KEITH NOLAN,
Madam, - Already the recriminations about the failed bid are rolling in, but has anybody queried the security and political problems we would have had with large numbers of visiting English soccer hooligans as well as a vocal minority of religiously bigoted Scottish supporters? Because it was a joint Scotland-Republic of Ireland bid, the mainland Europeans would have just viewed us as part of the British Isles with its associated soccer ills.
Next time let's pitch on an all-Ireland basis. - Yours, etc.,
KEITH NOLAN,
Bulloch Harbour,
Dalkey,
Co Dublin.
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Sir, - The Irish public took Fianna Fáil at its word in the last general election. UEFA's officials are not so gullible. - Yours, etc.,
LIAM WARD,
Birchdale Close,
Kinsealy,
Co Dublin.
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Madam, - I congratulate all who showed vision and courage in supporting the Scotland-Ireland bid for the right to host Euro 2008. In a race of this kind, there are no runner-up prizes, and for this year's successful bidders, Austria and Switzerland, it was third time lucky.
Ireland has successfully hosted such global sporting events as the World Cross Country Championships (twice), the Tour de France, and the Rugby World Cup (shared with the UK) - and is to host the Ryder Cup in 2006. But an event of the magnitude and time-span of Euro 2008 has major economic and cultural implications for the host country, and the bid document is so detailed that is now appears obvious the odds were stacked very firmly in favour of the experienced bidding teams, as shown by this week's victors.
For years we have looked at major televised sporting festivals held on foreign soil and envied their facilities and infrastructure, never ever dreaming of events of that stature visiting our shores. However, in spite of the current uncertainty over stadiums, it appears that the Irish-Scottish bid could well be viewed in a better light in four or perhaps eight years' time.
Less of the doom and gloom, please. - Yours, etc.,
PIERCE O'CALLAGHAN,
Media Spokesman,
Athletics Ireland,
Ongar Wood,
Dublin 15.