Letter: Airy-fairy united Ireland will never work, let alone become a practical reality
A letter from Archibald Toner:
Having witnessed various reports regarding Mary Lou McDonald’s recent electioneering in the Republic, I have to say her ability to cause antagonising offence continues unabated.
Earlier on in the month she made an issue about Sinn Fein being held accountable for the actions of the PIRA.
Evidently, the Shinners are also now trying to re-write their association with this terrorist group - does she not realise that she will never be able to change, or sugarcoat, the fact that Sinn Fein and the PIRA are both permanently conjoined?!
Then, more recently, during an electioneering address to students in Dublin she excitedly declared to them: “I think all of you are going to live your best years in a united Ireland.”
Following on, in relation to Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch standing against her in the election, she further declared that gangland violence wasn’t glamorous, cool or funny and that such activity in communities brought nothing but bad news and hardship, especially for young people.
For a brief moment one would have thought that she was describing the murderous activities of the PIRA, but clearly not!
Had Ms McDonald been present at the Larne v Shamrock Rovers football match in October past, she would have gotten the flavour of the innate hatred of all things Protestant and unionist that emanates from the core of ‘team republicanism’.
Because of that, not least, her airy-fairy united Ireland will never work, let alone become a practical reality – a small point she forgot to relay to the students.
Archibald Toner, Dromore, Co Down