From Judith Goldberger

With reference to Terry Prone's article about Niall McElwee's "moronic nocturnal visitation" (News, 22 July): On 13 September 2005, a Dutch court found conclusive evidence that the "slender" and "fragile" Niall McElwee who "fell" on a girl's bed, in fact, had forced one American girl, through acts of violence, to endure lewd acts. The court also declared proven "attempted indecent assaults".

As for Prone's comment that the girls did not "even" lock their own door, well how often have we heard this "asking for it" apologist argument in rape cases? Roll on the activation of the press complaints process in Ireland. In the meantime, I can think of another person far more deserving of Prone's term "gobshite".

Judith Goldberger, Brewster Avenue, Redwood City, 94063, USA.

Streisand traffic jam complaints a bit rich

From Tony Quinn

According to Una Mullally's report (News, 22 July), reasons for complaints about the Streisand concert included traffic jams. It's a bit rich for people travelling to major musical and sporting events to whinge about traffic jams which they help to create.

Tony Quinn, Saval Park Rd, Dalkey, Co Dublin.

Courageous Gormley is on the prowl

From Mark McMullan

It was pleasing to hear John Gormley voice his concerns about cigarette butts and chewing gum on our streets and his determination to clean up the mess.

It was also pleasing to read in Tuesday's papers that Gormley had acted against Monaghan County Council with its Fianna Fail majority regarding decisions on land rezoned during the previous government's term last March.

Obviously Gormley is not afraid of vested interests or Fianna Fail in county council circles. "Rescind those decisions in order to protect the national interest!" demands our minister for the environment and heritage, using powers rarely used, given to him under an act passed in 2000.

Now that Gormley has found powers rarely used can untie his hands to protect the national interest, what next courageous step might we expect him to take in the national interest? The lion is stirring into action!

Why not Tara and the M3?

After all, EU commissioner Stavros Dimas has said what is happening to our national monuments in the Tara Valley is illegal. The EU has said work on the M3 should stop now.

Surely we are good Europeans! Surely John Gormley is a very good European!

What a week this could be for John Gormley. Cigarette butts, chewing gum, rescinding land rezoned in Monaghan. And Tara? Five thousand years of our priceless heritage saved! It's a long road that hasn't a turning.

Mark McMullan, Belleview Copse, Booterstown, Co Dublin.

Let's act like the tigers we are, flee the cage

From Patrica Grey Amante

Last Saturday I marched with 1,000 others from the Garden of Remembrance to the Custom House, protesting against the illegal works being carried out on Ireland's sacred burial site, Tara. The Garden of Remembrance fittingly honours all those who fought against oppression, fought for freedom for Ireland. On Saturday evening I watched the film The Wind That Shakes the Barley, the Irish being brutally beaten for speaking their mother tongue, being imprisoned and terribly tortured, their homes and lands ravaged for protesting against their oppression.

Let us notice the similarity between the ravaging of Irish lands by the Black and Tans and the ravaging of Tara by bulldozers. Maybe also a similarity with the recent imprisonment of protestors speaking out for their mother tongue, protecting their heritage.

Yet as a nation we are no longer oppressed. We are free . . . or are we?

Studies have shown that animals kept in a cage and repeatedly given electric shocks were found not to leave the cage when the cage door was left open. They remained inside an open cage, captured by their paralysis.

Economically, we are free and fierce tigers, courageous and stealthy in business.

However, when it comes to our connection with our heritage, we are still deeply paralysed by the fear of speaking out and the recriminations that might mean for us.

The paralysis cuts us off from our life force and breeds passivity in us. Instead of leaving the cage and protesting out loud we hear our own muffled cries, 'Some one else will do it. . . I don't know how. . . What will they think of me?' to the very Irish flippancies, 'Ah sure, I can't be bothered. . . Ah sure, I don't see what all the fuss is about.' The outcome is always the same: paralysis and passivity.

There is an antidote to this paralysis. When we allow ourselves to be animated by life again, that life energy shakes us up and moves us out of the cage. Now is the time to let that great tiger energy move us and shake us into action.

Let the fierce instincts of the tiger come alive in each of us as we roar out from the depths of our being: "This is my heritage, my land. I will not allow my land to be ravaged."

Then and only then will we have not 1,000 or 10,000 but 100,000 marching with power, claiming the right to our heritage.

Let us remember, however, the protest roar this time is not to the English oppressor, it is to our own passive sisters and brothers and to our own government that attempts to keep us paralysed by nonengagement. Most importantly the protest this time is to ourselves . . . to the passivity and paralysis within ourselves that will cost us nothing less than our heritage.

Patricia Grey Amante, Delgany, Co Wicklow.

A wing and a prayer for honours system

From Keith Nolan An

Taoiseach wants an honours system to reward people just like the British do.

Can I suggest something that would be deeply symbolic of our high regard for such matters.

The Order of A Wing and A Prayer . . . perhaps?

Keith Nolan, Caldra House, Caldragh, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Leitrim.

Help needed with paranormal research

From Sean Goulding

I am currently researching a book on folklore and the paranormal in Ireland. I would love to hear from readers who have reports of ghosts, haunted historical sites or residences and any other strange or unexplained phenomena. Total anonymity will be maintained and respected, if so wished. All correspondence will be acknowledged. Write in confidence to the address below or email carraigkerry@hotmail. com.

Sean Goulding, Carraigkerry, Athea, Co Limerick.

Ballyliffin has natural irrigation system

From John Doherty

In his column (Sport, 22 July), Pat Ruddy mentioned the extraordinary general meeting of the Ballyliffin Golf Club to vote on the proposed installation of an irrigation system at a cost of 1.5m, half of which would be paid by the members over a period of five years. He was in no doubt that some members would be blinded to such a move. The members would have had to be blind and stupid to vote for such a proposal.

The old course at Ballyliffin is one of the finest natural links courses in Ireland, even with the recent tampering of it, but fortunately the majority of members had the good sense to say enough is enough and leave the irrigation to natural rainfall which, as we all born in Inishowen know, we have a plentiful supply.

John Doherty, 10 Cloncha Avenue, Carndonagh, Co Donegal.

Bolivar commemorations ignored here

From JA Barnwell

INSULAR Irish media ignored the recent commemoration of the birth of Simon Bolivar, 'Il Libertador' of South America. With Irish support, he drove the foreign forces of Spain out of no less than six countries. President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela presents himself as the modern manifestation of the Liberator Bolivar.

JA Barnwell, St Patrick's Road, Dublin 9.