Sir, - While I could understand that you would want to bring my recent exchange of letters with Sam McAughtry to an end, I was somewhat upset that you would allow him to have the last word in his accusation that the only possible conclusion from my letters was that unionists generally are undeserving of the respect of nationalists. That was never my view; it was not implicit in anything I wrote; and I counted it a gross misrepresentation.
However, in this glorious new dawn of peace such personal sensitivity seems utterly out of place. All my doubts as to the point of modifying our Constitution are obliterated. "Birthright" is just the right word.
May I also suggest that now is the time for us "Southerners", including our political spokesmen, to do everything possible, in genuine friendship and respect, to set unionist minds at rest that we fully recognise their birthright to unionism. Despite the apparent territoriality of our claim, we did not and do not have any aspiration to dispossess them of territory, political allegiance or their own unionist aspirations.
On a practical level, should we not make it known to unionists such as Billy Hutchinson, and all activists for peace and justice, that they are welcome to canvass here for financial support in the forthcoming elections? I have a feeling that they would find us generous. - Yours, etc., Frank Farrell,
Lakelands Close,
Stillorgan,
Co Dublin.