Madam, - For the past seven years, since I opened the Spirit Store venue and bar in Dundalk, we and our customers have been listening to John Kelly's Eclectic Ballroom and Mystery Train radio shows.
It has been a wellspring of wonderful music and delightful part of what we offer in our TV-free bar, so there is a real sadness at RTÉ's decision to cease the broadcast. John Kelly's musical sensibility and his supreme skill as a radio broadcaster are Radio 1's finest asset.
Why is RTÉ's obsessed with audience numbers when it has a public service obligation? And why in God's name does that fixation stretch into the late evening when listener numbers are small and always will be?
From where I stand, the axing of The Mystery Train amounts to cultural vandalism. - Yours, etc,
MARK DEAREY, Proprietor, The Spirit Store, Georges Quay, Dundalk, Co Louth.
Madam, - Ultan Ó Broin (June 7th) castigates those of us who have expressed concern at the proposed axing of The Mystery Train and Rattlebag, describing us as narcissistic, pretentious "luvvies". He implies that popular is de facto better, an attitude which will surely lead to a dumbing-down of radio programming. I can't help but wonder to what extent such dumbing-down is responsible for Mr Ó Broin's invective. - Yours, etc,
GREG SCANLON, Ballycasey Manor, Shannon, Co Clare.