Sir, – Media commentators who see fit, in their wisdom, to mock Danny Healy-Rae for his belief in the fairies, display their ignorance of, and disregard for, an ancient belief system by which their very own ancestors made sense of all manner of everyday occurrences, both good and bad (Front page, August 9th). Logic, of course, provides a far more accessible explanation.
However, what Mr Healy-Rae is telling us is that our ancestors, using their common sense and empirical knowledge, would have avoided building on this ground, whereas we, in our insistence that we can control and manage the environment, are quite affronted at the temerity of nature to behave naturally; in this case for soft ground to subside under weight.
If more of us respected and feared the power and magic of the environment, just as many fairy and pagan beliefs taught us to do, then one of Mr Healy-Rae’s other “beliefs”, ie that climate change does not exist, an infinitely more alarming belief which drew far less media mockery, would be a misnomer. – Is mise,
ÁINE Ní NEACHTAIN,
:fill(white):background_color(white)/static.themebuilder.aws.arc.pub/irishtimes/1647534191476.png)
Baile an Easpaig,
Corcaigh.