Sir, – Having observed that this is a country where people over 50 are routinely described as “elderly” by the media, it will be a pleasure for me to be represented by a First Couple who are comfortably into what advertisers like to call the “Golden Years”. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – The recent presidential election campaign was a nasty and dispiriting display of destructive scheming and character assassination, better suited to the more unpleasant television programmes than to the selection of a head of state. I have, as a result, become convinced of the benefits of a hereditary monarchy. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – One of the candidates was threatening to rename the Presidential residence Áras an Daoine.
How about, now, calling it Áras an File? – Yours, etc,
Sir, – I am somewhat perplexed by your publication of what can only be described as the bizarrest form of begrudgery I have ever had cause to read from Ruaidhri de Barra (November 2nd). I know Michael D Higgins from my time growing up in Galway. You couldn’t meet a nicer man, a man of absolute integrity and a long champion of human rights issues.
The man has just been elected to the highest office in the land, the ultimate honour, yet Mr de Barra feels the need to describe his homecoming celebrations in Galway as ” tribal triumphalism” and equates it to being the hallmark of Irish politics. What a strange point of view. Nothing could be further from the truth. A case of Mayo jealousy perhaps? – Yours, etc,
Sir, – Judging from Seán Gallagher’s positive performance in the presidential election, and the Dublin West byelection outcome (FF in second), there would appear to be significant “envelopes” of Fianna Fáil support around the country. – Yours, etc,