Madam, - The Galway-based Western Writers' Centre ( Ionad Scribhneoirí Chaitlín Maude) has just been informed by the Arts Council that its appeal against yet another Council refusal to fund it has been rejected.
The council seems determined not to grant funds to the centre - which is the only one of its kind west of the Shannon and is a component of the Galway City Development Plan. I am not alone in finding this apparent determination unusual.
I would like to thank those writers and artists who signed a letter in our support which appeared in The Irish Times, and those whose letters appeared elsewhere; and all of the 400-plus signatories to our petition organised in Galway city - students, arts administrators, writers and anyone who believe the Western Writers' Centre should be supported. Local and national politicians expressed their support for us and even wrote about it. We are earnestly grateful for this, and also for the sponsorship which has been offered to us.
This centre is here to stay and has the support of the people of Galway, whether or not the Arts Council regards that as important. - Yours, etc.,
FRED JOHNSTON, Manager, Western Writers' Centre, Galway. westernwriters@eircom.net