Sir, —Paul McNamara’s excellent article on Seán Lester (HI 17.3, May/June 2009) shows us how weakness in the face of totalitarianism can lead to greater disaster. The article reminded me of Hubert Butler’s essay on resistance leader and Nobel laureate Carl von Ossietzky. Butler noted the brave and principled campaign that Ossietzky led against Hitler, … Read more
Sir, —Allow me to respond to your ‘Sidelines’ piece in the last issue(HI 17.3, May/June 2009). I was a member of the Maliseet-Wolastoqiyik‘Akwiten’ canoe repatriation group, along with Chief Candice Paul andother St Mary’s First Nation community members. As a dualIrish–Canadian citizen, I provided some advice on how best to proceedin Ireland. I say ‘was’ … Read more
Sir, —In his response to my review of Tom Moore’s Memoirs of CaptainRock (HI 17.2, March/April 2009), Seamus Deane argues that I was ‘wrongto say that John MacHale’s “A Brief Reply to the Charge of WilliamMagee . . . (1822) . . .” first appeared in the Dublin Journal in1820’. As ‘should be obvious from … Read more
Sir, —Although delighted to see an article on Jerome Collins in the lastissue (HI 17.3, May/June 2009), permit me to make a few corrections andobservations. His second name was not Janus but James. In fact, hetravelled openly under the name James Collins when he went to Americain 1866: it wasn’t a case of having to … Read more
Sir, —Without wanting to start a long discussion, there are a few pointsmentioned in last issue’s letters pages (HI 17.3, May/June 2009)concerning my review of the Coolacrease book that apparently need someclarification. In essence these criticisms come down to two issues: theresults of the 1918 elections and the consequent democratic mandate ofSinn Féin, and my … Read more