I am writing in response to the plethora of letters, articles and eulogies to the late U.S. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy that have been printed in this paper and elsewhere.
Many of the letters and articles published in this country allude to Kennedy as having been a “good friend of Ireland.” I believe the opposite.
Early in Kennedy’s political career he championed the cause of Irish reunification. But he ultimately supported the Belfast Agreement, aka the “Good Friday Agreement,” which recognized the political legitimacy of Northern Ireland within the United Kingdom, gave unionist voters in the north the veto over the issue of reunification and required Ireland to relinquish its constitutional claim over the six northern counties.
In addition, Kennedy accepted an honorary knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II for which he was quoted earlier this year as being “deeply grateful to Her Majesty the Queen and to Prime Minister [Gordon] Brown for this extraordinary honor.”
Kennedy a good friend of Ireland? I think not.
Jane Enright
Woodside
