Sir, – In his report from the doorsteps of North Harrow, Mark Paul mentions a tweet: “Name at least one thing invented by the Irish that significantly improved the world? Zero. If Ireland didn’t exist, no one would notice.” (“‘Name one thing invented by the Irish that improved the world? Zero’ – Local elections heat up in London,” May 4th).
I am aware many people in England like:
Cream crackers, which were invented by the Jacob family from Waterford, a rasher of bacon which was invented by Henry Denny from Waterford, Steeplechasing, the origins of which are a race from St John’s Church in Buttevant to St Mary’s Church in Doneraile close to the St Leger family home ... and a scion of that family has a flat race named after him.
The Irish also invented croquet which was seen by John Jacques when visiting Ireland and he introduced it to England, cricket which according to James Caulfield in Cricket Is An Ancient Irish Game is not English. And according to a letter from Liam Ferris in The Irish Times, William Webb Ellis first saw the game of Cad in Tipperary and took an intense liking to running with the ball and so begat rugby football.
READ MORE
Note that this is doubly factual: firstly, the letter was written by a priest, and secondly, it was published in The Irish Times. Therefore, it is undoubtedly true.
You will notice that I haven’t mentioned any writers, musicians, dancers, beverages or the world’s most favourite saint. – Yours, etc,
PASCAL Ó DEASMHUMHNAIGH,
Inis Córthaidh,
Co Loch gCarman.
