this member of the Church of Ireland would like to take issue, but with your columnist, Ms Nuala O'Faolain.
In her contribution, she stated. "Protestants don't make themselves heard. Haven't belonged to the project of nation making. Their energies are not alive in our culture as you might call Catholic ones." Maybe she was unaware (as the programme pointed out) that the Sam Maguire Cup is named in honour of a Protestant from Dunmanway, Co Cork. And of course, I could enumerate many other distinguished Protestants who have contributed to the cultural and political life of this country.
As for Protestants not making themselves heard in 1966, at the time of the 50th anniversary of the 1916 Insurrection, there were quite a few letters in the national press expressing views just as ill informed as those of Ms O'Faolain's. Not only did I reply to these views, but I also wrote to President de Valera informing him that, contrary to what he may have read, my generation were loyal citizens of this state and that we lived here not because we were "tolerated", but because we were as Irish as the next person.
The result was an invitation to the Aras, and a half hour chat with the President. But to return to Ms O'Faolain she mentioned that the pattern of the large country estates was still very palpable, and went on "That's over. And that was Protestant and it's over. And it doesn't matter anymore. They are not in anyway a lesser people, but they're not very important." I'am not clear if the "not very important" bit refers to the so called "landed gentry," or to Protestants in general. Whatever, it is insulting language. I must confess that for this Protestant, "the landed" are as foreign a breed to me as they are to most other people. However, if it means Protestants in general, than the kindest thing I can say is. "Cop on, Ms O'Faolain. In Belfast, Ian must be saying `What did I tell you?' Yours, etc. Radio Telefis Eireann, Dublin 4. PS. Just for the record, none of my ancestors "took the soup". And in case some might assume that nevertheless there must be West Britain blood in there some where, my paternal grandmother was an O'Carroll, my mother a Hayes, her mother a Magee and through marriage ties I am related to Protestant O'Rourkes and Dolans.