Sir, - Eighteen months ago an article appeared in The Irish Times regarding the felling of soft wood on the beautiful island of Inchagill on Lough Corrib, leaving hardwood trees, with new trees to be planted. This work was completed early in 1998. The island was left in devastation and no attempt was made to tidy it up during the year.
Last St Stephen's Day storm, with winds of over 100 miles an hour, swept the island, now open and exposed. It left hundreds of old trees uprooted and strewn across beautiful pathways and woodland where many nature lovers - local inhabitants, fishermen and tourists - used to walk and appreciate the natural fauna and wildness of this paradise island.
It is now four months since this storm and I visited the island a few weeks ago to find it totally raped of its beauty and impossible to walk around. How can our Government agency An Coillte get away with such damage and make no attempt to correct the situation? - Yours, etc.,
Penny Eustace, Inchiquin, Ower, Co Galway.