The Republic of Ireland flag should not be flown for Alamo defenders born in the UK
This week we will mark the one hundred and ninetieth anniversary of the battle of the Alamo that ended the famous siege of the Alamo. The Alamo was a crucial event in the Texas Revolution from the 2nd October, 1835 to the 21st April, 1836. Over 80% of the approximately 200 defenders at the Alamo were of Ulster-Scots heritage and it is thought that around a dozen were actually born in Ireland, United Kingdom.
During the historic thirteen day siege from the 23rd February, 1836 to the 6th March, 1836 all of the defenders would be killed or be executed on the orders of General Antonio López de Santa Anna (1794–1876) immediately afterwards as no quarter was given. Their bodies being unceremoniously thrown on piles and burnt in funeral pyres by the victorious Mexican army. The defenders all knew they were going to die at the Alamo. They could have left but decided to fight and extract a very high price for their lives against the army of Santa Anna with an estimated 600 of his elite troops killed.
The defenders blood sacrifice bought precious time for General Sam Houston (1793–1863) also of Ulster-Scots heritage to ready the ill-equipped Texas army he commanded in a plan to defeat Santa Anna who considered himself the Napoleon of the West. Houston and the Texas army would take just 18 minutes to do so at the decisive Battle of San Jacinto, fought on 21st April, 1836 that finally gained independence for the Lone Star State of Texas.
The Alamo is celebrated at the Alamo Museum on the site of the siege and battle at San Antonio, Texas and online at https://www.thealamo.org/ with a flag to represent the country or state were each defender was born if known.
Sadly and incorrectly those brave defenders born on the island of Ireland, some from Londonderry and Tyrone are remembered with a Republic of Ireland flag. Not only is this offensive and an insult to their memory it is politically and historically incorrect. Remember events in the Texas Revolution took place after the Acts of Union and therefore the correct flag to represent them is the Union Flag as they were born in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.
It shows once more we need to be more proactive in calling out the constant rewriting of history by better education not just here but throughout the world. The Republic of Ireland may have changed its constitution to end its illegal territorial claim over Northern Ireland, but still claims all the people past and present on this island. We can see it once more recently in a stamp launched to celebrate John Dunlap the printer of the Dunlap Broadside who was born at Strabane in County Tyrone.
I have lodged a complaint with the Alamo Museum and I would appeal to everyone to take a few minutes and do the same. By doing so it will help to set the record straight and to rightfully and truthfully honour the brave defenders of the Alamo.
Stevan Patterson, Castlederg, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, UK.