Sir, –FM Larkin and Ian Dalton (February 25th) argue that the Easter Rising lacked a popular mandate. Revolutions (and this does include the American and French versions) and would-be revolutions are begun by a minority. Popular support, indifference or repudiation follows later. So it is unhistorical to hold our State's founding event to a uniquely exacting standard of legitimacy. Besides, nearly 40 years of a popular mandate for home rule had delivered what by 1916? A contingent promise of a watered-down and truncated home rule at some future time. Nobody was listening. – Yours, etc,
PÁDRAIG LENIHAN,
Galway.
Sir, – With reference to Prof John A Murphy's letter (February 25th) responding to Prof Ronan Fanning's clarion call at the Fine Gael conference ("Easter Rising centenary should be 'shameless celebration', says UCD professor", February 23rd), the Irish Free State which came into existence on December 6th, 1922, surely derives from the Anglo-Irish Treaty of December 6th, 1921, which in turn derives inevitably from the Easter Rising of 1916. All may be shamelessly discussed but not obviously celebrated, or even commemorated, by all. – Yours, etc,
PATRICK O’BYRNE,
Phibsborough,
Dublin 7.