A chara, – Diarmaid Ferriter writes in your supplement "Too Much to Hope" (October 22nd) that, "The first government of the Free State commissioned a temporary cenotaph in front of Leinster House, the site of Parliament, in 1923, but Fianna Fáil removed it in 1932". Prof Ferriter appears to imply that this cenotaph was in some way connected to commemoration of soldiers of the first World War. It decidedly was not. It was erected to commemorate Arthur Griffith and Michael Collins, with the name of Kevin O'Higgins added later. As it was a wooden structure, it deteriorated over time. In the late 1930s, Fine Gael agreed with Fianna Fáil to have it removed on condition that a permanent structure would replace it. Mr de Valera prevaricated. It was left to John A Costello to have the present structure erected in 1950. The full story of both cenotaphs can be read in my book, John A Costello – Compromise Taoiseach. – Yours, etc,
ANTHONY J JORDAN,
Sandymount, Dublin 4.