Madam, – I welcome the decision to open the pubs in Limerick for the match on Good Friday, not necessarily because it is tasteful, but it sends a clear message that the church no longer runs this country.
I think, however, that it should be extended to cover pubs all over the country. Every lager-lout from Malin to Mizen will be tempted to converge on Limerick that day. The possible consequences are not good. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – Aside from the question of whether pubs should be shut on Good Friday or not, it is unbelievable that some fixture scheduler chose Good Friday as the date for one of the biggest rugby matches in the domestic calendar.
This match is only on pay television and only a tiny number of households would subscribe to this station. Only those lucky enough to either have a ticket for the match or to get to the city of Limerick to the specially-opening pubs will be able to see the match.
All this is not very fair to the Leinster supporters and it makes for a disastrous ratings failure for the television station. Why not move the match to Thursday night? – Yours, etc,
A chara, – Maria Hegarty (March 26th) displays a touching naivety in proposing that money be diverted from the coffers of Limerick publicans to promote regeneration in the city.
This campaign by the VFI was always about putting shillings in the publicans’ tills, nothing more nothing less, despite all their mealy-mouthed rhetoric about crowd safety and their risible concern for “facilities”.
Would these be the same publicans that throw people out into the street at 11.30pm each night and who display “toilets are for customer use only” signs? – Is mise,
Madam, – No, Christian Ireland is not dead and gone (Hugh McFadden March 26th), it has been joined by Muslim, Jewish, Hindu and atheist Ireland. We now live in a society which is multicultural and multi-faith (or no-faith). The dogma of any one particular religion should never be forced by law on all of us.
I’m sure Mr McFadden doesn’t think it wrong that meat can be bought on Good Friday, or that the sale of condoms is not outlawed (both prohibited in Catholicism).
People are perfectly entitled to abstain from any practice they wish, but to have any of them banned by law due to one belief system is wrong. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – Let’s not be under any illusions here. If the sporting occasion were Bohemians v Limerick FC and not Leinster v Munster, there would not have been a word about it. The working classes would have to drink their cans on the bus and possibly smuggle one or two into the ground, but for Ross and Fiachra to venture beyond the Pale and be denied their coveted pints of Heino? Not a chance. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – Regarding the opening of pubs on Good Friday, has a minority become intolerant of the culture of the religious majority, or has a new majority become intolerant of what is a new religious minority? – Yours, etc,
Madam, – According to the Christian faith, Good Friday is the celebration of the day that the Lord Jesus Christ took upon himself the sins of the world, thus allowing mankind a way to avoid eternal damnation. As a mark of respect that day is one of two days in the year when alcohol may not be sold.
That is unless a more important event takes place, such as a rugby match. – Yours, etc,