Sir, – The suggestion of a 2m-wide asphalt surface on the Great South Wall in Dublin is a considered act of vandalism on a protected structure.
The raw unspoiled beauty of the 300-year-old wall would be lost forever. It is also totally impractical as the granite blocks of the wall are constantly moving, and any asphalt covering would break up after a short period of time.
This proposal is akin to putting a tarmac path up Croagh Patrick or placing an escalator on Skellig Michael.
I have voiced my concerns to Dublin Port who have ultimate responsibility for maintaining this amazing feat of engineering. – Yours, etc, Cllr PADDY McCARTAN Ringsend, Dublin 4. Sir, – Gay Byrne and Harry Crosbie’s hearts are in the right place in their championing of a safe walking surface for Dublin’s Great South Wall.
I wish them well in their campaign and hope they won't be put off by those such as Brian Graham and Peter Rankin (Letters, June 29th) who fret about destroying the wall's "ruggedness" – part of its charm, no less and worry about cyclists taking over if the structure was made safer for walkers, particularly those of us who are no longer in the first flush of youth.
Cyclists should not have any access to any asphalt pathway, particularly a 2m-wide passage as suggested, if only on safety grounds and legislation can take care of that.
Romantic nonsense about a safer walking surface “destroying the colour of the granite glowing warmly in the setting sun” can be sympathetically taken into account and then dismissed. The Great South Wall is quite a bit more than a “monument”, Mr Rankin.
The aspiration of making it safer for walkers of all ages hardly amounts to “defiling” it. Get a grip, please. – Yours, etc, LOUIS HOGAN Harbour View, Wicklow.