PAT BURKE-WALSH,
A chara, - When one sees people in various endeavours being rewarded across the water in the Queen's birthday honours list, one wonders why we don't have something similar here.
Having acquitted themselves so very well in the World Cup, wouldn't it be splendid to reward the likes of Mick McCarthy, Niall Quinn or Steve Staunton with some such honour?
We have, of course, seen Roy Keane receiving his doctorate in Cork - to which I comment, "Physician, heal thyself" - but these heroes of Japan and Korea should not go unrewarded. They have brought honour to our small country and lifted many boats on their joyful tide. - Yours, etc.,
PAT BURKE-WALSH, Principal, St Peter Apostle Senior National School, Neilstown, Clondalkin, Dublin 22.
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Sir, - Congratulations to Mick McCarthy, to his wonder team, and to the FAI for the honour and glory they have brought on us through the trials, tribulations, and challenges of World Cup 2002.
From the trauma of Saipan and the Roy Keane débâcle, through the intense scrutiny and hype of the media, to the drawn games with Cameroon and Germany, to the joy of beating the Saudis to qualify for the knock-out stages, we couldn't ask for more - but we got it in Sunday's epic against Spain. Spain won on penalties, but Ireland won on and off the pitch.
They have set standards of decency, fair play, sportsmanship, team spirit and dignity in defeat that we can be immensely proud of. From the stature of Niall Quinn and Steve Staunton to the dogged determination, raw courage, and total commitment of every member of the squad, they have set as fine an example as we could ever expect. Our children have giant role models to emulate.
Fáilte ambaile, Laochra na hÉireann. - Yours, etc.,
B. HAYES, Synge Street, Dublin 8.
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Sir, - Can we now assume that the St Patrick's Day Parade will in future be held in the Phoenix Park on safety grounds? - Yours, etc.,
P.J. McGARRY, Newpark Road, Blackrock, Co Dublin.
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Sir, - I switched on the television on Tuesday to hear the players' views on the World Cup experience but Joe Duffy and Peter Collins appeared to think that 100,000 people had turned up in the park to hear them.
Joe Duffy in particular was an embarrassment to our national broadcaster, making up nonsense about Padre Pio to Damien Duff's visible bewilderment. I cringed every time Duffy spoke and felt compelled to change station. - Yours, etc.,
GARRETT MULLAN, Thormanby Lawns, Howth, Co Dublin.
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Sir, - This World Cup has proved we have a world-class soccer team and the greatest fans in the world. However, it has also proved that we do not have a world-class soccer stadium or an open space in our capital city to welcome home our heroes. So firstly, let's build a stadium for the boys in green - not some bland, petty, party-political roofless effort, but rather a striking, world-class one with a retractable roof, a proud home for a proud team.
And secondly, the Phoenix Park is no place for a welcome-home party, nor is O'Connell Street/College Green. So come on, Dublin, create a square/piazza with fountains, furniture, and statuary, surround it with worthy edifices and give us a venue where we can not only welcome home our heroes but where we can assemble, celebrate, congregate, party and protest without disrupting the normal work of the city. - Is mise,
PAUL S. BURNS, Slievetoye Park, Cavehill Road, Belfast 14.
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Sir, - I have to admit to being a fair-weather football fan who joins in the spirit of the World Cup every four years, but who had to double-check the meaning of "offside" when this tournament began.
However, it has sickened me to hear the attitudes of some people who describe Ireland's departure from the World Cup as a failure. Is this the kind of thinking we wish to instill into our young people - that anything less than winning is deemed a failure? Do we want them to believe that giving 100 per cent commitment, dedication, belief and determination to a task is a shortcoming?
Perhaps those who are grudging of Ireland's achievements would be better emigrating to a country that tolerates only perfection. And, of course, perfection is not achieved by hard slog, dedication, commitment, occasional disappointment or a little bit of failure along the way. - Yours, etc.,
DEBORAH BRANNELLY, Lucan, Co Dublin.