JOHN de COURCY
Madam, - A majority of the Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council has taken a step that appears to be in preparation for handing over a most historic area of Dun Laoghaire's harbour to "developers". When I was born 91 years ago, this country was being governed in the interests of large property owners whose allegiance was elsewhere. Today it is being governed largely in the interests of native "developers".
The insensitivity of the councillors who appear to have opened the Carlisle Pier in our beautiful port to "developers" is a shame and a disgrace. Carlisle Pier was the spot from which thousands of our fellow countrymen and women for generations left this country for ever in search of work, and their last sight of their native land was beautiful Dublin Bay with the grand granite piers of Dun Laoghaire harbour, the construction of which was a remarkable reflection of the spirit of the Irish people, and was admired by engineers the world over. Equally admired was the remarkable City of Dublin Steam Packet Company which made Dun Laoghaire the leading passenger port on this side of the Irish Sea.
One would have thought that local politicians would have wished to commemorate the exiles, the renown of their harbour and the excellence, recognised and admired in many lands, of an Irish shipping company with Irish crews when, even under foreign rule, we had such phenomena, that today's Irish governments are too unimaginative to initiate.
It is up to the public to see that such a historic spot is not defaced by money- grubbing "developers"; and if the county council really believes in democracy (i.e. rule by the people) it would have arranged a vote by the people of Dun Laoghaire. But it is evident that the majority of Dun Laoghaire councillors think they know better than the people who elected them - or is the pressure from "developers" that decides what way they vote? - Yours, etc.,
JOHN de COURCY
IRELAND,
Dalkey,
Co Dublin.