Madam, - I am disappointed that a publication which prides itself on the relevance of its writers' opinions could have erred so badly as to allow Tom Humphries's view of the Ireland-France game and its underlying schadenfreude on your front page. This seemed insensitive towards any Irish person who was saddened by the way Ireland lost last Sunday.
I have enjoyed Mr Humphries's writing in The Irish Timesmany times over the years, from his thoughtful insights into the GAA to his humorous musings on the time he spent in Chicago.
He has shown, however, in previous articles that he does not understand the complexity of many Irish people's sporting psyche, at times being puerile - especially when he disdained Munster's nationally inspiring victory in the Heineken Cup as somehow unworthy because a sponsor's name was used in the title.
I was not bussed "back to the southside" last Sunday; nor were many tens of thousands of the fans who travelled to see this historic game. To suggest otherwise shows that Mr Humphries is caught up in the simplistic media myth surrounding the divide in Croke Park, unlike some of his colleagues at your paper who have embraced and celebrated last Sunday as a milestone in our nation's cultural achievement.
Every man is entitled to his viewpoint and each of us has our peculiarities of taste. However, Mr Humphries does not know me or the thousands of other rugby supporters like me and consequently does not have the authority to comment on this Irish sporting pastime that I love. His opinion on the other ones I love will be less valued in the future. - Yours, etc,
MARK CUNNINGHAM, Ashley Court, Tullamore, Co Offaly.
Madam, - There have been a lot of silly comments in the newspapers about last Sunday being the first time most Dublin southsiders had been to the northside.
This is nonsense. Sure the airport is on the northside! - Yours, etc,
JOHN POYNTON, Woodley Park, Dublin 14.
Madam, - A Government Minister admits on national radio ( Tonight with Vincent Browme,February 12th) that he attended last Sunday's rugby international courtesy of drinks multinational Diageo.
Is it any wonder that the drinks companies exert such influence over the Government? - Yours, etc,
Prof JOE BARRY, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Trinity College, Dublin 2.