'An Phoblacht' welcomes readers' letters. Letters in Irish or English should be kept short (no more than 200 words) and typed or handwritten clearly, double-spaced and on one side of the paper only. Name and address should be supplied for verification, but these will not be published if we are so requested.

Cuireann 'An Phoblacht' fáilte roimh litreacha ónár léitheoirí. Scríobh i nGaeilge nó i mBéarla. Is fearr litreacha gearra (200 focal ar a méid) clóscríofa nó lámhscríofa go soiléir ar thaobh amháin den leathanach. Cuir ainm agus seoladh leis ach ní fhoilseoimid iad seo más é do thoil.

Garda Heavy Gang claims

A chara,

The appearance of ex-Garda Gerry O'Carroll on The Late Late Show during which he denied the existence of the notorious Heavy Gang was an utter disgrace. The existence of a Heavy Gang operating within the Garda is an accepted fact and was even tacitly admitted to by former Justice Minister Conor Cruise O'Brien when he admiringly described his knowledge of the beating of a suspect during the Herrema kidnap in the seventies. O'Carrol's name has surfaced in many of the allegations about the heavy gang and his assertion that he was not a fist and boots Garda will be greeted with derision in many quarters.

It would seem he is now in the course of reinventing himself as an author and some kind of commentator on security matters. Perhaps he might care to comment on how the late DJ Vinnie Connell admitted to the murder of Patricia Furlong in Glencullen Co Wicklow in 1982. The case was dismissed on appeal and Connell had made allegations of torture while in Garda custody. He should be able to clear this matter up as he was prominently involved in the case. The real tragedy in all of this is that the real killer was a serial killer who went on to kill many more women and has yet to be apprehended.

So Gerry spare us your hypocritical attempts to rewrite history and come clean and tell the truth for once.

Is mise,

Pat Farrell,

Drumcondra,

Dublin 9.

London commemoration for Diarmuid O'Neill

A Chara,

The Wolfe Tone Society and Justice for Diarmuid O'Neill campaign are organising a 10th anniversary Commemoration on Saturday 30 September at the Camden Irish Centre, Murray St, London NW1 1JR. Speaker: Gerry Kelly Sinn Fein MLA. Followed by Social evening with Ard Ri and Traditional musicians. Event starts 6pm-midnight. Tickets £5 adv, £8 Door.

Further Details please contact Denis: 07870838509 or Maria: 07960128403, email [email protected] or write to Wolfe Tone Society, BM Box 6191, London WC1N 3XX

Is mise,

Peter Middleton.

Seeking Tailteann Games memorabilia

A chara,

My name is Catherine Magee. I am a TV producer currently working on a television documentary about the Tailteann Games - a major cultural and sporting event which took place in Dublin between 1924 and 1932. Thousands of people took part - both citizens of Ireland and from across the Irish Diaspora- and tens of thousands attended the Games, which were billed as "the Irish Olympics".

We are looking to make contact with anybody who may have memorabilia relating to the Tailteann Games. We are particularly keen on any photographs that may still exist.

I can be contacted by email at [email protected] or by writing to the Union Films, 10 Caragh Road, Dublin 7.

Is mise,

Catherine Magee,

Dublin. 7

Ryder cup circus

A chara,

The orgy of uncritical coverage of the Ryder Cup in Dublin's exclusive K Club has greatly annoyed me. We are supposed to gaze in awe as the wealthy fly in and out in their helicopters or travel down the cordoned-off roads in their expensive cars. This gratuitous displaying of wealth is disgusting. It reveals a class that has lost the run of themselves and like a royal elite expect the plebs to hang on their every move.

In an Ireland beset with inequality and underfunded public services the K club circus and the attendant media adoration show just how far out of touch the establishment is to imagine that ordinary people see this event as hugely relevant.

City-wide the lampposts are adorned with expensive canvas placards promoting the event. One question, Who paid for these? You can bet your life the ordinary people did along with the elaborate security put in place to protect the wealthy elite attending the event.

Speaking of security the event has undermined national sovereignty yet again. Gun-toting American secret secvive men have been seen there protecting George Bush Senior. Not that the elite in this country give a damn about such niceties as sovereignty. These people would sell their Granny if there was a few quid in it.

I object to being expected to worship at this alter as do most ordinary people. Not that that is going to make a blind bit of difference. "Let them eat cake" we shall probably be told. I can only take solace from the fact that the original author of that statement lost her head on the Guillotine after the plebs lost patience with her.

Is mise,

Fergal Peters,

Artane,

Dublin