Madam, - The celebrations of the centenary of the birth of Louis MacNeice were indeed rather sparse. There were, however, readings by five poets of some of his work, chaired by Michael Longley, at the DúLaoghaire Poetry Festival last April. It was an extraordinary occasion, with the audience demanding a whole set of unplanned encores.
Together with Joe Woods of Poetry Ireland I tried to persuade the Office of Public Works to erect a small bust of MacNeice in St Stephen's Green, but they suggested putting his name on a park bench, and that was the end of that idea. Perhaps by raising this matter in your pages, it might be reactivated. MacNeice should be commemorated properly in Dublin. - Yours, etc,
EOIN DILLON, Mount Brown, Dublin 8.