Sir, – The article "Counselling for musicians whose incomes have 'fallen off a cliff'" was very welcome (Ronan McGreevy, News, June 2nd).
However, the “ordinary” musicians seem to be overlooked when discussions about the arts in Ireland arise.
Thousands of us who make our living from entertaining in local pubs and hotels every weekend. We weren’t all lucky enough to get record deals that enable us to tour Ireland and the rest of the world.
There are also those of us who supplement our income from gigging by working in other related areas.
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Although we are for the most part self-employed, we pay our mortgages and our taxes like everybody else, yet our industry is dismissed as leisure or an unimportant activity.
The reality for us is that until pubs are allowed to trade as they have in the past, we cannot work. Nor can the agents and their staff, as well as those in the ancillary services, such as those creating our promotional videos and recordings.
A follow-up article would be very much appreciated. – Yours, etc,
LESLEY KANE,
Dunboyne,
Co Meath.