Sir, – Tipperary, Offaly and other midland counties are not in “Ireland’s Ancient East” and never have been, physically, historically or culturally.
I know all about this new marketing fad of trying to cod tourists into going beyond the eastern part of Ireland by trying to convince them that we are part of it.
Do our tourism gurus not realise that time and time again any marketing plan based on falsehoods and a sham falls quickly into ridicule? Look what happened when they tried to tell visitors that Ely O’Carroll territory extended into north Offaly and beyond?
But what I find most upsetting, indeed insulting, about these “Ireland’s Ancient East” notices on our county borders is that our county councils, both officials and councillors, have not only accepted the “takeover” but seem to have embraced the idea of losing the county’s identity. They now have achieved what centuries of foreign domination failed to do: Tipperary and Offaly and other midland counties are now part of the Pale. Not only Charles Kickham and Breen are turning in their graves!
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Have we no longer any pride in our identity?
But I suppose the plus side is that in years to come we can look forward to an All-Ireland final when “The Wild Atlantic Way” plays “Ireland’s Ancient East”. – Yours, etc,
GEORGE CUNNINGHAM,
Roscrea,
Co Tipperary.