Madam, - Once again, at Sunday's All-Ireland Hurling Final this nation of warblers was denied its democratic right to sing the National Anthem without the aid of a talented individual whose warbling skills greatly surpass those of most GAA fans.
I first struggled with this phenomenon in 1992 when Donegal took its first and, sadly, only All-Ireland title at senior level. My passionate rendering of Amhrán na bhFiann, like that of thousands of others, was drowned out by some person with a microphone.
Down the years this practice has denied us the chance of giving an outlet to parish and county pride. And the TV and radio audience is denied the thrill of hearing up to 80,000 people singing in unison.
GAA headquarters should drop this gimmick adopted from the Yanks and let the lads and lasses at Croke Park rip into their national anthem without the assistance of a singing nanny to guide them through a few lines in Irish. - Yours, etc,
MICHAEL McHUGH, Bundoran, Co Donegal.