Mapping the globe and finding our place on the world stage

Sir, – Fintan O’Toole may be right that we Irish have notions about our place in the world. I would argue, however, that those notions are deserved (“The new map of the Earth is a wake-up call for Ireland”, Opinion, September 22nd).

For such a small island, Ireland has always punched far above its weight. Musically, artistically, culturally and in terms of our influence around the world, our reach bears little relation to our geographical size.

Irish writers, musicians, actors and artists are known across the globe, while our diaspora has ensured that Ireland occupies a place in the consciousness – and affections – of people far beyond our shores.

And, for the most part, the world seems rather fond of us.

Séamas O’Reilly: The idea that one man might shoulder burden of spite for us all is heroic

Ranelagh off-licence Redmonds to close: ‘I’ve never worked because it’s such great fun’

Why are there so many queues outside Dublin restaurants these days?

Monkstown three-bed features exposed granite walls and post-swim sauna

So let the cartographers shrink Ireland to its correct proportions. The number of square kilometres we occupy on a map was never really the point.

Ireland may be small on the new map of the world, but its place in the hearts of people around that world remains enormous. – Yours, etc,

PATRICK DINNEEN,

Turloughmore,

Co Galway.

Sir, – Fintan O’Toole’s reflection on our perceived place in the world reminded me of the time I taught for two weeks in Shenzhen, China.

Asked by my Chinese students to explain where I was from, I strode to the world map I could see on the classroom wall. It took me a while to find Ireland – at the very left-hand edge, since China was unsurprisingly in the centre. It was a salutary experience.

Though I notice the UN map is short-sighted enough still to have China to one side. – Yours, etc,

DAVID GRANT,

Holywood,

Co Down.

Sir, – I enjoyed reading Fintan O’Toole’s piece on the Equal Earth map that has made a timely appearance and which suggests we may have found our Hibernocentric place in the world.

I’d believe that was true if and when the Met Office gets its proportions right. Each evening on the television, the weather forecast pictures show a large Emerald Isle positioned close to Metropolitan France. But France, in land area, is nearly six-and-a-half-times larger than the island of Ireland.

Maybe I need a bigger television. – Yours, etc,

MARTIN FITZPATRICK,

Raheny,

Dublin 5.