'Airbrushing' 1916 celebrations

Madam, - I was dispirited but not surprised to notice that once again the commemorations organised by the National 75th Anniversary…

Madam, - I was dispirited but not surprised to notice that once again the commemorations organised by the National 75th Anniversary Committee were ignored by Paddy Banks in his letter detailing his recollection of the commemorations of the Easter Rising in 1991 (December 5th).

To remind him of what actually happened, I would like to draw his attention to a quotation from The Irish Timesof April 8th, 1991, where Trish Hegarty observed that "even the rain could not dampen the spirit of 1916 as thousands took to the streets on Saturday [April 6th] to celebrate and commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Easter Rising in a lively, colourful, dramatic, musical manner which contrasted starkly with the State's short and sombre event on Easter Sunday."

Eilish O'Regan wrote in the Sunday Independentof the previous day that "the guarded gestures of commemoration which marked last week's official remembrance of 1916 were ousted yesterday in favour of a rousing and unfettered celebration of the Rising."

I am proud to have been chairman of the National 75th Anniversary Committee which succeeded admirably in its main objective: to ensure that the anniversary of the Easter Rising was celebrated in the appropriate fashion.

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To attempt to airbrush these celebrations from history does a grave disservice to the tens of thousands, both at home and abroad, who displayed their pride in our history and culture by participating in the many events that were organised by our committee during 1991. - Yours, etc,

ROBERT BALLAGH,

Dublin 7.