Sir, - Sean Leake's suspicion that those of us who wear poppies on Remembrance Day are manipulated for political motives is an unfounded, unworthy insinuation. Every year the British Legion disburses, in this jurisdiction, many thousands of pounds realised by the sale of poppies. This is used to provide assistance to ex-servicemen, mainly of the second World War and to the widows and dependants of ex-servicemen. There are no strings attached to this assistance; the sole criterion is need.
Let me assure Sean that those of us who saw active service in the second World War are too old in the tooth, and too experienced in the ways and wiles of politics, to be used as political pawns. - Yours, etc.,
Ursuline Court, Waterford.