Sir, - I recently moved back to the mainland after five years of living on Inishbofin and I really must protest at some of the wilder flights of fantasy in Wednesday's Irishwoman's Diary.
Contrary to the overall impression given of a snail-infested island inhabited by nothing but mating donkeys and exhausted barmen Bofin is part of 21st century Ireland. Every second house has a computer; many have TV satellite dishes; there is a thriving community centre with ISDN links, an Order of Malta branch, a creche, a library, a community minibus, regular rubbish collection, several thriving island businesses, etc, etc.
The Diary also contained several factual inaccuracies. The star-fort is universally known as Cromwell's Fort and not Bosco the Pirate's castle; the roads are well surfaced and maintained; virtually every household has a car; there is a Royal Oak Cove but no Royal Oak Cave; there are no white stones beside Lough Bofin and finally in my five years there I never once saw a car with a sheep in it.
Your correspondent was however absolutely correct in saying that Bofin is inhabited by warm and friendly people who are unfailingly courteous and welcoming towards the many visitors who descend on them every summer.- Yours, etc.,
Arthur Boland, Rathgar Avenue, Dublin 6.