I cannot understand the excitement this side of the Irish Sea as the British media continue to identify themselves Saoirse Ronan and Rachel Blackmore than Brits (“From Saoirse Ronan to Rachael Blackmore, why does Britain keep claiming Irish stars?” Independent.ie, Ciara O’Loughlin, March 24).
It’s not just the Brits who display a fuzzy sense of identity when dealing with Irish issues, we’ve mastered that trait ourselves. The British sport and entertainment industry routinely ranks Irish achievements as British achievements and acts accordingly by bestowing titles of peerage on leading Irish figures. By accepting these feudal decorations, the recipients objectively become part of the British establishment. These ‘gongs’ seem to be in great demand and are firmly established topics of conversation in the Irish Uriah Heeps social calendar.
This is not a case of petty anti-British sentiment, it is a matter of fundamental political principles. We are a sovereign republic that has given up the monarchy and my views on these awards are no different from those of Canada, a country that has been a very loyal member of the Commonwealth. Since Canada is not a republic, Queen Elizabeth is the head of state. Nonetheless, Canada takes a very strict line on issues of citizenship and sovereignty. No Canadian may accept a Briton Peerage unless they waive it first her Canadian citizenship.
Certainly the greatest honor one can bestow is the bestowal of the respect and esteem of ordinary people.
Those most entitled to be honored in recognition of their efforts for Ireland are the last to seek such recognition and feel profoundly humbled to be presented with such an award by their peers.
Tom Cooper
Templeogue, Dublin 6W
Water scarcity a bigger threat than terrorism
this This year’s World Water Day has passed unnoticed in the shadow of Covid-19 and global conflict. Water scarcity has moved from a distant threat to a grim reality that many countries are experiencing.
Water scarcity is a crucial strategic factor in regional and global conflicts that will inevitably trigger political, social, religious, economic, environmental and health emergencies.
The water crisis poses a greater threat than terrorism and economic collapse. This couldn’t be truer than in countries like Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Palestine and even in European states with high refugee numbers. It is time to address water scarcity and use water as a bridge to peace, not as a fulcrum for war.
dr Munjed Farid Al Qutob
London, United Kingdom
In praise of the wonderful staff at Sligo Hospital
I guess This letter was on a trolley in the emergency room corridor at Sligo General Hospital at exactly 3.55am on Saturday 26th March. I’m after minor surgery to stop recurring nosebleeds.
The admiration I have for everyone The staff working around me is beyond words.
How do we seem to sugarcoat that when we see it so often around the world six clock news.
So before I try to sleep, I want to say a big thank you to all these wonderful people.
I’ll name just one, Sinéad, who had just started her first night in this particularly difficult department. I heard one of her fellow sisters call her phenomenal – how right she was.
In fact, all of the staff are phenomenal.
Brian McDevitt
Glenties, Co Donegal
Don’t be manipulated by the propaganda surrounding us
I lived in Bukit Antarabangsa, Malaysia and in this area lives a young person who has downsSyndrome. Almost everyone in the area knows him. Most days he hitchhikes to the shops from outside his home. Someone always picks him up.
At the local cafe The owner always asks him what he would like to eat and serves him for free. Cafe customers do the same, and at the local supermarket, employees and customers know him too. People are empathetic. I experienced that in Malaysia, a Muslim country. I also experienced that in Palestine, the same kind of humanity.
When I lived in Florida, news regularly portrayed Muslims as violent – footage of rows of Muslim women with guns, etc. was not an uncommon sight. These reports appeared almost daily. Understand? We live in a propaganda world. Our perception of the world is constantly being manipulated.
Also, in my time living in Muslim countries, I have never seen anyone shouting “Allah, Akbar!” hmm I just have to visit the nice places, maybe.
Louis Shawcross
Hillsborough, Co. Down
https://www.independent.ie/opinion/letters/were-guilty-of-a-blurred-sense-of-irish-identity-too-41492841.html We are also guilty of a fuzzy sense of Irish identity
