Irish Times letters page

iffandonlyif

A thread to talk about the often pompous and overwrought letters to the editor.

iffandonlyif

An exchange has begun between school children in the letters page.

On Saturday the Irish Times published a letter from a twelve year old bemoaning the mask mandate in primary schools. ‘The government says it’s a recommendation, the school says it’s a requirement, I say it’s a farce … Even though we can’t vote, as children, we have a voice.’

Today, an eleven year old hit back. ‘As a primary school student, I think that all schools should have made masks compulsory … While some work from home because of the pandemic, others are out in the public system…’

Perhaps I am underestimating the political engagement and articulacy of children these days, but I don’t think the IT should be publishing correspondence from parents writing in their child’s name.

blanch152

Dear Editor,

A thread has been started over on boards.ie about pompous and overwrought letters to your good self. The OP was able to reference excactly zero.

QED

yours etc.

TXPTGR1

the “Funny” ones are the worst

Allinall

"Perhaps I am underestimating the political engagement and articulacy of children these days, but I don’t think the IT should be publishing correspondence from parents writing in their child’s name."

Why not, once they are reflecting their child's point of view.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118283547#Comment_118283547

Reminds me of the Ads on ITV and Channel 4 some years ago featuring Toddlers giving Insurance Advice to their parents. On what Insurer to invest in. Ugh. Does'nt endear me to the IT in any sense and smells of 'WOKE' .

joseywhales

That brief moment before the onset of puberty where you are just smart enough to understand how things should work and you haven't been distracted by hormones, self doubt and selfish agenda. When you look at your older siblings and cousins and think "I'll never be like that" but it's inevitable.

Tomaldo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118283554#Comment_118283554

Have they they changed the format? The last time I read that page, it was Sir, Madam or A Chara, apologies if I'm wrong. It has been a while.

blanch152

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118283880#Comment_118283880

Don't know, have never written one until now, I am sure that the copy editors would have made sure that it was sufficiently pompous and overwrought.

ArnoldJRimmer

You may complain about kids these days, but they were a lot more precious in the past

https://www.joe.ie/uncategorized/ryan-tubridy-wrote-to-the-irish-times-when-he-was-12-wait-till-you-see-this-32704

Be right back

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118284458#Comment_118284458

The oldest 12 year old. What did he want to watch?

Kermit.de.frog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058221646/irish-times-letters-page

This thread should start with Sir/Madam and end with Yours Sincererly, Iffandonly, Dublin 6W

Tomaldo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118284591#Comment_118284591

are you sure they used the word "sincerely" I thought it was just "yours" Joe Blogs etc, Again apologies to Blanch and yourself if I'm wrong. I don't buy it anymore, nor do I have an online subscripition

dulpit

Sir,

A witty comment or something boring depending on the topic at hand.

Yours, etc

Allinall

It's "Yours sincerely" if the letter is addressed to a person.

It's "Yours faithfully" if it's addressed to Sir, Madam, Editor etc.

It's "Yours etc. for anyone who doesn't know the first two rules.

Tomaldo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118285321#Comment_118285321

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118285344#Comment_118285344

true, but what words do the IT use at the start and finish, I honestly don't know

Allinall

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118285412#Comment_118285412

It's generally "Dear Sir ( madam when geraldine Kennedy was editor) or "A Chara

Letters end with "Yours etc."

dulpit

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118285412#Comment_118285412

Sir at start, yours etc at end.

Tomaldo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118285421#Comment_118285421

Are you sure they used the word "Dear" I'll give a tenner to a charity of your choice, if I'm wrong. I used to get a free copy of it about a decade ago.

Tomaldo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118285733#Comment_118285733

thank you, I think I've save myself a tenner.

Tomaldo

"saved"

iffandonlyif

https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/letters/remembering-eavan-boland-1.4752278

Group of fifty writers say Eavan Boland achieved ‘every bit as much’ as James Joyce and WB Yeats.

‘At the moment, there are three permanent exhibitions celebrating male Irish writers in Dublin – the Seamus Heaney exhibit at the Bank of Ireland Arts Centre, the James Joyce commemoration at MoLi, and the WB Yeats exhibit at the National Library of Ireland.

And yet nowhere is there space for a centre that would celebrate the achievements of this Irish woman writer who has achieved in her own life and work every bit as much as these rightly celebrated men.’

iffandonlyif

‘Sir, – With one bound, Boris Johnson has gone from oven ready to de-Frosted. – Yours, etc.’

The type of smug and inane joke that seems to guarantee publication. Of course, a defrosted item remains oven-ready.

Snickers Man

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118283559#Comment_118283559

As someone who has had several letters published in the Irish Times over the years (I am both pompous AND overwrought) that observation is definitely true!!

No more "funnies" on the letters page! It's only for us pompous overwrought gobshites!!!!!

Harrumph!!!!

standardg60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118351265#Comment_118351265

I think you missed the jape there, refers to David Frost

iffandonlyif

https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/letters/populism-and-politics-1.4773110

Painfully overwritten.

iffandonlyif

Sir, Ambassador Paolo Serpi very kindly has offered Italian assistance for the completion of Dublin’s MetroLink

However, I wonder if he has really considered how long major infrastructure projects appear to move in Ireland. 

After all, Rome wasn’t built in a day! Yours, etc.

Another meaningless joke. The Italian ambassador of all people would know Rome wasn’t built in a day.

Also, in the second paragraph it should be either how slowly they move or how long they take.

animalinside

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118283559#Comment_118283559

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118351265#Comment_118351265

Agreed. The "funny" ones and the really short ones that are meant to make some amazing concise point. In an odd kind of way, they're actually kind of hilarious because of how ridiculous they are, like that someone actually wrote that and thought it was some clever and hilarious piece of wit.

I'm really starting to wonder if those types of ones are intentional parody. Surely that type of person couldn't exist in this day and age.

iffandonlyif

A chara, The prevalence of black-and-white plastic bollards on pavements, street corners, and throughout the urban realm has reached abhorrent levels. If the bollards were red and white, one could be forgiven for thinking that we were living in a Where’s Wally book. – Is mise

iffandonlyif

https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/letters/russia-s-encirclement-of-ukraine-1.4785519

It has come as a surprise to me the extent to which some on the left in Ireland tacitly support Russia in the current confrontation with Nato

A joint-letter from representatives of the the Irish Anti-War Movement says, ‘The indisputable fact is that the current Ukraine crisis has been festering due to relentless Nato expansionism – mainly driven by the US – which the Russians claim threatens its security.’

For balance, Vladimir Putin is disparaged in a sentence, but it is American-led Nato and western media that are the target of their ire.

WrenBoy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118533557#Comment_118533557

There's been a couple tankies popping up on boards recently, arguing the virtues of Stalin and the USSR at one point. I assume its just the Far Left importing their new fashionable views from America.