Sir, - I read with deep regret of the recent death of Deirdre O'Connell, noted for her work with Dublin's Focus Theatre. I knew the theatre well in the 1970S.
Some readers may recall that in those days Deirdre organised Sunday evenings of traditional Irish and other music. I was privileged to play here on a number of occasions with other folk musicians, notably the great Al O'Donnell, whose venerable, magical Martin guitar I borrowed from him one evening in the Focus when I'd forgotten my own. Those Sunday evenings were memorable for musicians and audience alike. No microphones, just acoustic instruments and the human voice; echoes here of the old folk clubs which used once to be a feature of Dublin life.
But it was Deirdre O'Connell who made those evenings, with her enthusiasm and her behind-the-scenes energy. We will not see her like again in this "e-culture" age. I will always recall with great fondness the honesty and marvellously creative naivety, in the best sense, of those long-ago Sunday evenings in the Focus Theatre.
Perhaps there are others who also remember it all. Truly, it was a different world. - Yours, etc.,
Fred Johnston, Galway.