Madam, - John Cussen's ignorance does not stop at a boorish and offensive belittling of anyone concerned about Tara, using unusual and non-Irish names (Reginald and Tarquin) to stereotype them (June 9th). He also shows no understanding that archaeology is an expensive and painstaking activity, often deferred due to cost.
A State that has starved higher education of research funds and is purely reactive when it comes to preserving its history has denied generations of academics the opportunity to do justice to such a sensitive site.
The point is to preserve Tara until such time as funding is available. A rush to excavate the affected sites, which is what is promised, is not really in the interests of this country's heritage.
Mr Cussen asks when people are going to "get over the past", as if it were something that should be wished away. Would he address the same question to the UK authorities, who eventually, and expensively, re-routed a motorway away from Stonehenge? - Yours, etc,
CHARLES TYNER, New Row Square, Dublin 8.