Sir, - The response to Nuala O'Faolain's article in your Magazine of May 12th - a single letter of disagreement from Dublin; silence from the country, and from whatever poor Minister is supposed to be in charge - confirms the point she made: nobody involved is bothered to talk about the change overtaking our countryside. Visitors to Ireland remark on it. Someone said to me recently: "The place seems messed up. Like Greece." Why not a government report on aesthetics? We know the historical reasons for Irish refusal to be told what to do with land, and for ugly towns. Are there are other reasons ? Does the townland - the scattering of houses out in the countryside, without church, barracks or shop - still have as strong a part in Irish country life as the civic town? Does the random building come from that tradition, as well as from the high cost of land, and from selfishness? Do country towns suffer by having their well-to-do people scattered for miles along the main roads? Does it matter that in another generation all these dots will be joined up ? Jonathan Aitken was known as "Joino" in prison because he could do joined up writing. Now that he is free the name is available to be used for Ireland. Is this what the country wants? Maybe it is, but first it should be talked about. - Yours, etc.,
Adrian Kenny, Kingsland Parade, Portobello, Dublin 8.