Madam, - I was disappointed to read Senator Joanna Tuffy's claim (April 29th) that the Taoiseach had omitted the central role of the Labour Party in the 1916 Rising.
In fact, on a number of occasions the Taoiseach did speak positively about the huge contribution which the Labour movement made to 1916 and especially the pivotal role of James Connolly.
In an interview with the Evening Echo (April 13th), Mr Ahern pointedly referred to the fact that James Connolly, as well as being a signatory of the Proclamation, was a founding member of the Labour Party. He also said that almost all of the parties in the State had their roots in 1916 and that accordingly the commemoration could not be the preserve of any one political party.
Mr Ahern added: "This commemoration is as much about celebrating the contribution of James Connolly and Michael Collins, who fought in the GPO, as it is about celebrating the contribution of Eamon de Valera, the last surviving commandant of Easter Week".
At the recent Fianna Fáil commemoration in Arbour Hill, the Taoiseach quoted at length from Connolly's famous editorial in the Workers' Republic from February 1916.
In the same speech, Mr Ahern said: "Ireland's history belongs to every Irish person and must be beyond narrow party-political posturings." This is a point that Senator Tuffy might in future bear in mind. - Yours, etc,
Cllr MICHAEL McGRATH (Fianna Fáil), Dún Eoin, Carrigaline, Co Cork.
Madam, - The 1916 Rising was very successfully commemorated on Easter Sunday, April 16th. Since then, there have been 16 editions of The Irish Times and almost all have carried several of letters relating to the event. Do you not think that this is slightly excessive, bearing in mind that in 10 years' time we will be celebrating the centenary of the Rising and the correspondence will start all over again?
Lets have more letters about cuckoos and swallows and other similarly important issues! - Yours, etc,
RUSSELL RAFTER, Carrick Court, Portmarnock, Co. Dublin.