Sir, – John Naughton (Letters, February 12th) suggests that the overlooked statue of Prince Albert be removed from outside Leinster House, as it is an “anachronistic reminder of our colonised past”. Our colonised past is just as much a part of our national story as our post-independence past. Despite common belief, the union (and the British monarchs who reigned over it) enjoyed broad support and acceptance in Ireland throughout this time, including while Albert was alive. Since independence, we have chosen to remain the English-speaking parliamentary democracy that we became during the union years. Leave Prince Albert where he is.

Source: The Irish Times February 13, 2026 22:34 UTC