Sir, - Nothing so exemplifies the old railway blues of this country so much as a comparison of maps of the railway systems of Ireland and Switzerland. Here are two countries of comparable size (Ireland is actually 70 per cent larger than Switzerland) and population - Ireland 3.6 million and Switzerland 6.7 million. Yet Switzerland is criss-crossed with railway lines. To adapt Hamlet's homily to his mother:
"Look upon this map and on this, the presentment of two railway systems. See what a grace it is to be seated in a Swiss train, with stations like the Herald Building, new-lighted on a heaven-kissing hill; where every dog doth seem to get a seat, to give the world assurance of a railway. Look now, what follows: Here is your CIE; like a mildew'd ear, blasting SBB's wholesomeness. Have you eyes? Would you leave the fair Alps to battle across these moors?" And so on.
It will cost money to bring our railway system into line with those of our Continental neighbours; but isn't it for projects like this that we should be using those huge sums that the Celtic Tiger is said to be earning for us? If we don't do it, and soon, ours will become an undiscovered country, with a lot of bournes which no traveller will be able to reach, let alone return from. - Yours, etc., D. Sowby,
Knocksinna Crescent, Dublin 18.