A chara, - Fiona McCann (August 3rd) criticises the letter for July 29th from Cllr Tim Attwood of the SDLP, describing it as "the clutching straws of a political party that is on its way out".
We should never forget, however, that what is now happening on this island follows the formula prescribed by the SDLP in the early 1970s and that while Sinn Féin is now in the ascendant, it has adopted the vision articulated by John Hume, Seamus Mallon, Bríd Rodgers and others for the past three decades.
Without the work of men and women such as these and the other nationalist parties on this island, we would not have achieved much of the progress to date.
All parties must now deal with the realpolitik of the new Ireland. If one compares the SDLP's economic and social vision of Ireland playing its role on the European stage with the Marxist-Leninist philosophy of Sinn Féin, a political organisation that shares its euroscepticism with the hard right of the British Conservatives, which is the party best placed to lead in the 21st century? The triumphalism of Sinn Féin will soon wither when its bankrupt policies are finally subjected to the same scrutiny as those of other political parties.
I welcome the fact that Sinn Féin has committed itself to stop condoning the maiming and killing of people, but I believe it requires a lot more to convince the electorate that it is fit to govern. - Is mise,
Cllr MALCOLM BYRNE
(Fianna Fáil),
Gorey,
Co Wexford.
Madam, - The exciting events of recent days recall for many the memory of Seán McBride. Seán, who was probably the only holder in the world of the Lenin prize and the Nobel Peace prize, often expressed his confidence to me in the work of Gerry Adams, of whom he had a very high opinion.
Now we can all see how justified that opinion was, and rejoice in the new era that is dawning. - Yours, etc,
BUDGE CLISSMANN,
Merrion Road,
Dublin 4.