A chara, - Could I add to the appreciation of Maire Breathnach (August 5th)? The Maire Breathnach her old, friends remember was charming, vivacious, gracious, thoughtful and life loving. She was warm hearted and generous and most hospitable. To her house, she welcomed young people whom she introduced to her older, more urbane friends, long lasting friend ships began there.
These young people she encouraged to video their reading experiences in prose and poetry, frequently lending them books from the collection. A years subscription to An Club Leabhar, during its existence, was one way in which she encouraged her friends to read more Irish. Then it followed that the books read were discussed in Irish. Chunks of Creno Cille she canned in heart, hoping perhaps, her friends might do likewise.
In discussion and argument she could he quite formidable. Sometimes she was infuriating, particularly if one wandered into a grey area in discussion. Maire had no grey areas. Once someone asked to her. You don't suffer fools gladly, then. "I don't know any," she replied.
She lived to be 89, In her long life, she had many interests and many enthusiasm, and got full value out of all of them. She was still pursuing, as she had done for many years, her greatest dedicated "high" when she died. - Is mise. le meas.
Stillorgan, Co Dublin.