Sir, – St Werburgh's Church in Dublin is one of those almost invisible places that will richly reward anybody who happens upon it. In the 1980s, when I was fortunate enough to serve there, I often directed people there by merely saying that it is directly across the road from Burdock's chip shop – and that was usually sufficient. So Frank McNally's piece ("An Irishman's Diary", September 9th) is a worthy mention. As a footnote to Frank's reference to the demolition of the spire and tower, I can report that in the 1980s a re-enforced concrete band had to be put in place to prevent the porch, upon which once rested the tower and spire, from falling into the street, mostly because it is not keyed into the main part of the building.
So maybe demolition was structurally rather than politically determined, after all.
Regarding the burial of Lord Edward Fitzgerald in the crypt, it should be noted that Maj Ronald Sirr, his arresting officer, is buried outside in the adjoining graveyard. A small illustration of how all-embracing the Church of Ireland is. – Yours, etc,
Rev PAT CARMODY,
Mullingar,
Co Westmeath.