12 November 2009 Edition

Resize: A A A Print

Mála Poist

Cuireann An Phoblacht fáilte roimh litreacha ónár léitheoirí. Scríobh i nGaeilge nó i mBéarla, 200 focal ar a méid. Déantar giorrú ar litreachta más gá. Cuir do litir chuig [email protected]
An Phoblacht welcomes readers’ letters. Write in Irish or English, 200 words maximum. Letters may be edited for brevity. Send your letters to [email protected]. No attachments please

It Ain’t ‘Alf Shiny, Mum

RE: last week’s article by Julia Carney on wearing the poppy in honour of Britain’s military.
I stumbled across one of the Strictly Come Dancing post-mortems on BBC TV last week to see Strictly judge Craig Revel Horwood all glistening and glamorous and wearing a poppy. But did my eyes deceive me? Was it a poppy all shiny and sparkling with glitter? Yes, it was!
On closer investigation I find that it was created by Revel Horwood’s costumier, Grant McPherson who squeals delightedly on the Strictly Come Dancing website:
“The sparkly poppies are my creation, the person responsible for all Craig’s ties, suit jackets and the poppies. It’s a simple technique used by wardrobe for all the costumes of the show. Each poppy uses roughly 150 swarovski rhinestones and each one is glued individually.”
Standard-issue BBC poppies are obviously too drab for the Strictly Come Dancing and celebrity luvvies whose desire to be ‘absolutely fabulous’ and make a fashion statement over-rides what the BBC would otherwise have us believe the poppy stands for.
COLIN FARRANT,
London

 

Fall of the Wall – tell the full story

AS as a socialist who tries to analyse history, I find it impossible to banish certain heretic recollections and doubts. For moments of mass euphoria, wonderful as they are for those involved, do not always explain history. And for me too many issues and questions remain unexplained or simply unasked.
Why does no one recall that it was Eastern Germany, the GDR, which pushed for reunification during the postwar years while Chancellor Adenauer brusquely rejected all proposals, even general elections. Only then, and after West Germany set up its own state, formed an army, joined NATO and insisted on regaining huge hunks of what was now Poland, were such attempts finally abandoned?
Why is it never mentioned that the GDR, though certainly undergoing an economic crisis, was in less of a crisis than all of Germany today, and that until its very end it had no unemployment, no homelessness, free medical care, child care, education and a sufficiently stable standard of living?
Why is it forgotten that many of its travel restrictions had been considerably eased in the two previous years, so that not only pensioners, who were always able to visit West Germany, but 1-2 million GDR citizens had been able to visit West Germany in 1987-1989. Young people wanted desperately to travel, it is true; but their chances of being able to were already improving.
PÓL Ó DEORÁIN,
Cluain Dolcáin,
Baile Átha Cliath

 

Flying the flag

IN recent times, especially in the Fermanagh area, I have noticed what purports to be the national flag flying on telegraph poles etc. but instead of the flags being Green, White and Orange these flags are green white and yellow. I wonder what the yellow is supposed to represent?
JOE McVEIGH,
Contae Fhear Manach


An Phoblacht
44 Parnell Sq.
Dublin 1
Ireland