Sir, - Mr Frank McDonald's articles on tourism are interesting and timely; I have seen parts of Mellifont demolished by schoolchildren! However, Glendalough is of even greater importance. I had not visited for some years and was amazed and disgusted to see, outside the gateway to the ancient monastic city, ice-cream sellers, a rather tatty souvenir shop and a van selling hot dogs - all to the accompaniament of an accordeonist playing Two Little Girls in Blue, Lads, and more of that type. Could not the OPW see to it that these people are persuaded to go across the road away from the prayer centre, the Celtic heart, to where the tourist office is? Or is this another aspect of the thriving Celtic Tiger? Entrepreneurship gone out of hand ? - Yours etc.,
Ann Fitzgerald,
Mount Merrion Avenue,
Blackrock,
Co Dublin.