A chara, - Your paper's report on the damage to the Francis Drake monument in Cork (The Irish Times, July 12th) neglected to mention details of his activities in Ireland.
It seems forgotten that in 1575, Francis Drake, along with John Norris, participated in a bloody massacre on Rathlin Island. This slaughter of mainly women, children and the elderly seeking refuge on Rathlin was the Srebrenica of its day in Ireland.
This deliberate targeting of the helpless still stands as one of the most terrible massacres in Irish history, and would today be deemed a war crime.
Commemoration of historical figures should be done in an objective manner. Whatever about Francis Drake's role in the English navy, the Irish experience of his activities was far from positive. - Is mise,
PROINSIAS
MAC FHEARGHUSA,
An Uaimh,
An Mhí.
Madam, - Cllr Paula Desmond of Cork has made my day. She is quoted as saying, following the vandalism of a monument to Francis Drake: "It makes me so angry to think that some fossil is walking around thinking it's 1798."
The monument refers to an event in 1589. I will say no more. - Yours, etc,
BRIAN HOGAN,
Thornville Gardens,
Limerick.