STEPHEN REDMOND, SJ,
Sir, - As an Irish citizen I strongly protest against the misuse of the national flag by Guinness in its World Cup advertising.
On the white part of the flag appear the name, the harp, the slogan. Elsewhere on the flag is something about the Irish team schedule.
The advertisement is itself an advertisement for crass vulgarity and abysmal ignorance. It is a new low in Irish advertising. Have the Guinness advertising people any understanding of what a national flag is or means? Where is their respect and sensitivity? It seems that they need instruction in civics.
It rather looks as if Guinness (or an element in the firm), proudly conscious that its product is a national symbol (to my mind a somewhat dubious one), hubristically feel that they are free to modify the primary national symbol for the sake of business.
I suggest that protests be made to Guinness and to the Department of the Taoiseach which deals with national flag matters; that the Government itself protests and reprimands; that, unless the firm repudiates the advertisement, Irish drinkers boycott Guinness for the duration of the World Cup. - Yours, etc.,
STEPHEN REDMOND, SJ,
North Circular Road,
Dublin 7.