Sir, – Vincent Browne's singling out of an entire sport's "culture" as private school boorishness is a strange attempt at some form of populist class warfare ("Rugby culture is boorishly patriarchal", Opinion and Analysis, March 19th). It is strange because, while perfectly entitled to an opinion, I find it very ironic indeed that he deems those who have attended private fee-paying schools to be "posh", despite having attended a private fee-paying school himself.
This is surely a ground-breaking statement for a contrarian? An instance of “self-contrarianism”? – Yours, etc,
JUSTIN DEEGAN,
Celbridge Road,
Maynooth,
Co Kildare.
Sir, – Gabriel Rosenstock puts his finger in the wound (March 21st). In my Dublin Catholic school, renowned for its rugby, we 10-year-olds practised military drill as an integral part of the curriculum, swinging white batons to signify that we were "officer class". We had our own parade ground for marching and afterwards it was compulsory rugby on the playing fields of Rathmines. There were beatings for not attending. True to post-colonial type, Ireland was imitating its colonial masters – young Irishmen were being trained in British imperial traditions. This was in the late 1950s, more than 30 years after Ireland theoretically became independent.
The English also gave us that fine, egalitarian game of soccer – ruptured sinews and broken bones indeed, but no ruptured spleens or broken heads. We were not permitted to play soccer, it was for the lower classes only. – Yours, etc,
GERARD MONTAGUE,
Zaumberg,
Immenstadt,
Allgäu, Germany.
Sir, – Vincent Browne on “boorishness“? That’s a good one. – Yours, etc,
MICHAEL HEALY,
Ardagh Park Gardens,
Blackrock, Co Dublin.
Sir, – The suggestion by Denis O'Connor (March 21st), writing from Toronto, that "anyone who encourages a child to play rugby is an eejit", is rich considering that ice hockey is Canada's national sport. Hardly a genteel game. – Yours, etc,
BRENDAN O’CONNOR,
Clinstown,
Stamullen, Co Meath.