Madam - The theme of Garret FitzGerald's column on "the importance of keeping alive a sense of the past" (Opinion, April 10th) is extremely valid and needs to be more widely aired.
Certainly, hindsight of historical events is often exploited by revisionists. We need to see happenings captured within the framework of the period rather than using modern day perspectives to elucidate our complex history. As Garret FitzGerald pointed out, Padraig Pearse was "a realistic man of his time". So too were all the men and women who fought, struggled and suffered during the early part of the last century to bring about our 26-county State.
To quote Tom Barry, from the recent biography that I wrote of him, "People who weren't alive then will never understand the spirit of the people". - Yours, etc.,
MEDA RYAN,
Ennis,
Co Clare.