Sir, - What a bizarre editorial decision to run a critique of the newly-opened Farmleigh government residence by Robert O'Byrne on the front page of the supplement normally used to sell property (July 26th). Was the usual and highly predictable front-page up-market property simply not available last week? Mr O'Byrne proceeded to demolish the work of the OPW architects involved and, one more time, to irrelevantly question the wisdom of why the present Government did not buy Carton instead.
Obviously the location of the house was a major factor in choosing Farmleigh. Nobody would pretend that it represented any major significance or cohesion in architectural historical terms. Instead, it is unashamedly a large, hotel-like structure set in beautiful grounds, representing no small measure of elegance, perfectly suited to its original and current purposes.
The task of creating what the visitor now sees was carried out by some of the most experienced and capable professionals working within the public services. It is therefore most irritating to read Robert O'Byrne's pompous, patronising and insulting response to what has been achieved. "The overall impression is one of robust blowsiness," he says, bristling with superiority. The "jumble of pieces" in the study was summarily dismissed, even though I understand the OPW had gone to great lengths to preserve the use of brocade from the original Guinness furnishings. The use of "cheap gold paint on the frames" was another comment which seemed to place this most delicate aesthete in a domain unreachable by the vast majority of people in this country.
Indeed, his final comment that "the house's decoration remains unsatisfactory" would suggest that no further work of this nature should ever be attempted by the OPW until Mr O'Byrne has been consulted - right down to the quality of the gold paint. - Yours, etc.,
Desmond Bennett, Lennox Street, Dublin 8.