Sir, - Travelling north-west from Donaghmore, Co Tyrone, recently, I came to the T-junction where you turn left for Pomeroy. The "lads" had been out and painted the kerbstones green, white and orange. In an excess of enthusiasm they had also covered the directions on the signpost with tricoloured paint, thus rendering the message illegible. The message is clear: not only is this tribal territory, but non-locals are unwelcome and will not be given directions.
To what levels of ignorance is it possible for "political activists" to sink? In regaling various people, of various religious persuasions, with this anecdote in various other locations in the North, I found unanimous agreement that the tribal use of emblems like this to mark out territory, and, worse, to conceal directions, was an abomination and should be banned. Further, it is totally disrespectful, and in fact an insult to the emblem, to have it fluttering dirty and tattered on lamp-posts and trees for years on end.
I have conveyed a message along these lines to Sinn FΘin, and would do the same to the leadership of the loyalist kerbstone-painters and lamp-post flag-fliers, who probably originated the practice, if I knew to whom I should send it. - Yours, etc.,
Roy Johnston, Rathmines, Dublin 6.