Tag Archives: Irish Times letter

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Aeriel view Leinster House, Kildare Street with potential piazza arrowed

As I stood outside the gates of Leinster House this afternoon, I found myself admiring the vast open space that lies between the admirable buildings of the National Museum and the National Library. Modelled on the Pantheon of Rome, these temples of intellect built in the Victorian Palladian style complement, in the best possible fashion, the aesthetic facade of our Oireachtas.

It is a great pity that a public square does not exist to enhance the splendour of these surroundings and provide us with what could be called our very own parliamentary piazza.

Instead, we are faced with an ugly car park – covered in tarmac, restricted for use by the official classes, and confined by a large unflattering surround of black iron railings.

Surely there is need for a vast improvement.

ARAN McARDLE,
Kilmainham,
Dublin 8.

A parliamentary piazza? (Irish Times letters)

Pic: Donnelly Turpin Architects

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I shall certainly be voting Yes in the marriage referendum. I know this to be just and fair – there has been too much bullying and discrimination by some people and institutions. Of course I have not been intimidated to vote Yes. I wish all who marry long lives of happiness and tenderness, lived out in dignity and respect. – Yours, etc,

Sarah HJ Poyntz,
Ballyvaughan,
Co Clare.

Marriage referendum (Irish Times letters)

Pic: Marriagequality.ie

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James Morrissey, Denis O’Brien’s media adviser, arriving at Dublin Castle in 2010 for the Moriarty Tribunal

You may have read Malachy Clerkin’s column, headlined Is there no end to Denis O’Brien’s intervention in Irish sport?, in the Irish Times last Thursday.

In it, Mr Clerkin recalled an exchange about tax exiles between Mr O’Brien and Oisín Quinn, counsel for the Irish Daily Mail, during Mr O’Brien’s successful libel case against the Irish Daily Mail.

Mr Clerkin then argued:

“It is difficult to see yourself reflected in a national team that on a certain level is just a billionaire’s plaything.”

Further to this, Mr O’Brien’s media gatekeeper James Morrissey has written a letter to the Irish Times this morning, stating:

Sir, – I read Malachy Clerkin’s column in The Irish Times with interest (“Is there no end to Denis O’Brien’s intervention in Irish sport?”, September 18th). Clearly Malachy Clerkin doesn’t want Denis O’Brien to support Irish soccer or Irish rugby. Would he have preferred that these sports would be denied any assistance that just might help them progress? It strikes me as a rather unusual stance for a sports journalist.

If Malachy had bothered to check the facts he would have learned that Denis O’Brien’s support for the Irish cricket team came as a result of a request for immediate assistance during the 2007 Cricket World Cup when they unexpectedly got through to the Super 8 round.

From the general tone of his column it would appear that Malachy would have been happier if the plea for help was rejected. If he has such a hang-up about financial contributions that have sought nothing in return, how does he feel about sports sponsorship?

What strikes me as particularly incongruous is how an advocate of sport could so determinedly attempt to convert what just might be a positive motivation into some covert agenda.

What lies ahead for readers of The Irish Times – Malachy Clerkin rails against corporate branding of sports? Opposing advertising on sports pages? Refuses any element of his salary which might be sourced from commercial activities? Maybe Malachy is a sports journalist who simply does not like sports.

Yours, etc,
JAMES MORRISSEY,
Media adviser
to Denis O’Brien,
Fitzwilliam Quay, Dublin 4.

He used to be a journalist.

No really.

Denis O’Brien and sport (Irish Times letters)

Photocall Ireland

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Sir, – I fully agree with Alan Fairbrother (September 6th) on the question of our dropping the Irish “mam” or “ma” in favour of first the Anglo “mum” and now the American “mom”.
I suppose it has to do with our obsession with sounding posh, and fear of, God forbid, sounding Irish ! – Yours, etc,

Raymond Kennedy
Raheny,
Dublin 5.

Your ma.

Mammy vs mummy (Irish Times letters page)

Card by Grand Grand

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Further to Irish Times apologising on Saturday for the Martyn Turner cartoon above, Don Buckley writes in a letter to the Irish Times:

“Turner’s cartoon is entirely justified and fair comment given the record of the Catholic Church in recent decades. The Catholic clergy individually and collectively tried to cover up the dreadful sexual exploitation of children by some priests. In saying “some priests” I accept the abusers were a minority. But that minority were tolerated by their fellow priests, who kept their heads down or co-operated with the church policy of moving paedophile offenders from parish to parish when caught out.

“The Catholic clergy didn’t produce any whistleblowers to expose what was going on. Instead the truth had to be painfully dragged out of the Church authorities by brave victims and their supporters before the Irish hierarchy grudgingly admitted what was happening. This was the context for the cartoon in last Wednesday’s paper which has so upset Catholic clergy and some lay supporters. The fact is that parents of young children will not risk leaving them alone now with priests. Martyn Turner’s critics did not deserve any apology and certainly not in a leader under the – appropriately phrased – heading “An editorial lapse”. If that leader represents the current editorial policy of The Irish Times I regret to say it is no longer the paper I worked for proudly as a journalist in the 1970s, 80s and 90s.”

Martyn Turner cartoon (Irish Times letters)

Too Toon?

Lapse Catholic

Bless Me Father

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“I felt proud to be Irish and a member of a society that was showing signs of increasing respect and compassion for fellow citizens. This feeling did not last long, however, and I was dismayed and disheartened at the statements of the Irish Catholic bishops and their intention to mount a campaign of opposition. In light of this approach taken by the Catholic Church I will no longer be attending Mass, nor will I remain a practising Catholic.”

Eimear Bourke, Navan, Co Meath

What took you so long?.

Will YOU still go to mass?

Plan for same-sex marriage in 2015 (Irish Times letters)

Related: Bishop Denis Nulty statement on the decision by Cabinet today to hold a referendum on same sex ‘marriage’ in 2015 (Catholic Communications Office)

Sasko Lazarov, Mark Stedman/Photocall Ireland