Sir, - The national flag is much in evidence at the moment reflecting the national pride. However, I see that a prominent drinks company is using the flag to sell its wares.
Is this permissible and are there no regulations on the acceptable use of the national standard? Do other countries permit their national flags to be used for similar purposes? Of course the recent report on the high level of alcohol consumption in Ireland and the fact that practically every prominent international figure who visits Ireland (apart from Boris Yeltsin) is pictured consuming the same product would suggest that perhaps a pint of stout should feature on the national flag.
Perhaps it could be put to the people in a referendum. - Yours, etc.,
PHILIP DOYLE,
Templeogue,
Dublin
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Sir, - Fr Stephen Redmond had a right old Jesuitical lash at Guinness for misusing the national flag in its World Cup advertising by hectoring them about "respect" and "sensitivity" and suggesting that they need a lesson in civics. (June 7th).
For more years than I care to remember, the national flag has been defaced by some followers of the Irish soccer team with advertisements for garages, discos, corner shops and almost every entrepreneurial activity known to man. The flags are always placed where a television camera can best catch them.
Why single out Guinness for your ire, Fr Redmond? Is it because it is an easier target than our soccer supporters? A bit like taking penalties without any goalkeeper, perhaps? - Yours, etc.,
LOUIS HOGAN,
Shankill,
Dublin 18
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Sir, - I was interested to see that Eamonn Dunphy got himself sent home by RTE from his role in Ireland's World Cup. I wonder did anybody else notice the uncanny similarity between his experience and Dr Keane's? - Yours etc.
OLIVER NASH,
Rathfarnham,
Dublin 14
Sir, - So Eamonn Dunphy acknowledges he was wrong and has apologised.
If only Messrs Keane and McCarthy had the courage to do the same! - Yours, etc.,
JOHN GILLEN,
Skerries,
Co Dublin
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Sir, A recent letter-writer expressed the wish never to hear the name R** K**** again. May I add E**** D***** to the list? - Yours, etc.,
TERRY DOLAN,
Dunboyne,
Co Meath
Sir,- As always, Kevin Myers is guilty of projecting his own banal values on the rest of us without considering the overall picture.
Loyalty is, on the whole, a positive virtue but all too often it degenerates into misguided loyalty. Mick McCarthy has certainly shown misguided loyalty to several players since his appointment as manager of the Irish football team (Mark Kennedy being the prime example). He has proven himself unable to manage his best player and in the subsequent fallout, he and the FAI have demonstrated complete loyalty to each other.
The FAI must certainly be the most discredited group of administrators in sport history and in their vocabulary, loyalty is just another term for putting on a brave face and showing a united front to the world. When the fuss has died down, they will hold their whitewash inquiry and then play musical chairs with the different sinecures in the association.
In the worst scenario, they will extend Mick McCarthy's contract once again and we will continue marching down the road to mediocrity having learned nothing from the Roy Keane debácle.
Incidentally, Fianna Fáil, and Charles Haughey in particular, have always placed great value in shows of loyalty and perhaps Mr Myers should not be surprised to find himself in such august company. I'm trying hard to resist the temptation to mention loyalty in the Josef Stalin and Gallipoli /Somme context. - Yours, etc.,
JOHNNY CAMPBELL,
Grange, CORK