Madam, - My initial reaction on reading George Gilliland's letter from Belfast (June 28th) - in which he stated that, circa 1989, Garda officers attempting to make senior politicians amenable to the law would have been "sent to Outer Mongolia - well, Mayo" - was to ignore it.
However, although it is not clear on what criteria Mr Gilliland based his gratuitous insult to my native county, since it may be based on ignorance I thought I should place some facts before him.
Mayo has produced a president of Ireland, a chief justice of Ireland, two provosts of Trinity College, the current leaders of the Fine Gael and Labour parties (neither of whom appears to have any political baggage) as well as the chief executive of the highly-praised Special Olympics.
Two former chief justices and other distinguished Irishmen, such as Dr Ken Whitaker (chosen as the greatest Irishman of the 20th century) chose Mayo as their second home.
I might also point out that, inter alia, Mayo boasts an international airport (established by a Mayoman) and that Riverdance, accepted as one of the greatest expressions of national culture, was developed from the Mayo 5,000 festival which celebrated the discovery of the "Céide Fields" - the first civilised settlement in Ireland.
Finally, I can assure Mr Gilliland that no Mayo person would, in a comparable scenario, suggest that the victim might be sent "to Baghdad - well, Belfast". - Yours, etc.,
EAMONN G. MONGEY,
Carrickbrennan Road,
Monkstown,
Co Dublin.