Sir, – I am writing to criticise Harry Browne's letter (October 14th) criticising the response of the Press Ombudsman and Press Council to Mr Browne's criticisms of my critical review in this newspaper (Weekend Review, June 15th) of Mr Browne's recent critical book which criticises Bono (try and keep up, people: this is important).
In his letter, Mr Browne claims that several of my interpretations of his book and its subtext are factually untrue. Yet I note that in the course of his own letter, he says I paint him as “a Politically Correct Catholic-nationalist sectarian”. This is factually untrue: you will find no such words or phrases in my review (the concept itself is oxymoronic: how can sectarianism be Politically Correct?). What gives Mr Browne the right to read and interpret my writing in ways that I might not like? Even worse, he goes on to suggest that in my article I “defend Bono”.
Sir, I cannot allow these calumnies – nay, outrages to stand. I must therefore demand that you immediately recall and pulp all printed copies of Monday’s newspaper, remove the offending letter from your website and take steps to track down and terminate all links to it on other sites and in the social media. I will also be expecting a front-page apology and retraction, and that a suitable donation be made to my favourite charity, if I can think of one.
In the meantime, to show I am serious, I shall be proceeding with formal complaints through the Press Ombudsman, Press Council, Mr Shatter’s new appeals court, the Council of State, the UN security council and Article 15 of the Shadow Proclamation. – Yours, etc,
ED O’LOUGHLIN,
Botanic Road,
Glasnevin,
Dublin 9.
Sir, – Am I right in thinking that a process that involves a former Irish Times journalist, Harry Browne, asking another former Irish Times journalist, John Horgan, to adjudicate on a review by another former Irish Times journalist, Ed O'Loughlin, about a book review in The Irish Times which at least is about someone who is not an editorial contributor to The Irish Times, Bono, has resulted in Prof Horgan suggesting that Mr Browne write a letter to . . .The Irish Times! If they are the facts, comment is superfluous. – Yours, etc,
EOIN DILLON,
Ceannt Fort,
Mount Brown,
Dublin 8.