Island Farms

Sir, - Theresa Judge (The Irish Times, December 6th) makes a sweeping statement about island farming on Lough Erne: "It is the only place in Europe where such farming is carried out."

In the Shannon Estuary, near Kildysart, there are nine islands farmed mostly in the style described by Ms Judge, with several meeting her criterion - "some of the farms are as big as 100 acres". Europe is wide.

However, her upbeat article highlights the dramatic improvements in farming conditions that would flow from the deployment of a similar cattle ferry, with suitable berthage in the Kildysart-Ballynacally area. - Yours, etc., Patrick J. Nolan,

Kilkee,

Co Clare.