Madam, - It was surprising to read the following assertion by the chief executive of Ryanair (July 12th): "Ireland is an island, and therefore the only way for our citizens and visitors to access this country is to fly".
Ireland has ports, and many of them are served by environmentally meritorious railway services. Ships, ports and trains benefit both citizens and visitors. Mr O'Leary may be interested to learn that, thanks to the enterprise of Railtours Ireland, for example, it is now possible for tourists to travel by train from London Euston by way of Holyhead by rail and ship to many destinations in Ireland.
Travel to Ireland by rail and ferry and within Ireland by rail are becoming increasingly attractive alternatives to the humiliations of aeronautics. - Yours, etc,
Prof GEORGE HUXLEY, School of Classics, Trinity College, Dublin 2.