Sir, - It bothers me the way a two-tier society is forming in Ireland. I do not blame taxation nor Government policy in the slightest, but the elitism and snobbery that is establishing itself in Ireland. When the tickets went on sale for the recent Oasis rock concert, only people with credit cards were given the option to buy them. I was at, and enjoyed immensely, the Blur concert at the Point Depot recently. I was driving and so was not drinking, but some of my friends, who are over 18, tried to go up and buy a drink but were refused and told all the bars were 21s.
It's these situations that are establishing in young people a sense of dissatisfaction with what they have, what age they are and who they are. It is a universal teenage feeling to want to grow up. But as the age limit moves up and up, you are nurturing a potentially dangerous need in today's youth to be older. Do you want us to wish our lives away? For example, one Saturday evening a friend and I, in pursuit of a tasty meal, were refused admission to the Chicago Pizza Pie Factory in town and told it was 21s.
And the problem is more often than not confined to boys and not girls. I have known girls who were admitted to pubs and served alcohol when they were 15 and 16 years-of-age. I completely understand management motivation for their move; the older people are, the more money they have to spend. Parallels are evident throughout our society: when joining a golf club, it's not your interest in golf or your decency that counts, it's your address, bank balance and social status.
In a related point, to just step inside the door of the Stillorgan Bowling Alley today one is charged 60 pence. It's not for everyone though, often you see adults just walk through, the entrance doesn't seem to exist for them. The remedy for the situation is not legislation of any sort, but just more understanding on the part of managers, shop-owners and businessmen. We don't want to divide our society. - Yours, etc.,
Inchanappa, Ashford, Co Wicklow.