Madam, - Anyone who witnessed the outpouring of joy and jubilation on the Croke Park pitch after Sunday's magnificent All Ireland Football Final will know that Tyrone fans are far from being the "frighteningly intense and largely humourless bunch" described in this paper by Tom Humphries a few weeks ago.
On a more serious note, it is important, as we reflect on the end of another Championship season, that we appreciate what a truly special gift Gaelic games are and that we do all we can to cherish them.
By this I don't mean the sort of narrow-minded "ban" mentality which scorned other games as alien: I know there were many thousands of people in Croke Park last Sunday who, like me, are also avid fans of soccer and rugby. Thankfully, the old days of exclusivity have gone.
Having said that, there is something really unique about Gaelic games in this modern era. Last Sunday's heroes are all amateurs yet the massive effort they expend both in training and in games is awesome even by professional standards. All of this is done for the pride of the parish and the county. When Gaelic players kiss the crest on their jersey they mean it - it's not some shallow, showy demonstration meant to earn the fans' devotion before the next big move to another club.
As someone with roots in Tyrone, I know that the games mean even more to the nationalist people of the North, as they are one of the key ways in which they demonstrate their Irish identity.
The ethos which inspires Gaelic games is a rare plant and it needs to be looked after. In this context, the ongoing discussion on how players are rewarded needs to be considered very carefully. As the recent Genesis Report on the Eircom League makes clear, domestic soccer in Ireland is practically bankrupt. Irish rugby too is also experiencing financial woes. Across the water, some leading Premiership bosses are openly worrying about the financial health of their game - no doubt the fall in attendances is due to fans' increasing disillusionment at the cynical grab-all that top soccer has become.
GAA players and those who work with them definitely deserve to be looked after well. However, it is vital that the amateur essence of Gaelic games is not in any way undermined. After all, this is the glue that binds together the players, mentors and supporters at all levels and makes days like last Sunday truly special. - Yours, etc,
PAT MONTAGUE, Wellpark Avenue, Drumcondra, Dublin 9.
Madam, - After living abroad for many years, becoming a steward at Croke Park this summer was the best decision I ever made. What a wonderful place.
Maybe the key is a real feeling of ownership, of Irish people gathering in their own stadium to celebrate their team, their sport, their culture. Nobody is ripped off and nobody is left bowling alone.
Can we all learn this communal sense of ownership from the GAA, as we try to build our new Ireland? More Berlin than Boston? - Yours, etc,
AIDAN O'SULLIVAN, Albert College Park, Dublin 9.