Letter: Mistrust in Ulster

Sir: If one follows the logic of Mick McGann (letter, 7 July) then countries such as Norway (which used to be part of Sweden) and Portugal (formerly part of Spain) would not exist.

There is an assumption that because Ireland is a geographical entity then it must be a country, ignoring the fact that it has a substantial Ulster-Scot minority, which is geographically concentrated and large enough to be classified as a national group.

The partition of Ireland should, therefore, be viewed in the context of the new nations which were formed in the aftermath of the First World War, rather than as some vile crime against the Irish nation. There needs to be a recognition that two nationalities exist on the island of Ireland.

One reason for the problems of Northern Ireland is that the Irish Republic actively tried to undermine its neighbour for over 60 years and has only recently agreed to abandon its illegal claim to Northern Ireland. One wonders if the Irish Republic would exhibit a siege mentality if the United Kingdom had constantly threatened its existence.

SIMON TOPPING

Hull