Sir, - What a bizarre lot your readers are! In the past few years I can recall only three subjects which for many days bulked out your letters column: the fairly anodyne remarks of Mrs Bruton on the place of women in the home (for the life of me I can't remember whether she was for or against); the President taking communion at a Church of Ireland service; and the inclusion of the name of an unmarried woman on the invitation sent out in the name of the Taoiseach for the reception for Cardinal Connell.
Yet when David Trimble did something which might have helped, was intended to help, and still may help, to destroy any inclusive Northern Ireland "Peace Process" - when he forbade Sinn Fein ministers to attend North-South meetings - only one letter was printed (and that, unfortunately, mine - so I am obviously parti pris).
Perhaps the Good Friday Agreement did permanently separate Northern Ireland from the Republic of Ireland, but does this mean that your readership have lost such interest as they may have had in the future of this island? - Yours, etc.,
Charles Clarke, Magherydogherty Road, Markethill, Co Armagh.