Sir, - How disappointing to read Chris Ryder (Opinion, May 13th) complaining about money spent on the Irish language and on Ulster Scots while people are "awaiting operations". Irish has been spoken on this island for over 2,000 years. A number of factors led to its debilitation. It has been long enough on the drip and now awaits a life-saving operation.
Human beings should not have to suffer or die needlessly. Nor should languages. On May 8th, in Armagh, Dr Mo Mowlam officially opened Leabharlann agus Cartlann Chuimhneachain an Chairdineil Tomas O Fiaich, a library-cum-archive dedicated to the memory of the late Cardinal O Fiaich. The event, charged with symbolism, was very well covered by the Belfast newspaper La; predictably, it was largely ignored by the Southern media.
Was The Irish Times the most appropriate vehicle for Mr Ryder's linguicidal fantasies? Surely they would have been more at home in those sections of the Irish print media which relish nothing more than a tilt at the language? I shall sign off with the legend on the plaque of the above-mentioned library: Is gloir athar mac eagnai. - Yours, etc., Gabriel Rosenstock,
Gleann na gCaorach, Co Atha Cliath.