Paddy McEvoy: Michael D Higgins should keep his political opinions to himself or resign as president of Ireland and then he is free to say what he likes

A Uachtaráin,

​It is 220 years since Robert Emmet spoke about his epitaph.

He stated clearly that said epitaph should not be written until Ireland had taken its place “among the nations of the earth”. Now, I’m not going to go down the rabbit hole of what Emmet might or might not say about modern Ireland’s neutrality. What I am going to say is that in my humble opinion, Ireland has now taken its place among the nations of the earth, particularly since joining the UN and the EU.

Three times in the last 500 years, in 1601, in 1798 and in 1916, Ireland either cosied-up-to or physically invited foreign nations to occupy Irish territory, so determined were those who had decided on a physical force solution in ejecting the “old enemy”. You might be content to have had 17th century Ireland garrisoned by Spanish forces, or 19th century Ireland occupied by the French, or a victorious Germany stationing troops in old British barracks, like the one I was born into in Tipperary. But I’m not. God only knows what went on between the IRA and Nazi Germany in WW2, or what skulduggery went on between PIRA and Russia, Libya or sundry deviant Arab groups (before we get to FARC?) during the “Troubles”, but the fact is, that those who blow hardest about Ireland’s neutrality seem to have no hesitation in consorting with problematic elements, on the basis that “my enemy’s enemy is my friend”. No s/he is not.

You have a track record in attacking American foreign policy. I remember back in the day, you pontificating sonorously about the great Satan that is Uncle Sam. I heard you. You have positioned yourself with that coterie of intellectuals who make their living by tearing strips off the US or damning it with faint praise. Likewise with Nato. Never once have I read either them or you wonder why there aren’t great streams of humans heading out of the States, heading south to Mexico, streaming into Central or to South America. Why are the teeming masses heading north to seek refuge in the reviled United States?

I have as many reservations about America as the next person, but I’m fed up of hearing the usual suspects finding excuses for Russia in the Ukrainian War. I’m fed up of them blaming Nato for “giving Russia no option but to invade Ukraine” – and then destroy it. You may not have come out with that actual line, but the fact that you have such strong reservations on Ireland even contemplating joining Nato, says enough for me. (Ireland could do itself a favour by joining the Commonwealth, BTW, not that we’ll hear you, nor the fíor Gaels, arguing that one).

As president of Ireland, you should be keeping your opinions to yourself until your term of office is over. (Including your parochial views on Prof Louise Richardson’s DBE.) Then you can say what you like. The government should have the courage to silence you, or dismiss you from office. You are breaking your oath of office in getting engaged in political affairs. You are – constitutionally - largely in the same position as the British head of state when it comes to staying out of political controversy. To be using your office to pontificate on Ireland’s defence policy is going too far. Resign if you feel so strongly about an issue and campaign as a private citizen.

If you were consistent about Ireland’s sovereignty, you would be arguing for the end of the mutual defence arrangement that has Dublin calling London when dodgy trawlers or aircraft invade Ireland’s territorial waters or airspace. Either Ireland defends itself as a sovereign nation, or it doesn’t. It is playing a game that does it no credit, besmirching Britain while hiding under its aprons. If Ireland’s defence forces are peace-keeping agencies, than call them that. They are internationally respected for performing that role. I have travelled widely and heard Ireland’s non-defence policy pulled apart by people who love Ireland but have no respect for its boxing-clever, like it did during WW2, when brave Irish men and women left to join the Allied war effort. Some serving Irish soldiers put on British uniforms and were treated appallingly when they returned home – as were their families –so don’t tell me that Ireland can hold its head up high when it comes to fighting Naziism. The deaf ear and the blind eye and the whataboutery tactic are always close to hand when it comes to dodging awkward issues.

If Ukraine is pulverised into dust, millions of its citizens butchered, and Russia occupies that broken land, the arguments of people like you will redound to Ireland’s lasting shame. (My wife and I have young friends in Kyiv who are, in the uncertainty of that traumatised place, about to become parents. What do you have to say to them … other than “Ukraine brought this on itself?”)

• Paddy McEvoy is a retired teacher and author of Tipperary is as Fine a Town.