Sir, – Enlightened as I was, reading Ed Power's fresh and rigorous anatomisation of the many tribes that make up modern-day Dublin ("Why I'm glad I can't afford to live in Dublin", Online, August 24th), I was delighted to see it juxtaposed on the Irish Times homepage with Mark Hilliard's piece on the rich history of Dublin unearthed by the Luas works in the city ("The lost history of Dublin uncovered by Luas works", August 24th).
I suggest that Ed Power take a shovel, and dig in his own back garden (between planting lemon trees, perhaps) where he might discover some local history of his own. This might provide some solid, factual evidence on which to base his next piece, or simply give him something to reflect upon, on the long, long commute.
Dig harder, Ed Power. – Yours, etc,
NIALL MURPHY,
Harold’s Cross,
Dublin 6W.
Sir, – Ed Power writes that when he slopes back to his "poke-hole" (Maynooth), he envies Dublin its abundance of burritos and Starbucks. What he should realise is that so much of enjoying Dublin is about enjoying the absence of things: the absence of a need to feel judged when reading the Guardian, the absence of a bizarre superiority over locally brewed beer – and indeed the absence of Ed Power, which has recently become chief among them. – Yours, etc,
ALISON TREACY,
Dublin 8.