Sir, – Tomorrow marks the centenary of Senator WB Yeats's September 1913 appearing in the pages of this newspaper. At the same time, the institution in which he served, Seanad Éireann, is to be consigned "with O'Leary in the grave".
It is a pity that the Government, in searching for justification for this populist move, can only “fumble in a greasy till/ and add the ha’pence to the pence”, citing spurious savings as a reason to dry “the marrow from the bone” of our democracy. Abolition is not reform, and we shouldn’t allow them to pretend it is.
“Men were born to . . . save”, apparently, nothing more. The “democratic revolution” we were promised is dead and gone; it’s rather like being ruled by Michael O’Leary: stunts, no frills and save!
Was it for this . . .? – Is mise,
JOSEPH BYRNE,
Schoolhouse Lane,
Dublin 2.