Sir, – Norman Freeman (An Irishman's Diary, May 13th) and the citizens of our country should be very interested to know that many young Irish chaps (myself included), and without the "sales talk" referred to in the article, voluntarily joined the Marconi International Marine Communications Company as radio officers (having obtained a certificate in radiotelegraphy in one of the colleges here in Ireland to serve in Irish Shipping Ltd and more usually in the British merchant navy).
One of the regular voyages taken by Irish vessels was to the port of St John in New Brunswick, Canada, to load a cargo of wheat to help keep bread on our tables.
These Irish-registered ships, decorated and illuminated in our own national colours, could take 10 or more weeks to complete the round voyage.
It is true that many of the ships, because of their size and age, would have been more at ease sailing the duck pond in St Stephen’s Green than rolling and pitching through the wild Atlantic Ocean for days in the national interest.
The flashing Fastnet lighthouse was a very welcome “ray of light” indeed on our return journey.
My sincere wish for our nation is that whatever we have to remember and commemorate, those who believed in what they chose to do during the war years deserve some mention.
As for the coconut wine referred to in the article, ugh! It’s a gin and tonic for me. – Yours, etc,
DESMOND TAYLOR,
The Village Gates,
Dalkey,
Co Dublin.