Sir - As an American, I want to extend my sincere gratitude for the heartfelt outpouring of sympathy, shared grief, understanding and solidarity expressed by the Irish people in our time of great trouble.
No less than in one's personal family, such embraces within the human family are necessary to help us deal with our profound sense of loss, the likes of which I have never experienced.
It helps us get over the astounding, almost overwhelming sense of dread we feel in contemplating the vastness of the evil that has been visited upon us, upon innocent men, women and children from all walks of life, from many nationalities, including Irish - quiet people like us who only struggled with day-to-day existence.
These expressions of sympathy remind us of what we still want to believe in - the basic goodness of humankind - and help us to somehow put the evil into perspective. Above all, they remind us that we are not alone. They have done much to console us.
I was deeply moved to read of the spontaneous gesture of those who have left flowers and memorials at the US Embassy, who are signing condolence books, who are holding vigils. We greatly appreciate the moving words of support from President McAleese, and the gesture by your Taoiseach in declaring a day of morning. We appreciate the sentiments expressed in letters from your readers and the concerned telephone calls from our personal friends in Ireland.
Again, on behalf of my fellow Americans, thank you for your kindness and expressions of support; we will never forget that. May God bless you; may God bless us all. - Yours, etc.,
Paul J. Martin, Burke, Virginia, USA.