Sir, – Undoubtedly those of us within Trinity who subscribe to the view that the opposition to Bishop Berkeley’s name adorning the library is symptomatic of a naive, ahistorical and unacademic approach to history will welcome the careful reflections on this matter which have appeared in this paper over the last few days. CDC Armstrong and Brian O’Brien (Letters, February 8th) demonstrate very clearly the flaws of such opposition to Berkeley and Trinity (and the wider Irish society) should be grateful to them for setting out the arguments with such clarity.
How interesting that a second alumnus of Trinity should also be under fire (Michael O’Loughlin, “Beckett earned right to have work performed as he saw fit”, Opinion & Analysis, February 8th): the fact Beckett’s Waiting for Godot was cancelled at the University of Groningen because the auditions were not deemed sufficiently inclusive is yet a further symptom of the anti-intellectual vein regrettably so apparent within some quarters of academia. It is perhaps timely to recall that universities have a simple mission: to promote culture, not to destroy it, and therein lies true inclusiveness and diversity. In the current academic climate grounds for offence are too readily encouraged, indeed constructed. – Yours, etc,
Dr SARAH ALYN STACEY,
Head of the Department of French,
Trinity College Dublin,
Dublin 2.