I MUST ADMIT THAT I'M ALL FOR THE FREEDOM OF OUR BEAUTIFUL IRELAND. I ALSO SUPPORT THE IRA INTHE FIGHT. SOMETIMES THEY MAY BE BRASH, BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT' WHAT IT TAKES TO GET THE ATTENTION OF THOSE STUBBORN BRITS. TO BE COMPLETELY HONEST WITH I'M ANGRY AS HELL AT THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT FOR NOT USING IT'S MUSCLE TO JUST BULLY THE BRITS RIGHT OUT OF IRELAND.

THEN THEY WOULD NOT HAVE TO PRETEND TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE CONFLICT OVER THERE. WHERE THERE IS NO FINANCIAL GAIN, THERE IS NO AMERICAN GOVERNMENT. BESIDES WE IRISH CAN HANDLE OURSELVES. DO I THINK THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF PEACE. YES, I BELIEVE ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE...

CHRIS MCBRIDE
savannah, georgia

Dear FRONTLINE,

Great Britian will never get out of Ireland as long as there is a heavy protestant population there. What we can hope that will come of these talks is the removal of the British army. We also need the provos and members of other splinter groups to come to their senses and realise that their is no give without take.

mick collins
boston, ma

Dear FRONTLINE,

To all you English who are "disgusted" with the USA and it's roll in the unity of Ireland, there wouldn't be a problem if you acted on many of your words of wanting the whole island Ireland.

After all there would be no fighting at all if you would have just stayed out of Ireland in the first place. Now I understand that it was not your generation's choice however write your leaders and urge them to leace the Country. P.S. I live in the inner city here in the US and its not as bad as you folks make it sound. peace.

Mick Brady
st. paul, minnesota

Dear FRONTLINE,

I am writing this letter in disgust at the comments made by Bryan Keenan . I am a Protestant leading Republican from the Belfast area , It is in relation to NATO's bombing of Serbia.

I was shocked beyond belief to discover that Keenan spoke up in defence of the murderous Serbs. Need I remind Mr Keenan that the 1916 proclamation ( the republican bible ) garentees civil & religous liberties to all its citizens , regardless of race or creed , this is an outrage and a disgrace , Mr Keenan has been shown for the true bigot he is

Niadh McNicholl
belfast, occupied 6 counties

Dear FRONTLINE,

I believe the peace will not hold as the unionists are not giving sinn fein any let off on decommisioning which is wrong. Armed conflict by September,but probably by dissidents.

Aodh O,Neachtain
none, co. offaly

Dear FRONTLINE,

Many people in England are painfully unaware of the conflict in the North of Ireland till it reaches their own doorstep courtesy of the IRA... At the end of day they say they see no future for Britain in Ireland, but they won't go. They know that they will have to change their flag, take the harp from their royal coat of arms. The day of Irish unity is comming, every day more Catholic than Prostestant children are born, the Catholics are the majority in 4 counties in the North. Also, do not call Northern Ireland Ulster, there are 9 counties in Ulster. The name Ulster comes from the Gaelic Uladh Tir, meaning land of the Uladh. The term pepole of Ulster is a contradiction, there are only Uladh and planted settlers.

luton, england

Dear FRONTLINE,

The support of the IRA in the USA is disgusting. In a land that preaches freedom and justice for all. Mind you this is expected form the most violent nation on earth. Yo're still a 1000 times more likely to be shot in LA than Belfast and 10 children A DAY are shot in the USA.9000 each YEAR. This compares against 3000 killed in 30 years by the troubles in NI. I think the USA has a few problems of its own to sort out don't you?

lingfield, uk

Dear FRONTLINE,

Isn't it time that England said goodbye to Ireland? Bring in United Nations troops and urge the U.D.A to give up their arms. Or is it only the I.R.A. that have guns? If so, how can the protestants threaten a return to violence?

manchester , uk

Dear FRONTLINE,

The freedom fighters of Northern Ireland have been misunderstood and illtreated too many times. You have joined the ranks of the self-righteous idiots who would stomp them into the ground farther than the British tyrants already have. As an Irishman and a Catholic, I must say that the Anglicans treat us like dirt. Second class citizens is what we have been turned into. Criminalized. Insulted. Misunderstood. It's time our side got itself heard. Next time, save your breath and insult someone who deserves it--the British government and its agents in Northern Ireland.

