Letter: Ulster's big problem: England's failure to comprehend the two traditions

Sir: I am dismayed by your coverage of the present situation in Northern Ireland, and by the woefully inadequate understanding shown by most of the (English) correspondents to this letters page. Sadly this is typical of the mainland press in general, who continue to perpetuate the myth that Ulster Unionists can be summed up by the phrases "dark-suited", "dour", "uncompromising", "Presbyterian", "Orange"; whereas Irish nationalists may be summed up using phrases like "happy-go-lucky", "oppressed", "Catholic guilt", "Green".

The failure, or unwillingness, to distinguish within any of these groups ensures that moderate and intelligent Unionists stay out of the debate. As a Unionist and a one-time resident of Portadown, I am quite prepared to see a compromise settlement with the moderate nationalist community and with the Irish Republic. In addition, I fully agree that the Orange Order marches are at best foolish, and at worst provocative. However, even within the ranks of the Orange Order you must distinguish between those besuited and behatted businessmen observing their, admittedly confrontational, Masonic rituals, and those young hooligans with Orange sashes over their Rangers FC shirts.

This inability to distinguish between factions within a sectarian community extends to nationalists, where it is conveniently forgotten that one third of those same residents of the Garvaghy Road voted for Sinn Fein-IRA in the recent elections, and have done so over 26 years of a campaign of bombing and murder by that group.

Maybe Unionists will have to swallow the bitter pill and admit that one of the cherished maxims of the nationalist community is correct: the problem with Ireland is the English.

Dr DAVID McALPINE

Nottingham