Sir, – Patrick Rigney of the Dalcassian Wines and Spirits Company gives a good lashing to those anti-Arthur’s Day “vested interests” groups whose agenda he decries. It would seem from his letter that alcohol consumption linked to Arthur’s Day has beneficial economic effects on his industry. Indeed, from the picture he paints, every Arthurian participant is a responsible drinker and possibly even a tourist. Much like Arthur, this is a myth.
If everyone had a single pint or two then the economic impact cited would be fairly negligible to Mr Rigney’s monetary interests. Sadly Irish people drink to excess.
We may not all be falling over fighting in the gutter, but the “few pints” or the “glass of wine with food” is rarely actually that. It is not responsible to drink every or most nights. It is not responsible to binge drink (more than four units/ two pints/ two glasses of wine per session). Pretending that an occasion promoting a culture of drinking, in a society pathologically incapable of ethanol moderation, is something very much not to be welcomed. The job creation benefits are unimportant where said jobs are dependent on health endangering behaviours.
My vested interest, for clarity’s sake, is the health of the many not the wealth of the few. – Yours, etc,
Dr MAIT O FAOLAIN,
Beechwood Court,
Stillorgan,
Co Dublin.
Sir, – Arthur’s Day might become the catalyst to change our relationship with drink. Drinking any way other than sensibly is unacceptable at every level. The costs are too high. Arthur has given us a green light to open that can of worms – we could begin to pay heed for the first time. The game is up. Cheers Arthur. – Yours, etc,
BRIGID TIMMONS,
Glasthule Road,
Sandycove,
Co Dublin.