Madam, - Reading Tom Humphries's article last Monday on the Dublin-Tyrone game at Croke Park last weekend reminded me once again of just how insightful and incisive a commentator he really is. As well as presenting many useful observations on the game itself and related management issues, he draws attention to the problematical role of "the Hill" in Dublin games.
At the vast majority of games which I attend as a Dublin supporter, the team can be seen to salute and honour "the Hill" as though "real" supporters were to be found only there. Certainly, there is no group as vocal as those on Hill 16 when all is going well for Dublin; but, as Tom Humphries points out, where are the cries of encouragement from this end when the wind goes out of Dublin sails?
At last Saturday's game I faced a limp and almost silent Hill from the opposite, Canal end of Croke Park when it was becoming clear that the game was slipping from Dublin. This is the same end which is (presumably) not deemed important enough to merit even a hint of the same overt acknowledgement from Dublin players as "the Hill" receives. Yet all around me fans, both young and old, who had parted with no small sum of euro for their tickets, continued to shout on their team right to the final whistle. The same could be seen on each of the other stands.
Non-"Hill" supporters of Dublin deserve better than their exclusion from this display of mutual adoration, not least because it has shown itself again and again to based on what flimsy foundations. - Yours, etc,
ANGELA McKENNA,
Artane,
Dublin 5.