Sir, Having read with increasing despair the letters of Messrs. Grahan and Kennedy on this subject, I find myself once again compelled to put pen to paper. That there are still intelligent people out there harbouring persecution complexes and grudges about Britain's role in our history, and the red rag to a bull effect that the use of what most would see as a geographical term, namely "the British Isles", has on these people, are continuing sources of amazement and perplexity to me.
By their reasoning, the expanse of water lapping on Britain's western coasts ceases to be known as the Irish Sea, but within Her Majesty's territorial waters becomes the Scottish Sea, the Welsh Sea, and the English Sea respectively, lest we injure the sensibilities of those Britons convinced that Ireland might have a surreptitious claim on their waters. Spanish Point, Frenchpark, Scotstown, Kilbrittain and Tory Island should, of course, be struck off the map with all due haste, while those in favour of these alterations might consider an indefinite residence on the Scilly Isles.
By the way I too am an Irishman and proud of it, but life is far too short to waste time pursuing pathetic oneupmanship campaigns based on piffling differences between names, flags and emblems. Let us concentrate on peace if we can see the wood for the trees, that is. Yours, etc., Werinherstrsse III, 81541 Munich, Germany.