Sir, – At the annual Béal na Bláth commemoration Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald speculated that, had Collins lived, the cause of gender equality might have been advanced rather more quickly than occurred subsequently. She may be right or indeed wrong but it is an interesting point to ponder. Diarmaid Ferriter in his column ("Michael Collins was no trail-blazing feminist", Opinion & Analysis, August 29th) disparages her efforts for "contriving to make him what he was not". This is to miss the point entirely. She was suggesting how Collins's thinking might have developed but for his death at the age of 32. – Yours, etc,
BRIAN FLEMING,
Palmerstown,
Dublin 20.