Divide and conker

Sir, – I spent a very pleasant afternoon in the Phoenix Park in Dublin last Sunday.

I was delighted to see young families enjoying the autumnal sunshine. However, I was a bit disappointed in all the parents I saw throwing sticks into horse chestnut trees, as their adoring offspring stood to one side waiting patiently for falling conkers. Back in my day, not that long ago, no self-respecting parent would throw a stick at a horse chestnut tree. They would let their children do it.

If children cannot collect their own conkers, what sort of generation are we raising? – Yours, etc,

JACK MURPHY,

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Cabra,

Dublin 7.