Madam, - I commend your decision to print articles on the Northern Ireland peace process by John Hume and David Trimble (Opinion & Analysis, May 8th). In doing so you have highlighted the achievements of two people with genuine integrity and political courage, traits unfortunately absent in the current leaders of Northern Ireland.
In their articles, John Hume and David Trimble point to earlier agreements that had more or less the same contents as the St Andrews Agreement, but which the leading parties of today rejected.
What is the difference between now and then? Two things: Sinn Féin and the DUP are now the leading political parties for their respective tribes and many innocent lives have been ruined in the meantime.
The radical wings of both sides were happy to veto any conciliatory move whose implementation might have seen their parties become marginalised, despite what their veto would cost in ruined lives.
I can only hope that the public will not forget the irrational hatred and useless violence that these stances occasioned. - Yours, etc,
JIM McGOWAN, Sandyford, Dublin 18.
Madam, - The Taoiseach made an excellent speech at Stormont on Tuesday, when he named and praised many of the people who played a part in the historic events that have taken place.
But he omitted to mention the man who, in my view, started the peace process: the late Sean Lemass, when, as Taoiseach in January 1965, he unobtrusively crossed the Border to have a cup of tea with the then prime minister of Northern Ireland, Capt Terence O'Neill. - Yours, etc,
JAMES O'CONNOR, Ardara, Spawell Road, Wexford.