Northern Ireland is a ‘statelet’ by definition

BRIAN Spencer (Write Back, October 26) objects to Mary Lou McDonald and republicans calling the six counties of Northern Ireland a ‘statelet’, rather than a ‘state’. Mr Spencer is advised to look up the word ‘statelet’ and find its literal meaning.

To quote: “Meaning one. A statelet is a small state, especially one resulting from the dissolution of a larger state (source: Dictionary. com). Meaning two. A statelet is a small, independent state especially one that until recently was part of a larger country (source: Collins Dictionary).

To apply the first meaning, Northern Ireland and the original Irish Free State are both statelets, as they came about from the dissolution of a larger state, namely the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.

When the second meaning is applied to Northern Ireland, it isn’t even a statelet, but a dependent region of the kingdom, relying on a subvention of £9.1bn annually.

Neither meaning flatters Northern Ireland.

A federalist recommends the dissolution of both sectarian statelets, Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic, to be replaced by a non-sectarian federal kingdom of Ireland, whose head of state is Queen Elizabeth, with the four historic provinces having their own house of representatives in each of the provincial capitals, with a central government (Dail Eireann) in Dublin.

The people of the four provinces should come together in a new, non-sectarian relationship of peace and harmony in a mutually respectful friendly dialogue.

MICHAEL GILLESPIE Londonderry

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