Sir, – We were not conscious of Gay Byrne’s courage, and may have been inclined to mistake it for a combination of recklessness and good fortune. He may not have been conscious of it either: the bravest among us rarely even know what courage is since we are unable to conceive of an alternative.
If his charm and talent had not carried him past risk after risk then his courage might have been clearer to us. – Yours, etc,
WILLIAM HUNT,
Ranelagh,
Dublin 6.
Sir, – Gay Byrne held up a mirror to the people of this country and showed us what was possible. – Yours, etc,
BERNARD O’BRIEN,
Donoughmore,
Co Cork.
Sir, – Well done to Ryan Tubridy and guests for a moving tribute to Gay Byrne on Tuesday night. Some sadness, of course, but laughter too. He would have liked that. – Yours, etc,
MARY CULLEN,
Dublin 8.
Sir, – With The Irish Times’s generous praise for the late Gay Byrne, I avidly concur.
I would just like to add how supportive of Irish musicians and composers he was throughout the years, especially to young talent just getting started in the business.
I remember him featuring a young Kate Bush on the Late Late Show, whose mother hailed from Co Waterford, and saluting her considerable musical talent. The arts community owes him a huge debt of gratitude and I’m sure his legacy will continue to grow. – Yours, etc,
STEVE GRIFFIN,
Greystones,
Co Wicklow.
Sir, – It was such a pleasure to listen to Gay Byrne’s calm, measured, resonant voice, and to hear clearly every word that he spoke.
Today’s presenters, alas, with their jarring gunfire-rapid delivery can never replace him.– Yours, etc,
VERA HUGHES,
Moate,
Co Westmeath.
Sir, – Gay Byrne did much to highlight the talent of our younger classical musicians when he devoted a portion of the Late Late Show each year to the finalists in the Young Musician of the Year competition. That was real public-service broadcasting.
He had a deep knowledge and appreciation of classical and popular music, and was more of a highbrow than it sometimes suited him to let on.
He will be missed. – Yours, etc,
CLODAGH MURPHY,
Dublin 14.
Sir, – According to the late Oliver J Flanagan TD: “There was no sex in Ireland until television”.
I wonder did he have Gaybo’s Late Late in mind? – Yours, etc,
MICK O’BRIEN,
Springmount,
Kilkenny.