ERIC SHUTTLEWORTH (HAS, 27 May) has surely never said a truer word when he describes the “excruciating tosh” in Hear All Sides. His own letter is surely an example.

He says Ireland when he means The Irish Free state or Eire, and he says Ulster when he means Northern Ireland. Ulster includes counties Donegal, Cavan and Leitrim.

Many thousands of men from the whole of Ireland fought and died in the British Armed Forces in both world wars.

The Republic of Ireland is the only country with which the UK shares a border.

There is no passport requirement to cross it. We are both in the European Union, their main spoken language is English and they drive on the left.

Martin Forester, Spennymoor.