Madam, – Eamon Moore’s upset and dismay regarding the British and Irish Lions (April 25th) does not seem to concern the Irish players who have been selected to play in this rather quaint competition – otherwise they could have declined to take part. Nor does it concern true rugby fans, who couldn’t care less whether the Lions are called roses, tigers, daffodils or shamrocks; or whether they wear red, green or purple shirts.
Rugby is a sport and should not be used as an excuse for yet more maudlin, navel-gazing sourness apropos Anglo-Irish history. – Yours, etc,
WILL HORBURY,
Drimoleague,
Co Cork.
Madam, – I note that your international business traveller writing from the capital of Leinster (April 25th) is concerned about the publicity afforded to Irish Lions. He is afraid his interests might be tainted by a foreign symbol. His vital business relationships may thereby lose respect in the eyes of the world. In the deep south we know that our players are Irish by birth and Munster Lions by the grace of God. In any province these days it’s better to be a Lion than a Tiger. – Yours, etc,
PETER KEARNEY,
Carlisle Terrace,
Sunday’s Well Road,
Cork.
Madam, – Although Eamon Moore (April 25th) has probably travelled thousands of miles as an “international business traveller” it appears that he has a lot further to travel before he truly understands the history of his own country, and by corollary what is to be a Lion.
Without re-hashing the complex history of these islands, in which we all live and are thereby intrinsically linked; the British and Irish Lions are part of our national identity and our national identity is part of the Lions. This is most clearly seen and displayed in the crest of the Lions, the shamrock being in one of the four equal quarters, and manifested also in the team’s very name: the British and Irish Lions.
The Lions represents this country and is part of our sporting tradition, and by extension is part our cultural history. So I will be cheering on the men of this island and those of our neigbours as comrades and brothers-in-arms as they take on the mighty Springbok on the high veldt. Here’s to the Lions’ roar and a successful tour. – Yours, etc,
RONAN CLEARY,
Newtown Hill,
Tramore,
Co Waterford.
Madam, – The 14 Irishmen, including the captain of the forthcoming British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa, are to be heartily congratulated for bringing such an honour to their country. It is to be hoped that they will ensure that the correct name British and Irish Lions or just Lions for short is used by journalists and commentators and not the British Lions as tends to be used out in South Africa.
They might also ensure that due recognition is given to the Tricolour and our National Anthem on an equal basis with the British flag and anthem.
Some years ago an Irish player appeared in a local paper in Durban wearing a Union Jack T-shirt. It is to be hoped that such a thing will not happen this time. – Yours, etc,
BRIAN P Ó CINNÉIDE,
Essenwood Road,
Durban,
South Africa.
Madam, – While we’re at it, perhaps we could do something about the archaic geographical term, “British Isles”. – Yours, etc,
RICHARD MURNANE,
Hornsby,
New South Wales,
Australia.