LETTERS: Foisting of cúpla focail on Northern unionists

SIR – It's clear that Gerry Adams and Michelle O'Neill have got their Irish Language Act, sought in Northern Ireland, somewhat cocked-up and seen as being in close association with what was called, back in the day, the Language Freedom Movement here in the south.

Perhaps it should be pointed out to these Johnny-come-latelys that it was a case of Irish-speaking citizens in this republic, the likes of John B Keane and other well-known Irish champions of things Irish, campaigning against compulsory Irish in a wide area of education and employment. The Irish language had become an

impediment to democratic life in Ireland, and the LFM decided to take action for change. It came, albeit slowly.

The evidence that Irish held people back in their lives because there was an imperative to fluently speak this most difficult lingo was everywhere, as even the brightest struggled to get a handle on it. Gerry and Michelle have learned nothing if they insist UK Unionists will benefit from their daft dream of making great political progress in NI by acting out another tatty stance of believing speaking Irish will make where they live more Irish and victorious and on the high road to Irish unity, when they will not even agree to work with people they claim whose best interests they have at heart.

Who has Gerry, whose personal political duties in the south's jurisdiction are being increasingly ignored, assigned to tutor the DUP in Sinn Fein's new departure of unity through compulsory learning of a language foreign to them, and having mastered this task, who then will teach the UDA and the UVF the cúpla focail? Perhaps, Unionists are chomping at the bit with jotters and pencils at the ready, even now, and cannot wait to carry out the orders of Gerry and Michelle!

Good luck with all of the above, G&M.

Robert Sullivan,

Bantry.