To fellow unionists: we mustn’t turn NI centenary into another PR disaster

Peter Robinson’s comments in the News Letter that the centenary of NI was something to grumble about “only if you are intolerant and blinded by bigotry” were surprising and unwelcome to unionists like myself
By Arnold Carton
Published 22nd Jan 2021, 07:00 BST
The outline of Lord Carson's statue at StormontThe outline of Lord Carson's statue at Stormont
The outline of Lord Carson's statue at Stormont

(‘Northern Ireland making it to 100 reflects its success’, Friday January 15)

Take even a cursory glance at the history of partition and you will see the problem.

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The unwise gun running by the UVF in April 1914 probably helped to trigger the 1916 Easter rebellion, which of course led to the brutal War of Independence and then the creation of N. Ireland through partition of Ireland.

Letter to the editorLetter to the editor
Letter to the editor

The sectarian violence that rumbled on in N. Ireland throughout the 1920s and 1930s, and the problems of the IRA border campaign, are too easily dismissed by claiming that no state is a utopia.

The creation of N. Ireland was an unfortunate accident of history. Because we were born in this country we have a natural affection for it, there is nothing wrong with unionists wanting to celebrate N. Ireland.

However, we should acknowledge that our nationalist neighbours may reasonably feel it would be better if history had been different.

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Hopefully this will not prevent some sense of pride in the good things of N. Ireland, but if the centenary celebrations are not to be another Brexit-style PR disaster for unionism, we need to allow nationalists to celebrate or ignore as they see fit.

Arnold Carton, Belfast BT6

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Related topics:Peter RobinsonIRABrexit