Subsidizing British occupation [ Senator Mitch Mc Connell]

Posted By: August 09, 2017

Letters to the Editor. Irish News. Belfast. Published Wednesday, August 9, 2017

An editorial in the News Letter recently opined “Unionism will need to counter SF propaganda in the US  ” (July 24) and claimed that US Senator Mitch McConnell is partial to England’s control of Northern Ireland.

For the record, readers should know this: In one of the early Congressional Hearings on the International Fund for Ireland, I sat in front of Senator McConnell as he expressed certain reservations about the fund, among them this memorable one – that it would only further subsidize British occupation of Northern Ireland.

Needless to say – although I supported the fund given certain conditions, which we had attached to the legislation – Senator McConnell’s comments warmed my Fermanagh heart.

The editorial labors under an extraordinary “Unionist” assumption, despite abundant evidence to the contrary – that the Scots-Irish (to use its term) would not be in favor of the republican form of government. Had that been the case, they would have supported King George III in 1776. Instead, of course, they proudly joined George Washington’s army and kicked England out of America. God bless their noble souls.

Their descendants always join me in my signature prayer – God bless America and God save Ireland.

Fr Sean McManus

Washington, DC