Denial of Easter services reminiscent of China

I wish to address the fact that so many letters have been published insisting churches should not reopen for public worship while referring to the Feast of Easter as “a major event on the Church calendar”, when in fact it is the most important Christian feast.

As St Paul said, if Christ has not risen from the dead our faith is in vain.

Also, no mention has been made of the fact that it seems we are the only country in Europe which will be without public church services for Easter.

Nor of the fact that food for the body is considered essential but not food for the soul, as in the Blessed Eucharist, while churches observed all – and probably more – of the protections necessary as obtained in supermarkets, etc.

It would be appreciated if the Government informed us why we are the exception in Europe on this issue.

Is this too much to expect when we are expected to renounce the celebration of the greatest feast of the year?

We are supposed to be a Christian country but the denial of access to our churches to receive the Eucharist seems more reminiscent of China than Ireland.

Mary Stewart

Ardeskin, Donegal town

Mass movement a big swing of pendulum from the past

SOME years after the 1971 Contraceptive Train brought people to Belfast for contraceptives that they couldn’t buy here, you report about, ‘Fears that massgoers may cross Border over Easter as churches there set to reopen’ (Irish Independent, March 18).

Talk about a pendulum.

Killian Foley-Walsh

Kilkenny city

  

 

Media attacks against men are also discrimination 

RECENTLY, the media has launched again its periodic degrading of the male gender.

If degradation of any other group or gender type was as openly flouted on such a regular basis, then the media would find itself in court for persecution and discrimination of the selected group.

From my experience, no matter how often these tirades are embarked upon, there is never a defending voice to speak out for our fathers, our husbands, our brothers, sons and uncles.

Don’t tar all males with the same brush, it’s just wrong; discrimination certainly, but on a human level downright disrespectful of all the men I have known in my lifetime – kind, gentle, hardworking, decent, loving men, one and all.

Catherine Dunne

Enfield, Co Meath
 

Late Late Show provides just the medicine for everyone

ALLOW me to congratulate all involved in the special St Patrick’s night episode of The Late Late Show.

A wonderful cosy session of Irish music, song and chat from beginning to end.

Just the medicine we all needed.

Brian Mc Devitt

Glenties, Co Donegal
 

Tiernan a pleasure because he allows guests to answer

WHAT a pleasure it is to watch Tommy Tiernan.

The simplicity of the programme is refreshing. It reminds me of those of yesteryear.

Simple camerawork. No long-winded repeated introductions. No health warnings about strobe lighting.

Simple questions. Most of all, Tommy, you allow the interviewee to answer without interruption.

The whole broadcast is so easy to watch and listen to.

Thank you, Tommy.

Norman Storey

Tramore, Co Waterford
 

Required public reading for county council officials

TO READ of Irish place names being bastardised, on the National Day of Ireland above all days, is sad (‘Kerry locals’ outrage at “meaningless” new housing estate name’, Irish Independent, March 17).

‘Meaningless’ place names anywhere in Ireland, but particularly in the county of Kerry, should never occur.

There is so much knowledge and information available about Irish place names.

One of the most treasured sets in my small collection of Irish books is that of PW Joyce’s Irish Names of Places (Vol 1 & 2, 1883).

An appropriate apology by Kerry County Council officials involved would be to have them read aloud and in public the works of PW Joyce!

Declan Foley

Berwick, Australia