The republican hijack of Irish caused Presbyterians to withdrew from the language

Unsurprisingly, we have Michael Long in the News Letter trying to chastise News Letter editorial regarding spending money on unwanted Irish language signs (‘Unhelpful News Letter editorial on Irish language promotes division,’ January 20).

I believe the News Letter is speaking for the vast majority of unionists and even some nationalists.

He uses his Presbyterian background to try to justify the pandering to republicans! If he wants to use his church background to justify his political actions it is worth noting that his party have policies on social issues that are contrary to the Presbyterian doctrine.

If he reads the history, Mr Long will realise that much of Presbyterian involvement in the Irish language was for spreading the gospel to the Irish speaking people. When Irish was hijacked by republicans, many of the minority of Presbyterians who spoke it gradually withdrew from the language.

There may have been a minority who continued to speak it but these were few. It is reckoned that around 100,000 people say they have some knowledge of speaking Irish in Northern Ireland. Many in Sinn Fein/IRA can’t even speak it and some of those who can are corrected by those who speak it properly.

“There are none so blind as those who will not see.”

How many Presbyterians speak the Irish language today? I think, Michael, you will have to use some other excuse to justify your support of re-establishing a minority language on street signs.

It looks to me as if Alliance are helping republicans in their political games, not only in Belfast but throughout Northern Ireland. Meanwhile, we have a language that unites the majority of our people — English.

John Mulholland, Doagh

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