Madam, – Am I the only one who, not falling over themselves at the fact that Queen Elizabeth managed the “cúpla focail”, was struck by what she said. I would find it difficult to believe that she has ever addressed the people of a foreign country as “friends”. That, for me, speaks more, far more, than the fact that she can handle phonetic pronunciation so well. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – Within 100 yards of leaving my newsagent this morning I met two neighbours whose fathers had been murdered by the Provisional IRA. Later I read Frank O’Connor’s empathetic letter (May 17th) highlighting Queen Elizabeth’s visit to the Garden of Remembrance.
On reflection, I believe those of us loyal to Queen Elizabeth can appreciate her presence there. We must realise that your State, just as our own, has its particular founding fathers.
The royal visit may highlight those initially forgotten by the creators of Ireland’s two states: namely the northern nationalists and those on the island giving their allegiance to the British monarch. Consideration is also due to people pained by those acting in the names of our founding fathers since the settlement achieved in the 1920s. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – A section of metal crowd barrier, about 100 yards long, fell over with a loud clatter, on to O’Connell Street, Dublin about 2pm on Monday, May 16th. There was no crowd present. Such barriers are unstable, having insufficient weight at the bottom, and further, they are anchored to each other in such a way that if one barrier is pushed over by force, it brings all the other attached barriers over with it. They are unsafe to crowd or visiting dignitaries. The section which fell over stretched from the junction with Henry Street to the “Emporium” building, about 30 or so individual barriers in all.
It seems the State failed to have these barriers tested for stability, and to have them manufactured to safe standards. I am a mechanical engineer, first class pass. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – In his letter (May 19th) CJ O’Hehir makes his point with a refreshing intelligence. Not as easily dismissed as a buffoon on the street. Fair play to The Irish Times, a private paper, in giving us this letter and different views on the whole show. Our so-called public service broadcaster, whose coverage I found so unbalanced, could take a leaf out of your book, or a page from your paper. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – With all the bowing and scraping down south during the visit of Queen Elizabeth, I think that the sobriquet “Corkshire” should replace “People’s Republic”. – Yours, etc,