The Liberator’s lesson for embattled Bertie

ON the 160th anniversary of the death of Daniel O’Connell, the Taoiseach chose very deliberately to link his speech at Westminster with the Liberator.

In his struggle to organise his people to rise from servitude, O’Connell understood the importance of heritage and identity.

In the evolution of a nation, past, present and future must be seamless in its awareness of itself as a community and of the solidarity of all its citizens.

That is why O’Connell chose Tara as one of the iconic and symbolic sites for monster meetings in his campaign for Irish self-government.

Polite, formal speeches aside, has our embattled Taoiseach the courage and the vision to go to Tara before polling day and to announce:

1. The re-routing of the M3 in order to preserve Tara and the Gabhra Valley?

2. The review of the deeply flawed implementation plan for the new national children’s hospital?

As a grandfather, might I suggest he do this not just for the future of all the children of the nation, but for his own grandsons, his most important contribution to the future?

Maurice O’Connell

19 Forge Park

Oakpark

Tralee

Co Kerry