Sir, – Prof Diarmaid Ferriter’s reported criticism of Trinity College’s decision to change the name of its library from one which celebrates a slave “owning” cleric (“Trinity College to ‘dename’ library due to slavery link”, News, April 27th) is surprisingly insensitive to those who are hurt by that celebration.
And it’s surprising also that a prominent historian and member of the Expert Advisory Group on Centenary Commemorations should apparently be unable to distinguish between historical fact, which Trinity is not attempting to change, and developing perspectives on those facts which are more respectful of people whose own history has been ignored or dismissed. – Yours, etc,
DAVID McKENNA,
Dublin 8.
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Sir, – It can only be a matter of time before there are calls for the abandonment of the Gregorian calendar on the grounds that it was introduced by Pope Gregory XIII, a man whose enthusiastic engagement in the wars of religion would hardly recommend him to the “renamers”!
This silliness should be brought to an end before it does more harm. – Yours, etc,
PADDY BARRY,
Killiney,
Co Dublin.
Sir, – May I offer my heartiest congratulations to the students for their moral defeat of historic slavery. Now that this has been achieved, time for them to turn their attention to modern slavery. To achieve this, will they be ridding themselves first of their smartphone or their fast-fashion clothes?
I look forward to following their next steps. – Yours etc,
SIMON BALL,
Dublin 1.
