Madam, – Your Wicklow walker’s claims for “turdiest town” must not be taken unchallenged (Maurice Matthews, April 26th), as I can attest to veritable tides of the stuff lapping the shores of Co Louth. Having lived in Massachusetts for years, where the liberal powers-that-be reserve the death penalty only for the non-scooping of poop and the feeding of chocolate to dogs (there may be a connection), I was well accustomed to cleaning up after my animals.
When I arrived in north county Dublin 14 years ago, my habit of bagging and carrying home said material was the object of amusement and even derision to the locals, once prompting shouts of “Sassanach!” and “Your imperial ways!” while out walking along the road. My dog was wearing a Rangers (New York) jersey “snuggly” at the time, which may have been a factor. More recently, the old connection between post-colonialism resentment and “trashing the gaff” seems to be waning, and I have seen many a native armed with a roll of nappy sacks strolling along the beautiful Louth coast.
Sadly I am still remonstrated with by the occasional passer-by who swears by the restorative powers of the sea: “The tide will just take it out anyways.” I will leave the mechanics of tidal movements to the experts, but am sure others can attest to the rather disturbing surprises their children found when building sand castles during the recent miraculous meteorological respite from all our miseries. – Yours, etc,