Sir, – Garry Hynes (April 2nd) and others are correct in recounting the benefits to Ireland accruing from the work of Culture Ireland.
But in one important respect Culture Ireland has not served Irish culture well.
Unlike its sister agencies working on behalf of other European nations, it has omitted from its patronage philosophers, in the narrow and broad senses of the word. Granted that in this respect it has acted in accordance with the general policy of the Irish State’s cultural patronage, as instanced by Aosdána and the Arts Council. But given that Culture Ireland has had the special responsibility of representing Ireland abroad, it has served the nation poorly by continuing to represent us as the ever-so imaginative thoughtless Celts depicted by Matthew Arnold over a century ago. For this aspect of Culture Ireland’s performance no praise is due. – Yours, etc,