EDITOR – On Christmas day, in the early afternoon, I went on a bicycle trip through the deserted streets of Clonakilty and it was a surreal feeling.
The normally bustling town was devoid of people and cars. It was most interesting looking at the streets, footpaths, cobble stones on some of the roads and paths and the beautiful shop windows decorated for the festive season.
Great credit must go to the town planners and to all the business people and shop owners for making the town so attractive.
While heading home towards the Western Road, I decided to call into the beautiful Church of the Immaculate Conception which was open. There was nobody around but there was a feeling of great peace and a presence coming from the altar and the crypt.
I knelt down and thanked the good lord for his wonderful peace and goodness and kindness to all of us and to be living in a lovely peaceful part of the world.
That same morning, bombs, missiles, rained down on the people of the Ukraine and Gaza, killing and injuring innocent people, damaging vital infrastructure, hospitals and more.
Let us all pray for peace in our world and that the new year will bring a lasting peace to all these troubled countries and to all people everywhere.
Jeremiah McCarthy,
Tawnies Grove,
Clonakilty.
Health workers fight havoc caused by flu
EDITOR – A surge in flu cases is causing havoc in our health services. We are back to covid times of wearing masks again as the flu outbreak continues to put the health service under pressure.
With our hospitals in the midst of mayhem our thoughts are with the patients, and the dedicated healthcare workers relentlessly treating the sick.
Noel Harrington,
Kinsale.
Surely it’s time to ditch the TV licence fee
EDITOR – The nationwide revolt against the TV licence and non-payment should be sending a clear signal to the government to reform funding for the national.
The TV licence is a throwback to a bygone era. The TV licence is a whopping €160 with one in five not paying it. As many as 60 people a day are being brought before the District Court, which could be 22,000 people a year who face a criminal conviction, the cost of a licence plus arrears, and a fine of €2,000. Worse still, those who have made declarations that they have no TV risk a further conviction.
Long before any scandals existed in RTÉ, it was known that there was difficulty collecting what is essentially a tax for a TV. It is now at a chronic level but despite all the grave accountability problems and obscene salaries at RTÉ the old grey mare is still there, with TV licence inspectors coming to the doors. In fact, the TV licence is being more aggressively pursued than the property tax, such is the zealousness to get the fee from householders. The level of national sentiment against the national broadcaster will continue, and there are no plans to reduce the cost. But the government can no longer stand by idly without ending up in a country while substantially portions of the population will end up with a criminal conviction. The government should cancel all prosecutions, expunge those who have recorded convictions, and deal with RTÉ through the national exchequer where accountability would be stronger because of direct exchequer funding.
Maurice Fitzgerald,
Shanbally.
SF should not bring our flag to election counts
EDITOR – I note the letter in a recent issue of The Southern Star, regarding the use of our national flag by right wing protest groups.
I would also include Sinn Féin members using the flag on occasions such as election counts.
It is completely inappropriate for them to use the national symbol of our nation for political purposes.
Yes, use it for sporting occasions as it involves the collective will in celebration.
The use of the flag for partisan politics is wrong and leads to the question ¬– why not everyone?
Other political parties and independents do not use the flag in such a manner and they do not for very good reason.
Eamonn Kirwan,
Innishannon.
Intelligentsia need to come here for a month
EDITOR – On Sunday, December 29th I viewed the Kilbrittain Tractor Run with 420 New Holland, John Deere and Massey Fergusons being driven by drivers, male and female, young and old, celebrating rural life.
Carbon emissions were not on their minds. That night, when I went home and turned on my television, I was lectured by members of the Dublin intelligentsia who pontificated about our carbon targets and the pressing need to reduce cattle numbers.
I would like these people to leave the Dublin ‘Pale’ and come out and live for one month in another Ireland – an Ireland populated by good people trying to earn a living and rear a family, not to be written off the map by faceless people ignorant of their way of life.
Michael Hallissey,
Mayfield,
Bandon.
