Sir, – I read with great interest the views of my former classmate Gerry Hickey (January 11th) on my article "Gaelic Catholic nationalism and corporal punishment in 1966" (Rite & Reason, December 29th).
I am glad Mr Hickey has more pleasant recollections of Coláiste Mhuire than myself. However, my recollections are not all negative.
The theme of my article was 1916 through the prism of 1966 based on the memories of a then 13-year-old schoolboy.
In a sense, the unquestioning attitude to 1916 in the school at the time mirrored the perception of broader society.
I sought to contrast that with 2016, where that period is subjected to greater intellectual rigour and where there is the sense of a more inclusive commemoration, including of those who died on foreign fields and had heretofore been airbrushed from the collective memory.
I have to say that today my own view of 1916 is broadly in line with that expressed by your correspondent Patsy McGarry in the same column a week later, which stimulated much comment in these columns ("Pearse's overtly Catholic Rising was immoral and anti-democratic", Rite & Reason, January 5th).
Of course Mr Hickey is entitled to his opinion as, I am sure he will concede, I am entitled to mine. – Yours, etc,
SEAN O’DONNELL,
Monkstown,
Co Dublin.