Sir, - Kevin Myers seems upset that all four presidential candidates are women. He also seems to dislike the fact that two of the candidates are from the North. Perhaps Mr Myers would prefer a system of gender and regional balance, by which half of the candidates would be male and there would be one from each province, or indeed county. However, we know that Mr Myers is opposed to political correctness, so the gender imbalance will have to stand.
The reason we have four women candidates has less to do with political correctness than with the cynicism of the political parties which nominated them. Mary Robinson's election was seen as a victory for someone outside the mainstream of politics. Naturally, all the parties decided to look for Mary Robinson Mark II. Hence the search for an articulate woman who espouses causes without really being part of the political establishment. No doubt, if the next President comes from the North, in seven years' time all parties will select from there. If Dana wins, Johnny Logan had better start preparing his election address to the nation. - Yours, etc.,
From Jim Corcoran
Gurranabraher, Cork.