The Spirit Of Bloomsday

Sir, - The spirit of old Ireland is still alive in Dublin! My friend and I, as older-age participants in the Bloomsday festival…

Sir, - The spirit of old Ireland is still alive in Dublin! My friend and I, as older-age participants in the Bloomsday festival, were determined to see the famous Martello Tower. Having got off the DART, we were about to negotiate the uphill journey. We asked the way from a young couple, who immediately offered us a lift. Their two children moved up and we piled in gratefully.

I asked the mother their names and in her lilting accent, she told us they were Clodagh, Cormac and Ois∅n. The beautiful old names seemed so appropriate! After our visit to the tower and the museum, where the lady curator kindly told us all about James Joyce's stay there in 1904, we set off back towards the station. A lady, who was driving her mother in that direction, stopped her car to give us another lift.

We shall never forget the kindness of Dubliners. The heroes in Glasnevin would have been proud of them. CΘad m∅le fβilte is certainly no idle boast. - Yours, etc.,

Audrey Whiting, Michael Leahy, Hampstead, London NW6.

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