Sir, - The extraordinary world-wide celebration of St Patrick's day is an annual reminder of our failure to provide a worthy tribute to our patron saint in the main street of our capital. The apparently final decision to construct an impersonal spike would appear to perpetuate our neglect.
The following suggestion may be worthy of consideration. The very happy arrangement adopted for the nearby Parnell monument - having the statue at the base of the column - could be applied to the site and would not require any structural modification of the spike. This is a solution which, I believe, would win widespread approval. - Yours, etc.,
Eamon Hanrahan, Sandyford, Dublin 18.