PROMINENT ACADEMICS, ACTORS and sportspeople are among the 1,000 signatories of a letter that urges Taoiseach Leo Varadkar to defend the rights of Irish citizens in Northern Ireland as Brexit looms.

The letter was sent to the Taoiseach on Friday and published in a double-page advert in The Irish News today.

It was signed by many prominent people from around Ireland including musician Damien Dempsey, international footballer James McClean, boxer Michael Conlon, actor Adrian Dunbar, director Jim Sheridan, singer Frances Black and security analyst Dr Tom Clonan.

Numerous high-profile GAA people signed the document including Michael Duignan, Richie Hogan, Joe Kernan, Peter Canavan, Paddy Tally, Oisin McConville and Kieran McGeeney.   

More than 30 school principals, dozens of lawyers and 20-plus doctors and consultants also signed the letter. According to The Irish News the signatories were approached because they “represent a breadth of nationalist opinion”.

The letter implores Varadkar to “redouble” his efforts and “the efforts of your government, to ensure that our rights are protected”.

It specifically mentions the DUP’s opposition to same-sex marriage and an Irish Language Act as two key issues of concern.

“As you know these rights are now taken for granted by citizens in other parts of these islands,” it adds.

The British Conservative government has rendered itself unable to effect any progress on these rights issues due to its dependence on the DUP. Brexit threatens to deepen the rights crisis and there is a real danger of serious erosion of current guarantees.

The letter follows two similar initiatives in the past year in which signatories contacted the Taoiseach to voice their frustration at the deepening political crises in Northern Ireland.

The full text of the letter and the list of signatories can be seen here.