Sir, - As you observed in your Editorial (July 25th), Drowning Tragedy, many readers felt you got it wrong in publishing the front-page photograph depicting the clothes of the two young children who died in last week's tragedy in Belmullet, Co Mayo. I, for one, feel you got it absolutely right. As your detractors observed it was "upsetting", "insensitive", "sensational" and probably did "compound the grief of the Murphy family', whose pain I cannot even begin to imagine. But rather all this than another tragedy, as you validly argued in defence of publication.
As a nation we seem to be very lax and complacent about safety issues when compared with our European neighbours. The recent tragedies on our roads are but another example of the results of a less than responsible attitude towards safety measures. The appalling level of non compliance in seat-belt wearing, speeding and drink-driving and the tragic results are further evidence of our need to treat our environment and its hazards, both natural and man-made, with a little more respect.
I do hope that the noticeable absence of front-page coverage ( July 25th), of the accident at Swann's Cross which claimed so many young lives, was not motivated by a desire to defuse public anger at the earlier photograph.
This tragedy was given front-page coverage in all the other broadsheets while relegated to page five in this paper. Do not be intimidated by those who would seek to put politeness and sensitivity before truth, which while sometimes "upsetting" and "insensitive" may prevent further heartbreak. - Yours, etc.,
Rev Stephen Neill, Modreeny Rectory, Cloughjordan, Co Tipperary.
In fact, the Monaghan crash was the lead news item in our digest column on the front page. - Ed. IT.