Sir, – In the period from the 1940s to the 1980s, thousands of young Irish men and women left our shores. Those emigrants went, mainly to England and the US, in search of work and a livelihood. As exiles they worked hard, saved, and on a regular basis sent money back to assist their people at home. They made sacrifices for family and country, helping to raise the standard of living here.
Was the contribution that these people made ever fully recognised? We may have arrived back at a similar point in today’s Ireland. There are still some individuals, who, through their ventures and earnings abroad, continue to finance and support causes here. For instance, men like JP McManus have consistently, over many years, funded many worthy causes and especially charitable organisations to the benefit of the disabled and disadvantaged.
Those exiles, earning their livelihoods abroad, have not in the slightest been responsible or contributed to the current desperate state of our country. They have, indeed, been true patriotic citizens and, without fanfare, have helped in bailouts before the ECB or IMF were ever mentioned. Theirs is an active citizenship, and should not be forgotten. – Yours, etc,