Sir, – While I'd naturally be slow to question a cultural authority such as Hugh Linehan ("What have the British ever done for us? Quite a lot", Analysis, September 14th), I find it hard to accept that Irish people are culturally indistinguishable from the British in their "language, food, books, education, legal systems, humour and weather".
Language. True, the Irish language was beaten out of us by our friendly neighbour, and an aversion to it beaten into us by decades of ineffective teaching, but the fact remains that we possess a distinct language.
Food. Spuds have always been a part of my main meal of the day and, I suspect, that of a huge number of Irish people. And no, we didn’t borrow them, or bacon and cabbage, from the British. In fact these days our taste in food, like that of the British, is multiethnic: French, Italian, Chinese, Thai, Japanese, a culinary United Nations.
Books. Yes, we Irish love English writers. But we also love American writers, Australian writers, South American writers, Irish writers. There are even those who’d argue that Swift, Yeats, Synge, O’Casey, Heaney shaped the history of English literature.
Education. In the North, we do mimic the British system pretty slavishly, to the point where we look set to follow Britain’s latest move of marking GCSE and A level from 1 to 9 instead of the traditional G to A. On the other hand the Republic of Ireland’s Leaving Certificate resembles a European Baccalaureate more than the English A level system.
Legal systems. Beyond the fact that we find ways of trying people without a jury, I know little of the legal similarities or differences between Ireland and England.
Humour. Yes, they love Father Ted and Mrs Brown's Boys, and so do we, God help us. Yet great numbers of Irish people simply didn't get the Goons or Monty Python or even Bridget Jones. And tell me that the Kerry sense of humour is the same as that of a Cockney, and I'll check your head for scars.
Weather. Similar indeed. Yet every time I check the weather map, I’m struck by how much better it is in England, particularly in the southeast. I’d guess the Scottish people feel the same way.
You're right, Hugh: we do have many things in common with the British. But surely there's a cultural chasm between An Poc ar Buile and Greensleeves? Once you abandon the cultural cringe position it's obvious. – Yours, etc,
Dr JUDE COLLINS,
Antrim.
Sir, – So, what have the British ever done for us? I left Cappoquin in 1964 at the age of 18 with four pounds and 10 shillings in my pocket and with an Inter Cert. I joined the English civil service as a clerical assistant. Some 40 years on, I managed some of the largest crown and county courts in England and Wales.
I am still very Irish and proud of it, but we must remember how fair the ordinary British person is. I thought you would appreciate an example of what the British did for me after having to leave home in difficult times. – Yours, etc,
MICHAEL KENNY, OBE,
Chippenham, Wiltshire.