Sir, – Frank McNally’s An Irishman’s Diary (March 10th) fairly resounded with me. McNally wrote of launching the posthumous writings of Frank O’Dowd, who was a regular entrant and winner of The Irish Times’ weekly writing competition, for which participants were set a challenge in poetry, prose or drama.
McNally wrote that he, too, was in the habit of entering – as was I. Indeed, I religiously entered the competition and was occasionally rewarded with a much-appreciated book token for “taking the laurels”.
What really caught my attention, however, was McNally’s “confession” that he entered the competition under different names. I did this once for one competition only, whose challenge was: write an epitaph for any famous Irish person.
I sent in several submissions – one under my own name, the rest under the names of good friends (with their permission, of course). I opened The Irish Times the following Monday morning to discover that my entry “Packie Bonner – Saved” had won.
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My joy, however, was short-lived as it was under one of my good friends’ name, not mine. I was devastated. I felt cheated – by me.
To this day I still beat myself up over beating myself. Thank you, Frank, for reminding me. – Yours, etc,
GERRY MORAN
Kilkenny.
