Sir, - Brian Lenaghan points out (March 27th) that many people believe Ireland is still a part of Britain. A sizeable portion of our Republic's population might as well be living in Britain. They shop in British shops and follow British soccer - and we've a TD in the Dail who's there because Donegal people wanted to watch British soap operas. Most pathetic.
Also, nearly every family-oriented advertisement on radio or TV refers to Irish mothers as "Mum". I am not very old, but in my day your mother was Mother, Ma, Mam, Mammy, yer auld wan or yer auld dear, depending on what part of the country you lived in.
Piece by piece, whatever little bit of culture and national identity we have is being eroded. Let's just change our national anthem to God Save the Queen, join the Commonwealth, and be done with it. - Yours, etc., Gavin Tobin, The Moorings, Robertstown, Co Kildare.