Sir, – I greatly enjoyed reading the republication of Michael Viney’s first article for The Irish Times, “The man in the cottage”, which appeared on May 29th, 1962 (Environment, September 3rd) and also his interview with Fintan O’Toole (People, September 3rd). Like many thousands of readers, I have walked alongside Michael Viney for many years – over fields and ditches, bogs and shingle, hills and streams; in wind and rain; in sunshine and in the dead of night; eyes peeled (a butterfly, a flower, a star); ears cocked (a wren, a waterfall, distant thunder); hands always at the ready (to mend a fence, to dig up spuds); his words on a page; his voice in my ear. Thank you, Michael Viney. – Yours, etc,
CHRIS FITZPATRICK,
Dublin 6.