Your view: Remember Sinn Féin’s dark shadow of IRA history
Sinn Féin's popularity with the electorate is on the rise.
Reading through the responses of Sinn Féin representatives on their respective portfolios, to questions posed by the Irish Examiner I found myself agreeing with their policies almost without exception (Sinn Fein is topping the polls, but do you trust it to run the country?, Irish Examiner, Dec 4).
However, I would never ever vote for Sinn Féin.
I am of a generation that lived through the weekly reports of atrocities committed by paramilitaries on both sides of the Northern divide. I was inclined to believe that it would take a generation or two for the pain caused by the Troubles to subside before we could forgive and forget the wounds caused by the men and women of violence. But I was wrong.
Young people and increasingly other demographics seem to have no memory or conception of the pain still enduring for families bereaved during the Troubles or seem not to care.
The violent history of the IRA is like a dark shadow hovering behind the high moral ground antics of Sinn Féin in the Dáil. And, amazingly, they continue to glorify and venerate their past.
I would ask young voters to look into the history of the IRA and Sinn Féin and of some of their existing candidates before considering where they will cast their votes.
And remember the many hundreds of innocent non-combatant victims of the IRA.
I welcome Jim O'Sullivan to the debate on Covid in which he says that I have an 'uncritical admiration for the parties in power' (Irish Examiner letters, Dec 11).
I thought that I was only giving credit where credit is due when I quoted Ireland's death rate from Covid being one of the lowest in the EU.
He has a valid point, however, when he says that that is only so far and could change in the future.
He says that the lower death rate is due to a younger population.
In previous years in which we did not have Covid, Ireland's death rate is somewhat lower than the UK's for example.
Life expectancy in Ireland is about one year higher than in the UK.
But during the pandemic, the death rate from Covid in the UK is twice ours.
Anyway, Jim O'Sullivan, keep challenging. We live in a democracy.
Praise for Castleiney and Loughmore
Two dreadful refereeing decisions cannot take away from the unique and gallant achievements of Loughmore Castleiney hurling and football teams in 2021. Tipperary is proud and in awe of its achievements.
For many years — decades, even — and at this precise time of the year, I have been writing letters to the editors of our national and regional newspapers, pointing out to readers the bewilderingly large numbers of animals who are killed to satisfy a Christmas tradition.
The focus of my previous letters has been on the needless suffering and sacrifice of these innocent, sentient beings. I have asked readers to consider Christ’s eternal message of love and compassion and to reflect on how that beautiful message could possibly be honoured and celebrated by the brutal slaughter of billions of animals.
But a remarkable thing has been happening over the last 24 months. People all over the world have been turning away from consuming animals and towards a plant-based diet and a vegan lifestyle. (We have seen how the supermarket shelves have been filling up every week with more and more vegan options.) Why is this happening? Certainly, a concern for the animals remains a significant driver, particularly as the vast bulk of all pork and chicken comes from intensive, or factory, farming. Personal health concerns continue to turn people away from red meat in particular and towards a varied diet with a big emphasis on fruit and vegetables.
Yet the biggest change has come as a result of climate change, and the message that has come through loud and clear: that the single most effective action an individual can take in order to reduce their personal carbon footprint is to stop consuming animals and animal produce.
This is not a fad; it’s a sea-change. The food industry knows it, the media knows it. The politicians are behind the curve as usual, but even they are waking up to the fact that animal agriculture and climate change are inextricably linked.
My request to your readers this Christmas is: spare the life of an innocent animal and enjoy a vegan festive season. It might turn out to be the start of a lifelong, compassionate adventure.
Surely the solution to the Galway traffic problem is to introduce cycle lanes as in Dublin.
Toddy O Sullivan RIP...a real gentleman who always remembered your name when he shook your hand. There is no politician today as genuine and sincere as Toddy was.
