Alcohol and longevity

Sir, – By Prof Frank Murray’s calculations that 1,000 deaths per day are caused by alcohol (May 28th), this would constitute 365,000 deaths per year, which would result in the deaths of most of the population of the Republic of Ireland in the next 10 years.

Will only Pioneers be living in Ireland in the not too distant future? – Yours, etc,

Dr PETER TM KENNY,

Templeogue,

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Dublin 16.

Sir, – Alcohol does shorten your life? As the novelist Kingsley Amis, an aficionado of single-malt Scotch, once said, “No pleasure is worth giving up for the sake of two more years in a geriatric home in Weston-super-Mare”. – Yours, etc,

KEN ANDREW,

Cobh,

Co Cork.

Sir, – I am reminded of the man who drank five pints and five whiskeys in a 20-minute spell.

As the barman produced the bill, he commented, “You sure drink fast, sir.”

“You’d drink fast too if you have what I have,” said the tippler.

“Oh dear, and what is it you have?” asked the concerned barman.

“One euro.” – Yours, etc,

TOM GILSENAN,

Beaumont,

Dublin 9.