Madam, – Your Western Correspondent Lorna Siggins, in her piece on the revival in Galway of An Tóstal Festival (Home News, April 29th), says this national cultural celebration was “last held over half a century ago” in Salthill in 1959.
This is not so: An Tóstal is alive and well in east Cork. It has been celebrated continuously in Youghal since Éamon de Valera inaugurated the festival in 1953. Admittedly, it is marked by one specific event, the An Tóstal Team-of-Four bridge competition, which was just one of the many festivities set up by the townspeople of Youghal in 1953. It is the only one which has survived and the members of Youghal Bay Bridge Club are fiercely proud of its longevity, continued popularity and the tradition it represents.
Nowadays, although numbers taking part have fallen, it still attracts players from all over Cork and Waterford. The 58th Youghal An Tóstal Team-of-Four bridge competition took place in the Walter Raleigh Hotel, Youghal, on March 12th this year. Beat that Galway! – Yours, etc,