A chara, – I refer to your report ("Hold the back page", Sports Weekend, July 26th) which stated that "last week at an international hockey match in Belfield the crowd was asked to stand for the Irish national anthem. People obediently stood up and Phil Coulters Ireland's Call was played to some amusement."
How jolly indeed. Assuming that our hockey ambassadors rely on public funding in order to pursue their hockey careers and support funding for the Belfield campus is made available out of the public purse perhaps we are owed an explanation as to the basis for the dropping of our national anthem at this event.
Who or what body made this decision and what authority do they have for this disgraceful and shameful misrepresentation on an international stage? Some people may have been amused – others, however, are not so, and at the very least, would like an explanation. – Is mise,
RORY O’CALLAGHAN,
McDowell Avenue,
Ceannt Fort,
Dublin 8