PETER COLLINS,
Madam, - Now that the 23rd Dublin City Marathon has been inflicted on the unsuspecting citizens of Dublin, can common sense prevail to prevent a repeat of this nonsensical folly that brings the city to a standstill every October bank holiday weekend? The pathetic sight of mainly unfit and corpulent runners, clothed often in filthy running gear, does nothing for anybody.
It is outrageous that a tiny minority (fewer than 1 per cent) of the population of greater Dublin, can close down the city. I had an urgent journey to undertake early on Monday morning from Rathfarnham to Ranelagh. It was a nightmare trying to get there. A journey of 15 minutes took over one hour to complete.
I call on citizens to lobby their local TDs and councillors to abolish this ridiculous phenomenon.
If it must be run, then put it miles outside the city in the countryside, where the air is better, the scenery more interesting for the runners - and, more importantly where the event is not going to interfere with the ordinary lives of the citizens of our capital.
It's just too much on a bank holiday. - Yours, etc.,
PETER COLLINS, Killiney Hill Road, Killiney, Co Dublin.