South County Dublin. Dr. Conan Doyle's Views
South County Dublin. Dr. Conan Doyle's Views is a letter written by Arthur Conan Doyle first published in The Irish Times on 3 october 1900.
South County Dublin. Dr. Conan Doyle's Views
Dr. Conan Doyle's Views.
To the Editor of the Irish Times.
Sir, — Will you permit me, as a man of Irish blood living outside Ireland, to say a word upon Mr. Plunkett's candidature, and the opposition which he is meeting? Viewed from outside, it appears that the one thing which Ireland wants, and has wanted for many years, is a central party, a party free from bitter sectarian or political feeling, who will be ready to extend a hand to the left and a hand to the right, and so in time make every Irishman, North and South, recognise that he has a common country, and that there is no reason why the inhabitants of that country should be for ever divided into two camps. With some relaxation of dogmatic theology and of political bitterness upon each side, it would be possible to unite Ireland upon a basis of national unity and Imperial loyalty. Such a party is one of the greatest necessities, as it seems to me, in our political life. The one man who has stood for it in recent years is Mr. Horace Plunkett, who recognises that some compromise must be made, and that Irishmen of all creeds must learn to drop their minor differences, and look upon each other as brothers, before any permanent peace and prosperity can come to the country. We earnestly desire a body of reasonable and temperate men who will intervene between the bigots and fanatics of either party. I am myself a Unionist candidate for Parliament, but it fills me with sadness that Unionists in Ireland can be so narrow and intolerant as to oppose the candidature of the man who has, of all living Irish politicians, done the most practical good for the country. By such an attitude they alienate from themselves the sympathy of many men, who like myself care nothing for the bolstering up of any sect or of any narrow party, but who are whole-souled in one desire that Ireland should become prosperous, happy, and reconciled to that great empire which has been so largely built up by Irish valour and Irish intellect.
Yours, &c.,
A. CONAN DOYLE
Undershaw, Hindhead, Haslemere
