Sir, In her column of July 18th Mary Holland quotes, with apparent approval, a remark that as a Dublin Protestant, Sir Hugh Annesley could not be expected to understand the feelings of people living in the North. Clearly however, Ms Holland has no doubt of the validity or usefulness of the constant stream of pronouncements by Dublin (and Meath and Kerry) Catholics on events north of the border.
Do these commentators have qualifications which outweigh those of Sir Hugh, who, whatever the merit of his recent decisions, certainly has the benefit of long experience in policing both inside and outside Northern Ireland? Or could it be that the crucial factor in conferring expertise is not place of origin but a wholehearted identification with "the nationalist community, North and South?" And if so, where does that leave us Dublin Protestants? Yours, etc.,
Sidmonton Road, Greystones, Co. Wicklow.