Madam, - Dean Robert McCarthy's letter on Kilkenny Arts Festival (August 15th) is very apt.
I was quite bemused when I read that the Festival is not quite happy with the €300,000 it received from the Arts Council for this year's bonanza. This sum is much more than the total received by the LMA from the Arts Council over a period of 36 years. Indeed, it is also €300,000 more than our Association received in either 2002 or 2003.
In Limerick during the same 36 years the LMA has presented some 535 recitals by world-class musicians. The LMA's final recital will be given by the Scharoun Ensemble from the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra in the University Concert Hall on October 24th. The Arts Council will not be contributing one cent towards the heavy costs of this concert. - Yours, etc.,
JOHN A. RUDDOCK, Honorary Secretary, Limerick Music Association, Dalkey, Co Dublin.