Sir, – I couldn’t agree more with Katherine Quirke (Letters, July 14th) about the value of saluting fellow walkers. As a member of the walking group of the Waterford Estuary Men’s Shed, we have always, by habit, saluted fellow walkers with a hello and/or a weatherly comment of nice day, bit breezy or rain on the way etc.
These few words nearly always bring a smile and a reciprocal response from those young and old going in the opposite direction. As a walking group with no pets on a leash and wearing our Get Ireland Walking/Men’s Sheds high-viz vests, no stopping for a chat is expected, but as we are often spread out in groups of twos or threes, the greeting can be given repeatedly to those we meet.
As our twice-weekly walks cover a variety of routes in the popular tourist areas of Passage East, Ballyhack/Arthurstown, Tramore, Faithlegg and Dunmore East, we also feel we are doing our bit to confirm the Irish “Céad Míle Fáilte” reputation for visiting tourists. – Yours etc,
NOEL SHANAGHY,
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Faithlegg,
Co Waterford.
