Madam, - May I be permitted to add a PS to Chris Dooley's Irishman's Diary of May 16th?
A few years ago on St Valentine's Day I saw a Ryanair advertisement in the papers which I thought was somewhat off colour. I wrote to Ryanair, expecting my letter would be thrown in the bin. But no. Instead I received a nice letter back from Michael O'Leary. I wrote and thanked him, adding that I would soon be going to Bethlehem. In London I would meet Sr Kevin Morton from Limerick, who tries to help poor families - of which there are many in Bethlehem - and I would be taking her a supply of baby clothes. The cases would be overweight and would Ryanair please permit me to take them without extra charge?
The reply came from Michael O'Leary: "Certainly - take all you want. Show this letter at the check-in". He also very kindly enclosed €50 for Sister Kevin. Sister Kevin and I both wrote our thanks.
The following year, Ryanair very kindly allowed me to take another consignment and this time added €100 - and in subsequent years they have been extremely kind.
On return from the Holy Land to London, two of our pilgrims could not find their Ryanair tickets to Dublin. Fortunately I still had in my pocket Michael O'Leary's letter about the baby clothes and on the strength of that Ryanair gave us two tickets free to Dublin.
Of course, I would vote for Ryanair as Airline of the Year and for many years to come.
- Yours, etc,
Father TOM INGOLDSBY, Salesian College, Pallaskenry, Co Limerick.