Sir, – The Government has allocated €22 million to fund commemorations of the 1916 rising. The week of the Rising was undoubtedly a seminal period in our history, but a week nonetheless.
Meanwhile, funding is cut to €11.5 million for our National Museum, an institution that commemorates, preserves and tells the stories of 9,000 years of our history and culture.
This funding reduction is threatening the museum’s existence.
We have been left a wonderful legacy of language, landscapes, objects and stories by the people of this island, a people that lived here long before the influence of British Imperialism or Irish nationalism.
The volunteers of 1916 fought so we could determine our own destiny and cherish our unique history and culture.
It would be a disservice to those men and women to commemorate their deeds but let the culture they fought and died for wither on the vine. – Yours, etc, BARRY DEVON Stepaside, Dublin 18.