This island voted to reject wrongs of past

I SEE James O’Leary’s point about having problems with the dictum that “history should be left in the past” when Queen Elizabeth II visits (April 14).

Eight-hundred years of history is hard to forget. The plantations, the penal laws, the famine and the failure to implement the Home Rule Act were all major events.

They do not add too much lustre to the reputation of the colonial power.

There are, however, many items to balance these negatives — among them a democratic system of government, a legal system going back to the Magna Carta, a world language and literature and a serviceable physical infrastructure.

On top of that, whatever James O’Leary or I think about it, the people of this island voted for the Good Friday Agreement. This drew a line under the wrongs of history.

As if that was not enough, the elected public representatives from all sides, who signed that agreement, saw to it that it was declared an international treaty and lodged with the UN.

Given all that, this is a momentous visit and I hope for all our sakes it goes well.

A Leavy

Sutton

Dublin 13