Letter: 'Negativity' threatens province's ceasefire

Sir: I find Conor Cruise O'Brien's negativity on the state of the ceasefire in Northern Ireland nauseous and potentially damaging ('How long before the bullets fly?', 14 October).

What he is saying is that the Northern Irish are a bloodthirsty lot and can only express themselves by killing. These people have brought about this ceasefire and risked their lives in doing so; given half a chance they will do everything in their power to ensure that it remains permanent.

What the people of Northern Ireland can do without is someone like Conor Cruise O'Brien ramming every possible hypothetical obstacle down their throats before they have even had a chance to draw a peaceful breath.

Yours faithfully, OWEN O'NEILL Hounslow, Middlesex 14 October