Sir, While based in Paris from 1989 to 1994, I became a regular daily reader of one of France's and Europe's most prestigious newspapers. I speak, of course, of Le Monde whose detailed coverage of events national and international is second to none.
Typically, in order to mark the official launch of that most excellent cultural festival l'Imaginaire Irlandais, Le Monde devoted a major part of its edition (March 16th) to Ireland and its current situation. Imagine then my disappointment on reading the very negative remarks of your correspondent, Katie Donovan, on this excellent journalistic initiative.
In the course of an otherwise interesting, well researched and entertaining article on the launch of the festival, Ms Donovan wrote the following (March 20th) Le Monde even produced a special supplement on Ireland on Saturday, but chose not to challenge the traditional image of Ireland, with photographs of the usual sheep, stone walls and men carrying currachs." It must be stated that this dismissive and superficial analysis does not accord with the facts.
Firstly, in its international section, Le Monde published (March 16th) a most comprehensive and interesting interview with the President, Mrs Robinson. Much of this discussion was devoted to the state of Ireland in 1996 and to its role on the international scene. Secondly, in its cultural section the newspaper dealt in considerable detail with the contents of the Imaginaire Irlandais festival and with the multi faceted phenomenon that is contemporary Irish culture. An entire page was devoted to this theme.
Finally, Le Monde produced an extremely comprehensive travel guide for intending visitors to our shores. This special 15 page supplement was clearly titled Terres d'Irlande/Voyages. Inevitably, as a travel guide, it contained a small number of "traditional style" photographs of Ireland. It also contained an enormous amount of detailed and interesting information for the potential French visitor to Ireland. My Irish friends, indeed, were most impressed by its quality and remarkable attention to detail.
Why Ms Donovan chose to ignore the political and cultural aspects of Le Monde's coverage I do not know. In relation to the travel supplement, I can only surmise that she failed to realise it was merely a guide for intending visitors and, as such, necessarily operated within certain defined parameters. Perhaps, in the interests of fairness, the record could be set straight in the columns of your august newspaper in the near future.
In conclusion, may I wish every success to your longtime Paris based correspondent, Ms Kathryn Hone, on her recent move to Milan. For several years, Ms Hone's clear and highly accurate articles have kept Irish Times readers very well informed about developments in the Gallic world. Our two countries have much to learn from each other and much to offer each other. The Imaginaire Irlandais is festival is a wonderful undertaking in this context and deserves unlimited success. Que le brassage culturel franco irlandais continue Yours, etc., Truskey West, Barna, Co Galway.