With regard to Northern Ireland’s centenary, I would not be starting from here

By Alex Kane
Published 4th Nov 2020, 16:36 BST
Updated 5th Nov 2020, 13:18 BST
We lost the UDR, the RUC, the right to a physical border with the Republic, the right to majority rule at Stormont and have willingly allowed apologists for terror to govern over us here, write Leslie Marshall. Our Province has never been more under threatWe lost the UDR, the RUC, the right to a physical border with the Republic, the right to majority rule at Stormont and have willingly allowed apologists for terror to govern over us here, write Leslie Marshall. Our Province has never been more under threat
We lost the UDR, the RUC, the right to a physical border with the Republic, the right to majority rule at Stormont and have willingly allowed apologists for terror to govern over us here, write Leslie Marshall. Our Province has never been more under threat
While reading the article titled ‘Orange centenary plans unveiled’ I was reminded of that well known joke where an English tourist in Ireland asks for directions .

(The article can be read here: ‘Orange Order’s plan to mark Northern Ireland centenary revealed – a huge Stormont parade, fireworks, gardens and more,’ October 24)

It made me reflect on how we have lost the teaching of or reformation faith at the hands of ecumenical clergy and our history through the education for mutual understanding in our schools .

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I thought about how we allowed the disbandement of those who protected us,the B Specials (the centenary of which Gordon Lucy explained on November 2, ‘The Ulster Special Constabulary helped establish peace in early years of Northern Ireland’,

Letter to the editorLetter to the editor
Letter to the editor

UDR and the RUC. How we lost the right to majority rule, to walk the Queen’s highway and to have a physical border separating us from the Republic.

I thought about all the loved ones we have lost and how willingly we have allowed apologists for their murderers to govern over us through the republican movement’s political wing.

At a time when our British identity is being eroded we see the Irish identity becoming more predominant and the launch of a €500 million shared island initiative by the Irish government to harmonise us more and more into an all Ireland framework .

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The reality is with the border down the Irish Sea the existence of our beloved Province has never been under more of a threat, and like the Irish man answered to the English tourist .

If someone asked me today, how would I celebrate the centenary of Northern Ireland, I would reply:

Well sir, I wouldn’t have started from here.

Leslie Marshall, Tandragee, Co Armagh

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Related topics:Northern IrelandQueen