Dominic May
derry, northern ireland

Dear FRONTLINE,

I am english and protestant. The attrocities in Northern Ireland appall me.The saddest part of all is that the ordinary people of Northern Ireland are the losers.I believe that every people should have the right to self determination,free from the oppression of any power.

As an ordinary working class person,may I suggest that the average Brit is thoroughly fed up with the whole situation.If you asked the man in the street, I am sur he would like to see the irish take care of their own affairs and make freedom and equality the major factor in all political settlements.

Neither side are without blood on their hands.Britain and Eire are partners in Europe.In the end then, their aims are supposed to be the same, ie mutual help. Does it really matter in the end what the name of the political party is , as long as they rule with justice and fairness, that favours no person above another.Nationalism can be a good or evil thing, let us hope that all the politicians concerned of whatever shade will grow up, realise that they all have a right to fair treatment. Away with prejudice... and press forward to a day when a handshake will replace the planting of a bomb or the spray of rubber bullets.

In the final analysis,the conflict is over who rules .Remember, all humans of whatever creed or persuasion are not perfect and thus we will never see utopia anywhere.

Chris Edwards
newcastle, n.s.w

Dear FRONTLINE,

I am Irish and I would like to put forward the fact that contrary to the beliefs of Richard Mylar, the tension in Northern Ireland is not caused by religion.

The protestants and catholics of Nth. Ireland are not fighting over the worship of the Virgin Mary, nor over consubstantiation versus transubstantiaion, the root of the problem began many centuries ago with British plantation of Ireland and has developed into social and economic conflicts due to discrimination. "protestant" and "catholic" are just labels put onto different groups. I do believe that peace will come to my troubled country. Already, the political framework for equal treatment of rival groups has been set in place, and when living conditions have been standardised, then some of the tension will be released.

I would really appreciate it if people whose knowledge of the problems in Northern Ireland has been gleamed from a television show and the odd editiorial would stop making sweeping statements with no facts to back it up.

Helen O'Connor
cork, ireland

Dear FRONTLINE,

I'm glad that this site brings truth to the conflict between Irish freedom fighters and British colonists. I am not Irish neither Catholic but Orthodox and I feel much pain with Irish celtics. Back in history we could remember how Cromwell slaughtered two million Irishmen.I hate British and I support IRA and if they ever need the volounteers they will get it from my country by thousands. Like Chesterton said in his poem: "Great gaels of Ireland, wich God made them mad, for them all wars are merry and all songs are sad." We can't have our country again, but we can help to others.

novi sad, yugoslavia

Dear FRONTLINE,

The violent situation in Northern Ireland is, of course, appalling but I am disturbed to see how many Americans staunchly support the IRA. Here, on the other side of the Atlantic, bombs in public places and the murder of those who bravely uphold the law in GB and Ireland is a lot less appealing.

America's 'honeymoon' period is now over: the Arab extremists and white racists have begun to assault mainland USA with their terror. How does this feel now it's on your doorstep? Not nice, I'm sure!

Unlawful killing is unlawful killing. It is never justified!

oxford, great britain

Dear FRONTLINE,

More than thoughts, this is a question. How can I get a hold of a prominent IRA member? I have a realitive (my great great grandfather to be exact) that was said to be a member or the IRA. His name is Micheal Daly, and I think that he got into some trouble and fled to Scotland then to America. His parents were Jim Daly and Sarah Green. The main problem is here it claims that the IRA started up in the 1920s only my realitive came over here in the late 1800s. If you can give my any information or can give me someone to contact, email me please at ezrabretbathory@hotmail.com

brookings, sd