Madam, - Patrick Gerrard's letter of July 31st illustrates perfectly the old adage that the victor gets to write the history books. Mr Gerrard is, like most Irish people, in thrall to the old king, hailing him as a hero, whereas, in truth, ol' BB was nothing of the sort. I pass the plaque referred to by Mr Gerrard all too frequently, and seethe with rage at the misinformation and propaganda which led to its erection. For, in truth, BB was an 11th-century Hitler.
We all learnt in school how he fought the Danes, and saved Ireland. But truth to tell, BB was ruler of a two-bit kingdom - Munster - who got to hear of a fledgling city called Dubh Linn, which had been ruled by the peace-loving Danes for the previous century or two and which, by trading with other civilisations around the known world, had become exceedingly prosperous. BB, driven by jealousy and greed, wanted "a slice of the action", and laid siege to the town - ultimately, as we all know, defeating the Danes at Clontarf and driving Dublin back into the Stone Age.
I feel it is important, in this age of glasnost, to set the matter straight. In the meantime, could Mr Gerrard, in the course of his preparations for the forthcoming tribunal, look at the possibility of awarding Brodir, the real hero of the hour who rid Ireland of this tyrant, a posthumous medal, in time for the millenary celebrations eight years hence? - Yours, etc,
D.K. HENDERSON, Castle Avenue, Dublin 3.