Madam, - Ann Marie Hourihane claims "every Irish town [ now] has a Starbucks" (Opinion, March 17th).
Really? A quick look at the Starbucks website shows that after two-and-a-half years in Ireland, just 17 outlets have opened, 15 of which are in the Dublin area. The other two are in Kildare and Cork Airport. Hardly an invasion - and a long way from one per town.
I think Starbucks has met its match in the fickle Irish coffee-drinker, who prefers Irish chains such as Insomnia (25 branches and planning 25 more this year) and O'Briens (nearly 50 in Dublin alone). Irish, not foreign, chains are swamping our towns with coffee. - Yours, etc,
JOE LANGAN, Baldara Court, Ashbourne, Co Meath.