Madam, – We in the Third Age feel privileged that one of Dr Garret FitzGerald's latter public engagements was speaking at our seminar "New Ways of Looking at Ageing". On March 3rd this year Dr FitzGerald flew in from Brussels the morning of the seminar and told us he was going home after his address to write his Irish Timescolumn. Still completely engaged in life and study, Dr FitzGerald recommended to his audience the cultivation of a healthy curiosity – "You will never be bored if you are a 'why?' person", he said.
The Third Age organisation celebrates the continued engagement and involvement of older people in contributing to their communities and the third age as a valuable life stage. Dr FitzGerald is a wonderful example of someone who lived his life fully until its end. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – I completely agree with Catriona O’Kelly (May 25th): Grafton Street would indeed be the proper thoroughfare to remame after Garret FitzGerald. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – I have noticed that Taoiseach Enda Kenny has a portrait of Michael Collins in his office. Irrespective of one’s opinions of Collins (and indeed I am a great admirer) he was not a former taoiseach. And despite his many qualities he remains to an extent a symbol of former divisions in Irish society.
I believe it would be appropriate for Mr Kenny to remove Collins’s portrait and replace it with one of Garret FitzGerald. – Yours, etc,