Sir, Deirdre O'Callaghan (February 21st) has taken my question, To what extent was Thomas Moore indebted to traditional Irish songs and airs a question satisfactorily answered by other correspondents in the meantime and puts the cart before the horse by posing the obverse, i.e., "To what extent is Irish music indebted to Thomas Moore?" Well now! I've heard of cultural cringe.
Implicit in this juggling is the suggestion that native Irish music has little intrinsic beauty, validity or relevance and cries out to be dressed up in English. Much the same thing happens in literature. Until such time as a Frank O'Connor or Thomas Kinsella arrives on the scene, willing to do the translation honours, reams of Irish literature remain unanthologised, unsung. Tragic. Is me agat go buich beannachtach, Glean na gCaorach, Co Atha Cliath.