My recent piece about Peter Maguire, the late lamented caddie at Portmarnock, prompted a long and most informative letter from an even earlier figure on the North Dublin links. Thomas Howard from Dundrum, is a first cousin of the late Christy Kane, one-time professional at St Anne's and winner of the Moran Cup in 1953.

A long association with golf encompassed caddying at Portmarnock back in 1934 at 11 pence per round and a sixpenny tip. And he wrote of how he always looked forward to caddying for the late Noel Cuddy who "was very nice and would always give a big tip." Later, our reader qualified as a plumber and went to work in Canada and the US.

On returning to this country, he endured what he described as "a great injustice" by being disqualified from the captain's prize at a certain Dublin club (without evidence, it would be unfair to mention the club). Then, he joined Tullamore GC where he won the President's Prize in 1990, and is now a member of Elmgreen. But he concluded: "I still play at Portmarnock, in the annual Veterans' competition. And I have my lunch in the Harry Bradshaw Room."