I feel someone has to take Richard Delevan to task for his condescending obituary to one of Dublin’s landmark establishments, Bewley’s Cafes, in his column “Tea Time No More at Bewley’s” (December 1-7).

Obviously in his short time living in Dublin, Delevan failed the grasp the importance of Bewley’s to so many people in Dublin, and Ireland as a whole, in terms of having an alternative to the bland, non-descript modern cafes that are springing up around Dublin. This can be clearly seen from his dismissal of the historical association Bewley’s had with Irish patriots and literary legends. 

I, for one, have fonds memories frequenting Bewley’s with friends during my college days, and my American wife fell in love with the place when I took her there for the first time. 

Despite Delevan’s “expert” opinion of the quality of Bewley’s fare, their white frothed coffee was a treat during a time when most cafes served “instant” to the unsuspecting Irish public, and their scones and sticky buns were a particular treat before the days of ridiculous low-carb diets. 

The fact that most Dubliners opted for the fast-food thrill of the modern coffee shops over the relaxed escapism of Bewley’s is a sad reflection of life in modern Ireland, and begs the question as to what other national icons will be the next to suffer at the hands of bland outside influences. 

Perhaps Mr. Delevan won’t be happy until McDaid’s becomes a Bennigan’s, Clery’s is converted to a Wal Mart, or Beshoff’s is replaced by Popeyes. 

As for anticipating the arrival of Starbucks in Dublin, Delevan is welcome to their over-priced, pretentious coffee derivatives in their uninspired fast-paced surroundings. 

Perhaps by then he will realize what a truly unique and relaxing place Bewley’s once was, where even he might lament having the option to while away the day with the “one-cup-over-12-hour crowd,” instead of being asked to finish up his “grande mocha-sprinkled double latte” so as to make room for the next time pressured Irish coffee drinker! 

Dermot Murray. Mount Vernon, New York

An Irish Alternative

The State Department’s recent addition of Republican Sinn Fein — a legal political party in Ireland and England — to the known foreign terrorist list is another attempt to censor the Irish-drafted Eire Nua (New Ireland) federal peace formula in the U.S. The American people are being denied the right to compare competing schools of thought on U.S. foreign policy concerning Irish peace at the behest of the British government. 

Eire Nua is an Irish-drafted peace proposal put forward as a viable alternative to the failed British arranged Good Friday Agreement. Eire Nua proposes a federal Ireland incorporating the four historic provinces, and creating strong provincial parliaments with devolution of power down to the local levels. 

These Irish-authored proposals are visionary and comprehensive, and will provide for a just and lasting peace for all of Ireland’s citizens regardless of religious background or political affiliations — something the Good Friday Agreement has failed to do since its inception almost seven years ago. 

The State Department’s visa denial policy against the proponents of Eire Nua denies the American people the right to evaluate this Irish peace endeavor. The convening of congressional hearings to allow the testimonies of Eire Nua proponents, including Ruairi O’Bradaigh, president of Republican Sinn Fein, should be carried out without delay. 

Brian Wardlow. Bradley Beach, New Jersey

Let’s Drive and Win

I have been watching with great interest the controversy throughout the United States concerning whether or not to document people from other nations who have chosen to establish residence in our country. 

I for one prefer not to call these people “aliens.” They are human, not some interplanetary visitor to our world. 

To those who argue that granting these people a driver’s license would open the door to their ability to obtain additional documentation that could enable them to cause harm to our country, I say bunk.

I don’t see why those licenses have to look the same as those who reside here within the law. They could easily be differentiated by color in the same way that “green cards” are required for legal immigrants. 

We in the U.S. need to open our hearts and our arms, but we don’t need to open our wallets. I agree with those that say this should not be a totally free ride. 

This currently disenfranchised group has an obligation to contribute to the society from which they expect support. This means paying taxes and contributing to the education system that enrolls their children. 

I do not feel they need to contribute to Social Security. Why?

Because I don’t think they are entitled to its benefits. After all, these are not “citizens.” We would simply be giving them the authorization to remain in the United States without fear of prosecution.

Let’s stop quibbling over minutia and get on with developing a plan that is win-win for all.

Brian Kelly. Church Hill, Maryland

Illegals Are Law Breakers

Does the Irish Voice have any idea of how many millions are spent annually in New York City to subsidize your illegal friends that contribute nothing via taxes in return? And why are we, the legals, supposed to support and endorse them?

Too bad for the Irish Voice and the liberals that we all remember exactly our immigrant roots and the price paid to come here and be naturalized — and all the taxes paid in between.

The rhetoric is not factual. According to the Irish Voice editorial “Anti-Immigrant Hysteria,” (December 1-7), no one on Long Island ever had a lawn, restaurant or home improvement business, or any “hard working” employees, prior to the invasion by the illegals.

We are tired of literally subsidizing them all with food stamps, welfare, Medicaid and education. And September 11 has absolutely nothing to do with many people’s facts and realities about illegal immigration.

Sure, give them all driver’s licenses, but make sure it doesn’t look like mine. And then make them all start paying for all the services they’ve stolen from the city and state at our expense. Tell the truth about their costs and incarceration rates, the problems with Mexican gangs, etc.

To disagree with the Irish Voice and the liberals makes a law-abiding American citizen a racist? It’s the illegals who are breaking the law. 

Those that hire them are too. Laws are on the books and in the not-too-distant past they were strictly enforced.

Catroina Lynch. Astoria, New York

Surprised at Irish Gov’t

Irish Americans are shocked but hardly surprised that the Reverend Ian Paisley has said “no” again. But they are surprised that the Irish government backed his unreasonable demands for photos of the IRA’s historic decommissioning.

Clearly the photos were to be used to try and humiliate the IRA. Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Bertie Ahern, who has shown magnificent dedication to, and mastery of, the peace process, should never have gone along with that impossible demand.

Paisley has squandered a historic moment which I pray can be redeemed. But if you spend your entire life preaching hatred and sectarianism it is not easy to have a death-bed conversion. 

Saying no to God and people can become an unbreakable habit — and I say this as one who has tried over the years to be kind to Dr. Paisley.

But Paisley’s rejection, like Trimble’s before him, surely proves that the issue was never really about decommissioning, but rather about Unionists inability to share power and accept Catholics as equals — just as slavery and segregation in the U.S. was always about racist whites being incapable of accepting African-Americans as equals. 

Father Sean McManus President, Irish National Caucus. Washington, D.C.