Sir, - Vera Hughes of Moate, Co Westmeath has been upset by the photograph of a gay wedding in Germany. She can rejoice that the happy homosexuals of Moate, Mucklagh, Mullingar, Pollagh, Boher and Banagher and all those other charming little midland towns are not cluttering up Roman Catholic churches, desperate to have their unions blessed.
The singular problem with Ms Hughes's position is that she is confusing a civil ceremony designed by a civilised society to recognise a mutual commitment of two people with what she describes as the sacrament of matrimony. This may be all that she says, but don't confuse it with a civil ceremony designed for civilised people. They are not the same thing.
The next time I'm upset by a photo of a "straight wedding", I may write to The Irish Times. Alternatively, I may have a glass of water and wait for the feeling to pass. - Yours, etc.,
Hugh Mannion, Portland Street North, Dublin 1.