Sir, - It seems to me that Mary McAleese's candidature has been caught up in the fascinating question underlying this race, namely: can you be a Northern nationalist and not support Mary McAleese for President? A telephone poll for the Irish News showed a whopping 84 per cent favoring Mary McAleese. Although this should not surprise us, since Mary McAleese has been a strong advocate for Northern nationalists, it does pose a risky situation as highlighted by Mary Holland (Opinion, October 23rd). The danger of Mary McAleese's candidature is surely that she has now galvanised Northern constitutional nationalism and equated it with Fianna Fail, thereby opening old wounds which John Hume had been subtle enough to avoid.
However, this may well be a defining moment for Northern nationalists if Mary McAleese loses the election. It will force them to realise that there is more than one definition of Irish nationalism (as recently articulated by John Bruton in his speech to the Meath Society). This strand is less concerned with forcing pan-nationalism on a disinterested people, more sceptical of the intentions of Sinn Fein (no offence - surely), and in the long term more tolerant, libertarian and successful.
If Mary McAleese fails, it may unwittingly be her most significant contribution yet to building bridges. - Yours, etc.,
From Ciaran McCourt
Harolds Cross, Dublin 6W.
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