Ireland’s slow march towards maturity

THERE they go again — Jack Lane and Tom Cooper banging the old drum of nationalism and Stalinism (Letters, October 20).

They castigate those who rightly honour those Irishmen who fought in various wars.

Young Irishmen joined various armies, not just British, but also US, Australian and others. By our history the majority enlisted in the British army, some out of adventure, more out of necessity and more out of loyalty. In the First World War many joined because they saw it as their patriotic duty with Home Rule on the agenda.