Sir, - David Andrews is correct to say (The Irish Times, October 6th) that there is no shame in remembering Kevin Barry or Ireland's War of Independence but his reasoning is flawed and his simplification of the Great War as a family row is misleading.
While the Versailles treaty certainly led directly to the second World War, the first World War was fought basically in defence of freedom. To state that the War of Independence was fought to establish a democracy in Ireland is a falsehood as the United Kingdom of Britain and Ireland was a democratic country with a parliament elected by the people.
The actions of the republican minority who started the war were essentially anti-democratic. The State that resulted from the war could and would have been established by peaceful means anyway, thus averting a century of sporadic bloodshed on this island which has been justified and glorified by the memory of Kevin Barry and others.
By all means those who wish can celebrate those who died in the War of Independence, but it should be stressed that their actions are part of history and do not justify similar action today. - Yours, etc.,
Michael Dolan, Wilderness Grove, Clonmel, Co Tipperary.