Madam, – How refreshing to see joy on the front of The Irish Timesthis morning (March 3rd). I refer to the great win by Ireland over England in the Cricket World Cup. I would like to congratulate the team and in particular Kevin O'Brien, also to thank them for the feel-good factor, something our politicians have failed to give us for a long time. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – “Bang go leor”. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – All that Ireland needs today is more Johnston, Mooney and O’Brien. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – The Pakistani newsagent who stocks my Irish Timesshook me warmly by the hand on Thursday morning and said "Well done, Ireland. No charge for your paper today, sir." I could get used to this. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – Following Ireland’s win over England in the Cricket World Cup, Bjørge Lillelien’s commentary from a Norway v England football match in 1981 seems rather apt! “Lord Nelson, Lord Beaverbrook, Sir Winston Churchill, Sir Anthony Eden, Clement Attlee, Henry Cooper, Lady Diana, vi har slått dem alle sammen, vi har slått dem alle sammen (we have beaten them all, we have beaten them all). Maggie Thatcher, can you hear me? Maggie Thatcher . . . your boys took a hell of a beating! Your boys took a hell of a beating!” – Yours, etc,
Madam, – To put Ireland’s enterprise-fuelled victory over England at the Cricket World Cup in context: it was like Ireland beating England at cricket! – Yours, etc,
Madam, – I have suffered jeers and sneers for my love that dares not speak its name.
After Wednesday’s historic victory I can finally come out and say I am proud to be an Irishman who loves cricket. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – As an England cricket fan I should be devastated by the fact that we were beaten by the so- called “minnows” from Ireland, but somehow I’m not. I’m a life- long club cricketer of limited skill, and I’ve just watched Kevin O’Brien do what every club cricketer has ever dreamt of doing. The harder it came the further it went. Well done Kevin. Well done too to the rest of the Irish team, and well done to Cricket Ireland for using its limited resources to maximum effect.
With focus, determination, and a decent amount of self belief anything is possible. I have to admit, by the end of the game yesterday even I was cheering for the Irish, it really was a joy to behold. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – It is truly amazing what democratic regime change can achieve. Since having voted out the worst government in the history of the State, the sun is out, the sky is blue and now we are world beaters in cricket.
Perhaps we should challenge the EU/IMF team to a game of cricket, double or quits? It will not make much difference as we cannot repay the existing bailout. Good luck to the new government – it will need it. – Yours, etc,