Troubles have taught us the futility of terror

Reflecting on the Manchester atrocity, I think much can be learned from the Troubles.

After almost three decades of bombings by republican paramilitaries, the border stood exactly where it was at the start of the campaign. Far from achieving their aim of a United Ireland, they had managed to put more people off the idea. When the end of the senseless killing and maiming was achieved, it was through dialogue and mutual respect. The violence achieved absolutely nothing apart from adding to the sum of human misery.

A second lesson of the Troubles is one that all of us can benefit from. It is that we shouldn’t vent our justified anger at recent atrocities on innocent members of the ethnic or religious community or affiliation to which the bombers happened to belong.

The overwhelming majority of Muslims, like the vast majority of Irish here and in Britain throughout the Troubles, are completely opposed to terrorism. They should not have to suffer for the inhumanity of a murderous few.

John Fitzgerald, Callan, Co. Kilkenny. the people who have died. God be with the injured. God be with the families of all.

Margaret Walshe, Dublin 15.