Sir, - While I heartily welcome the republication by Town House of Mary Lavin's superb debut collection, Tales from Bective Bridge l would point out that A.W. the writer of your notice (February 8th) and Evelyn Conlon, writer of the new Town House introduction, appear to have forgotten or to be unaware of the book's publishing history.
The new introduction's opening statement, "in 1943, when this collection was last published is incorrect. 1943 was the year the book was first published...", but in 1978, when I was editor of Poolbeg Press, we reissued it - the first occasion, indeed, that any Mary Lavin collection appeared in paperback. Most importantly, Mary Lavin's own introduction which is included in the Town House reissue, was specially written at my request for the Poolbeg edition. - Yours, etc.,
Garville Road,
Rathgar,
Dublin 6.