Irish Examiner View: A tragedy unfolding by the day

It is not necessary to summon rancid ghosts or recall those old no-Irish-need-apply hatreds to know that national stereotyping is a pretty flawed, dangerous metric.

Every country, every society, is the sum of its parts, even if one part exploits a fleeting dominance to disadvantage or grievously mislead compatriots. It is, or was, nevertheless tempting to paint our neighbours with one dismayed, less-than-flattering brush after they voted — democratically — to leave the European Union, but the 52:48 margin of that decision shows how inaccurate stereotyping can be.