Sir, - I read the fulsome praise and tributes paid to the late Joe Christle by B.L. in his appreciation (June 24th).
However I must set the record straight. I too knew that gentle giant and I remember well the General Election of 1961 in the Constituency of Dublin South West.
Joe stood as an Independent Republican and received 1,814 first preference votes and was eliminated on the ninth count with an accumulation of 2,310 votes. The quota was 5,596. So I would suggest it's either a case of excessive exuberance or a fading memory that B.L. could state that the late Joe Christle came within 300 votes of election to Dail Eireann in 1961. Maybe it was our loss and Dail Eireann was the poorer for Joe Christle never making it to Leinster House, for he was indeed a rare breed. - Yours, etc., Michael J. Stokes PC,
Templeogue,
Dublin 6W.