Sir, - I read Kevin Myers's article (March 21st). I congratulate him on the lucidity of the context, relevant to Mary Ellen Synon's column on "the traveller" dimension, in the Sunday The dependent, which he quoted.
When I read her column, I did not interpret her views as being anti traveller per se. In fact, she took pains to explain the travellers' psyche. She dwelt on their squalid life style. She enumerated the many reasons why householders in urban and rural areas, resented having travellers within miles of their homes. She efficaciously portrayed a sordid scenario, with which we are all only too familiar. Without a doubt, the vast majority of the settled population, would empathise with her views. In no way, did she incite hatred or foster racial discrimination.
Since Mary Ellen Synon is perceived by pseudo philanthropic socialists, as a candid "rightwinger", I am not in the least surprised that prominent "leftwingers" in our present Government, determined she should be "investigated" by Garda authorities, with the sole objective of having her prosecuted. A trumped up, bogus, ludicrous charge of "inciting hatred and racisism", would vindicate their motivation and justify their crusades.
The accusation is bizarre and utterly absurd. As Kevin Myers cogently articulated, pursuing such an investigation, would involve an irresponsible and profligate waste of Garda financial and more importantly, manpower resources. Manpower resources are already stretched to the limit, in their Herculean efforts to contain the proclivities of violent criminals, who assault and mug old people, break into homes, rob shops and houses, businesses, banks, steal cars, etc. To protect the lives and properties of beleagured tax payers, and helpless old people, should take precedence where Garda activities are concerned, rather than engaging in futile, vindictive, ideological "witch hunting".
I applaud our outstanding female correspondents, such as Mary Ellen Synon and Veronica Ciuerin, just to mention a few. They have rendered an enormous, as well as a formidable contribution, to Irish journalistic media.
Yours, etc.,
Bishopstown, Cork.