Sir, – We in the Irish Maritime Forum wish Neil Jordan every success in organising a roll call of writers and artists who will refuse to have ships named after them (May 3rd). If enough of those worthies who are alive and kicking, together with the descendants of those who have departed, decline this honour then we can revert to the much-loved and uncontentious tradition of naming our naval ships after women and men in Celtic mythology. – Yours, etc,
Capt JAMES ROBINSON,
Boulaling,
Riverstick,
Co Cork.
Sir, – I fear the matelots in Haulbowline may be secretly relieved that Neil Jordan doesn't want his name given to any of the Naval Service's patrol ships. After all, LÉ Neil doesn't have quite the right ring to it as a ship's moniker. While some might prefer LÉ Jordan, that astute businesswoman with the same name, aka Katie Price, would probably need to give her blessing first. For the benefit of landlubbers let me explain that each Naval Service ship carries the designation LÉ (the abbreviation for Long Éireannach) followed by its assigned name. Two replacement ships are to be named after the writers James Joyce and Samuel Beckett. Mr Jordan would appear to be worried that a similar fate could befall himself and other writers and is organising a "down with that sort of thing" campaign to prevent such a calamity occurring after his demise.
Happily I have no such qualms and would be honoured if LÉ Karl were painted on the bow of any Naval Service ship. Although not yet a member of Aosdána, I have high hopes of joining soon as my book (Irish Army Vehicles) and booklet (Irish Army Armoured Cars) were in their day highly acclaimed.
While the Naval Service is greatly respected internationally for its professionalism and expertise, it is hardly a threat to world peace. After all, just one of the Royal Swedish Navy’s tiny 650-tonne Visby-class corvettes could sink its entire fleet before it even left Cork Harbour. Perhaps Mr Jordan should watch out for the Visbys rather than the Paddys. – Yours, etc,
KARL MARTIN
Bayside Walk,
Dublin 13.
Sir, – Further to Neil Jordan's disappointment at the Naval Service naming its newest ships after famous Irish writers, I presume that the LÉ James Joyce will patrol the snotgreen sea. – Yours, etc,
NIALL McARDLE,
Wellington Street,
Eganville,
Ontario, Canada.
Sir, – Neil Jordan is organising a roll call of writers and artists who will refuse to have “weaponised naval systems” named after them. I wish to register publicly my wholehearted support for this initiative. Anyone who is so self-important that they feel they ought to be on this list most certainly should not have their name emblazoned on the hull of one of our nation’s naval vessels. – Yours, etc,
GAVIN LACY,
Earlsfort Rise,
Lucan,
Co Dublin.