Madam, - The lack of reaction to two recent items in The Irish Times is surprising.
Prof Donnchadh Ó Corráin's letter of May 3rd described the creeping neglect of early and medieval Irish studies in the two largest Dublin universities. He asked if this was the result of drift or policy.
In either case, his description of what is happening as "a philistinism no civilised nation can tolerate" seemed painfully accurate. Does nobody care? Or is Prof Ó Corráin's idea that the civility of a nation may be measured by its respect for its cultural heritage now considered to be utterly passé in the groves of academe?
Liam Ó Muirthile's Peann Coitianta column of May 2nd strikes a similar note in reflecting on another venerable institution, The Irish Times itself. The weekly hunt-the-thimble imposed on readers of Ó Muirthile's column is intensely irritating. For the writer, it must be infuriating. None of your regular English-language columnists have been displaced in a similar fashion - nor should they be. Why is it considered acceptable to treat a long-established and widely-read Irish-language column so cavalierly? - Yours etc.,
COLETTE NÍ MHOITLEIGH, Ascal Rath Gearr, Baile Átha Cliath 6.