Madam, - Being fortunate enough to attend the conferral of an honorary doctorate of laws on President McAleese at the University of Otago in New Zealand last week, I was struck by her ability to connect with her audience and the positive yet realistic image of Ireland she projected.
It was quite humbling to observe our head of State in action: after 10 years there is no sense of ennui, rather one of appetite. A service to us all. - Yours, etc,
MARK CUMISKY, Dunedin, New Zealand.