Cuireann An Phoblacht fáilte roimh litreacha ónár léitheoirí. Scríobh i nGaeilge nó i mBéarla, 200 focal ar a méid. Déantar giorrú ar litreachta más gá. Cuir do litir chuig [email protected]
An Phoblacht welcomes readers’ letters. Write in Irish or English, 200 words maximum. Letters may be edited for brevity. Send your letters to [email protected]. No attachments please

Remembrance

Further to the letter from Donal Kennedy (An Phoblacht, 13 November), while I am not aware of any commemorative event by the Irish establishment of the brutal murders of Dick McKee, Peadar Clancy and Conor Clune on the morning of Bloody Sunday 1916 in Dublin Castle, a commemoration will take place on Sunday 30 November at 11am, Dublin Castle. (City Hall doorway entrance).
The commemoration has been organised by The 1916-21 Club, Ireland House Pearse Street (formerly the Pearse brothers’ home) and which The Club has done annually since its inception.
Tom Kettle, who is a blood relative of my own, it seems is also being air-brushed out of the people’s collective recollections by the establishment who, it seems, are busy at revisionism to the extent of bringing the state back into the British Commonwealth.
Donal and other people may be interested to know that Tom Kettle’s book Irish Orators and Oratory, which I donated, is in Balbriggan Public Library, reference section. This volume includes speeches from Burke to Redmond such as Robert Emmet’s (Incl Tolers interruptions and R.E’s responses) O’Connell’s at Tara and elsewhere, and, of course Parnell’s.
One wonders was it the extraditions of Bishops which motivated Redmond to “encourage” thousands to their deaths in Imperialist Belgium.
GERRY CUNCAGH,
Dundalk,
County Louth.

Hare Coursing

This must be one of the most unenlightened, ill-informed and badly written articles that has ever been written on the issue of hare coursing! 
Mr Treacy shows an extreme lack of knowledge, insight and appreciation of Irish heritage, culture and folklore as well as an insensitivity towards our natural surroundings and environment that borders on ignorance. The Irish Hare is native to Ireland and has long been associated with our historic past including our ancient folklore and mysticism.
The use of colonial analogies to support his argument for the retention of this barbaric act of cruelty is not only ironic but shows his lack of ability to put any type of constructive argument forward. The protection of our culture and heritage includes the protection of our natural environment and its inhabitants.
This does not mean the exploitation and abuse of the Irish Hare or any other wild animal for the greed-motivated, self-interest of a tiny minority.
GEARÓIDÍN
Ni GHARBHAIN,
Killala,
County Mayo

Seeking footage of Bodenstown 1979

I would like to thank the Republican Movement for the respect they showed my father and the support they gave to my family when my father passed away in June of this year and to all the friends of his who came to his funeral from all over this country that he loved so much.
A special thanks to all his comrades who carried his coffin and who organised his beautiful send-off – Leo and family, Cathal King, Seán Crowe and all from the Markievicz/Ryan/O’Farrell Cumann, Sinn Féin.
I have been trying to find any film, news or picture footage of the Wolfe Tone Commemoration in Bodenstown in 1979 but have had no success. I hope you can help me as three of my family, all brothers, marched in the parade. I can remember my father telling me he had seen BBC cameras filming this and it would mean a lot to me to get some footage of this as he died a short time ago.
My father, Frank Kelly also appeared in An Phoblacht in 1979. I would be very grateful to any of your readers who could contact me about the availability of any other pictures of him that are available. I would like to keep his memory and that of his strong belief in Irish freedom alive and pass it on to my children.
My father’s passing was also remembered in the 24 July edition of An Phoblacht.
Anyone who can help with locating photographs or the film footage mentioned can contact me by phone at: 0857353177.
JAMES KELLY,
Tallaght,
Dublin

Elected officials have not delivered for Limerick

In 1984 I visited Limerick City for the first time and recall the untidy and Victorian like buildings, it was just like Dublin at that time.  Only the summer past I had stayed in County Limerick on a brief holiday but went in to visit the city twice  and was amazed to see how things had not changed in 25 years. The lack of regeneration was shocking to me. There were some mild improvements but nothing that would stand out.
It is a sad indictment on our elected officials who have not delivered for Limerick and in fact have not delivered in many other towns and cities across this state in what were a decade of disgusting wealth making and lack of proper long term investment by many shades of Government.
PAUL DORAN,
Clondalkin,
Dublin 22