Sir, - Oliver McGrane asks (August 3rd): why must Spanish students be so fuerte? There are two answers to his question, one short and one long. The short one is: why don't you ask them, politely if possible, in recognition of their overall contribution to our economy?
However, the explanation Mr McGrane probably requires is this. People in Spain simply speak somewhat louder than we do, and when you have large groups of young people together abroad, you can expect that they will behave as they would when at home. Some Irish people seem to have a difficulty with this, but I find that most immature. Sensitivity to local customs might be desirable in tourists, but since when is it a prerequisite for getting into the country? Do Irish visitors to Spain keep the local residents in mind as they party into the late hours along the costas, or demand that Spanish establishments provide Irish/English-style breakfasts and evening meals?
We live in a European capital city and tourism is a fact of life. If Mr McGrane travels on public transport, he can expect to come across a cross-section of the city's people at any moment in time. If that's not a sufficient explanation, perhaps he would like to spend a few hours pondering why the earth is round. But since he is tired after a long day, I suspect that would only make matters worse. - Yours, etc., Barry Hennessy,
Downside Heights, Skerries, Co Dublin.