Sir, - Some years ago, when addressing a meeting about the slow death of Lough Derg, I spoke about "caring", especially caring for the protection of the natural environment of Ireland. Everybody one speaks to says they care, but the trouble is that they do not care enough. "Caring" has become a cult word. I coined a little aphorism: "Those with power don't care. Those who care deeply have no power.
The truth of this saying was never more accurately and vividly demonstrated than by the crude and brutal wounding of the earth at the site of Tomona Castle. Here, ranged against the fabric of the earth, is the power of the North Tipperary County Council; the power of apparently unlimited money and the brute power of huge machines.
To fight against this panoply of power are a handful of men and women unarmed except for their puny voices and their pens, who shout and rail like King Lear, humiliated by their failure and impotence. For more than a week now, the air has been rent with the most distressing noise; distressing for the jarring, screaming nature of the sound itself; distressing for the knowledge of what is happening to a gentle historic and tranquil piece of Lough Derg shoreline.
The twisting sod rolls over on her back
The virgin screams before the irre sistible sack.
-Yours, etc.,
(Col retd),
Dromineer,
Nenagh.