Sir, – Frank McNally in his Irishman's Diary of October 22nd is indeed right in describing Neal Doherty's The Complete Guide to the Statues and Sculptures of Dublin City as "an excellent little book".
However, there is a glaring omission, namely the wonderful statue of the young Richard Crosbie, the father of Irish aviation, by Rory Breslin. It was unveiled by none other than Frank himself in 2008.
The statue still stands proudly in one of Dublin’s hidden treasures, Ranelagh Gardens, and is both a symbol of the resurgence of cultural life in Ranelagh Village and a fulcrum point of the ever-popular walks and talks that are a feature of the annual Ranelagh Arts Festival.
Perhaps your diarist was too shy to mention the pivotal role he played in having the statue erected and I would hope that Mr Doherty will rectify matters when he brings out the second edition of his great little book that is a must-have for lovers of Dublin city. – Yours, etc,
TERRY CONNAUGHTON,
Ranelagh Arts Centre,
Dublin 6.