JONATHAN HARRIS,
Madam, - I wish to express my deepest anger and protest most strongly at Dublin Corporation's intention to fell all of the trees on O'Connell Street.
I am aghast that the only positive attribute in the country's national boulevard is to be taken away laughably under an "improvement scheme".
Can they be serious? It is indefensible environmentally and aesthetically to remove all 50 of the distinctive London Plane trees, some as old as 100 years, which stood proud outside the GPO in 1916 wrapped in green, home to hundreds of birds.
The corporation in its wisdom is to replace them with young, fragile lime trees, I understand. Do officials honestly believe these will survive the daily and nightly torrent of anti-social behaviour that prevails on the street? And even if they did, how long would it take for them to grow to any respectable size to fit in with one of the widest streets in Europe?
The only thing that will point skywards for years to come is that big lump of metal known as the spire. I cannot imagine what the street will look like without them; worse certainly, but how much worse?
When I first visited Dublin from the west in my youth one of the first things I remember about O'Connell Street is those towering giants that gave the street some sort of majestic presence.
The street was privy to a green revolution before; it's time we had another - of a different kind! - Yours, etc.,
JONATHAN HARRIS, Trimleston, Booterstown, Co Dublin.
... ... * ... * ... * ... ...
Madam, - Regarding the imminent felling of the London Plane trees on O'Connell Street: Cad a dhéanfaimid feasta gan adhmad? - Yours, etc.,
PAUL DELANEY, Dalkey, Co Dublin.