Madam, – It was with great sadness that I heard of the destruction by fire of St Mel’s cathedral, Longford on Christmas Day. The loss is great indeed, but all the more so for those of us with a love and respect for our past. Unfortunately, the diocesan museum was also located in the cathedral, which held a collection of important historical and archaeological material. The crowning glories of this collection were two outstanding pieces of medieval Irish art, a 10th-century crozier and an early 16th-century book-shrine. These two pieces of church metalwork were of national importance and their destruction, along with the rest of the collection, is a huge loss for Ireland’s cultural heritage. – Yours, etc,