Madam, - I read with great sadness your obituary of Renato Sidoli (May 12th).
As a student, I worked during several vacations for him and his brothers in their cafes and ice cream factory in Shrewsbury, long before he came to Dublin.
Unfortunately, the obituary dwelt more on the demise of the Unicorn restaurant rather than this flamboyant, ebullient, larger-than-life man - a man who sacked me twice and would then telephone the next day to see why I wasn't at work! It also failed to mention his brave wartime record in the Italian Resistance; the fact that he originally studied architecture; and the part he played in the memorably operatic performances of the Bach-Gounod Ave Maria from the choir loft of the Cathedral in Shrewsbury at every Italian wedding in town, usually involving members of the widespread Sidoli clan.
My brother and I served Mass at his wedding to Nina, in the early 1950s, and we were tipped 10/- each, unheard-of largesse in those days, but typical of the man. - Yours, etc,
MICHAEL WALSH, Balla, Co Mayo.