Madam, – It is disheartening to read once again of Dublin City Council’s annual attempts to criminalise the Halloween bonfire (Front page, October 18th).
Halloween is unique among internationally celebrated holidays and festivals in having its origins in Ireland (the Celtic festival of Samhain). One might hope that the council would have the wit to actively promote Halloween festivities to help our beleaguered tourist industry. At the least, one might expect the council to support and manage festivities so that the traditional bonfire can be safely enjoyed, just as the local authorities manage to do in Northern Ireland each July 12th. What the public should not expect or deserve is to be criminalised and face punitive fines for continuing a harmless tradition enjoyed for thousands of years. – Yours, etc,