Arts Council and Galway

Madam, - In the past week letters have appeared in your pages supporting Fred Johnston's campaign to get money from the Arts …

Madam, - In the past week letters have appeared in your pages supporting Fred Johnston's campaign to get money from the Arts Council for his Western Writers' Centre. In the interests of balance, it should be pointed out that there are also many people in Galway, such as myself, who applaud the council's decision to refuse Mr Johnston's organisation funding.

Galway is a city of much literary activity, from the annual Cúirt festival to the "Over The Edge" series of readings by emergent writers in Galway City Library.

Almost none of this is down to the Western Writers' Centre. Your readers should also note that several of Galway's more prominent writers did not sign the letter of January 17th in support of the centre. - Yours, etc.,

JAMES MONTGOMERY, Newcastle, Galway.