Madam, - Frank McNally's interesting piece, "Bono joins elite club as 'Time' Person of the Year" (Dec 19th) has prompted me to put pen to paper.
Time's criterion for selecting their person (or persons) of the year is the person who did most for "good or ill" during the year.
Joseph Stalin made it on both counts - he was selected for his evil deed in siding with Hitler in 1939 and for his good deed in opposing him in 1942.
There was a ready-made selection to get this interesting series under way - Charles Lindbergh's solo flight across the Atlantic in 1927 was special.
During its 78 years US presidents have been selected 20 times, two popes have made it, John XXIII in 1962 and John Paul II in 1994.
Three women have been selected on their own, Wallis Warfield Simpson in 1936, Queen Elizabeth in 1952 and Corazon Aquino in 1986.
Bono is the first Irish person to get there and Bill and Melinda Gates are the richest.
Two non-humans have got there - the computer in 1982 and planet Earth in 1988. - Yours, etc,
FINBARR SLATTERY, Killarney, Co Kerry.