Sir, - In reply to Gregory Allen (May 17th), I didn't express a fear of an increasingly violent society in my letter of May 12th. I merely stated the fact, which is obvious from reading any newspaper, that violent crime is becoming more commonplace in Ireland. The motivation of a violent criminal, fear, aggression or profit, is irrelevant to his or her victim. The cause of a criminal's actions cannot be addressed by gardai, armed or unarmed, but at least an armed garda can defend himself.
If all the gardai at Abbeylara had been unarmed, John Carthy would, of course, be alive today - and very likely, at least one garda would have received another Scott Medal by now, posthumously of course. - Yours, etc.,
Michael Dolan, Wilderness Grove, Clonmel, Co Tipperary.