Sir, – Ian d’Alton’s letter (August 19th) made me recall two Sunday mornings in June when I was on holiday in Co Cork.
On the first Sunday I attended a seaside Church of Ireland parish church which had a church-sponsored national school of some 80 pupils in which neither the principal nor the staff nor any of the pupils were members of the church. There was not a child in church.
On the second Sunday I attended church in another seaside Church of Ireland parish. It happened to be the end-of-term service for the parish’s national school and the service was led by all of the children of the school, ably helped by the dedicated principal and staff all of whom are involved with the life of the church. Indeed the children of the school form the church choir too and the worship was joyful and lively and it was a privilege to attend as a result. I managed to get the last seat in the building! The latter made me realise how important it is to protect such schools for the future and should be an example to the former and,indeed, to Mr d’Alton. – Yours, etc,
MIKE LAWLOR
Admiralty Way, Teddington,
Middlesex, England.