I am a grumpy old pensioner, so there are many things I don’t understand about modern Ireland — like grown men wearing shorts in the winter; or drinking coffee from plastic cups in the street; or that no one smiles at strangers anymore, or stands aside on the pavement for the elderly.
And why do people spend time and money, and make a lot of noise that upsets their neighbours, just to produce sterile veneers of grass when they could have gardens of buttercups and daisies, insects, and birds?
But of all the annoyances that drive me to near apoplexy, and there are many more, the worst is the sight of parents standing at supermarket check-outs, holding big party balloons by their long streamers.
If I were more courageous, I would creep up behind them and puncture the damned things. It is not just that they look stupid, or that they are a terrible waste of money. It is what happens to them once the party is over.
I live near the sea. Every day, weather permitting, I hobble down to the nearby cove and pick up all the rubbish, mostly plastic, that washes in with the tide.
I often find the remains of these balloons — four last week, including one entire red one, with the words ‘The Ultimate Spiderman’ written on it.
Do the people who buy these totally unnecessary things not wonder what will happen if they are allowed to float off out to sea?
Do they not worry that those streamers might entangle the legs of a gull or auk?
Or that a sea turtle will mistake a brightly-coloured balloon for a jellyfish?
Or perhaps that a balloon will block the intestines of a basking shark already filled with human garbage?
I suppose not.
Much of the litter that ends up on our beaches comes from far away, so it is not all our fault (yesterday I found a tube of Spanish sun cream and a bottle of Taiwanese milk tea).
But adding such pointless rubbish as party balloons to all this debris is, in my opinion, a criminal act.
If the balloons do not drift off into the sky, they will just get thrown away, and the council surely has enough waste to dispose of.
So, please, no more party balloons. Buy your child a book about nature instead.
Jeremy Dornan, Bandon, Co Cork
Worthy successors
The closer we get to the Presidential election, the clearer it becomes that the left parties and independents in Dáil Éireann will have to unite behind an agreed candidate, if there’s to be any prospect of avoiding the return of an establishment figure from the current government alliance of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, and the Lowry Independents.
Tánaiste Simon Harris has already confirmed that they will be running a candidate from Fine Gael and some names being mentioned are Francis Fitzgerald, Seán Kelly, and Mairead McGuinness.
Fianna Fáil meanwhile are casting around looking for a suitable candidate, now that Taoiseach Micheál Martin has ruled himself out and we can be fairly certain too that it won’t be former taoiseach Bertie Ahern.
The latest name being mentioned is Cynthia Ní Mhurchú and she would certainly be a formidable candidate, as she proved in the European elections last year.
Faced with formidable women from Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil — quite possibly Mairéad McGuinness and Cynthia Ní Mhurchú — the only hope for the left opposition would be a formidable independent-minded figure such as Catherine Connolly.
She commands respect across the Dáil, as proved when she won the secret ballot for the position of leas-cheann comhairle in the previous Dáil. The Galway woman would be a passionate voice for that large section of the electorate who do not support the current Government.
Very much in the same mould as President Higgins, Catherine Connolly would certainly be a worthy successor to him and a reminder to the present political establishment that Ireland belongs to all of us and not just to them.
John Glennon, Hollywood, Co Wicklow
Ireland must lead
While it’s true that the Government has been more vocal in condemning Israel than other countries, it is not doing nearly enough.
Ireland is in effect complicit in the genocide by allowing the military use of Shannon by the US military.
Also the previous Government were completely disingenuous in their pre-election promise of ‘removing the block on the Occupied Territories Bill’ .
They clearly have no intention of hitting Israel where it hurts by isolating the country economically and culturally.
Israel is well equipped to withstand criticism, labelling it as ‘antisemitic’, but what it really fears are economic sanctions and isolation.
Ireland is well placed to take the lead on this with the enactment of the Occupied Territories Bill, particularly in the light of the International Court of Justice ruling on the illegality of the Occupied Territories, if only our leaders had the courage.
Patricia Timmons, Kinvara, Co Galway
Time to speak
We are shocked at the sight of 2m fellow human beings, who are besieged in Gaza without adequate food or essential medicines.
Our hearts are broken as we listen for example, to a Palestinian mother grieve for her family who were killed, together with hundreds of other civilians, in the recent attacks on the enclave.
No country, no matter how offended, can assume the right to inflict modern warfare on the starving population of a besieged city.
Hostages in a civilised society are released by negotiations and diplomacy, and not by brutal violence which causes unfathomable suffering and is likely to swell the ranks of extreme opponents.
We fully support and encourage our Taoiseach, Tánaiste, and ministers as they speak out clearly in defence of human rights in Gaza, Palestine, and Israel.
There is a time to speak!
Eamon Fitzpatrick, Secretary, Strandhill Active Retirement Association, Strandhill Rd, Sligo
We need to act
It is obvious to me our Government is not doing enough to help the people of Gaza who are being ethnically cleansed.
We can pat ourselves on the back for giving aid but how can that aid even reach the people?
They do not have access to clean water, food, or shelter.
By allowing Irish airspace and Shannon Airport to be used for transportation of weapons/components of weapons and the Central Bank dealing in Israeli War bonds, we ARE complicit in genocide.
Micheál Martin made an election promise to enact the Occupied Territories Bill. Do it.
Show the world Ireland has a heart, has integrity and courage.
We cannot condemn a whole nation of people to death because we are scared to stand up to the US.
Are we now in a coercive control relationship with Donald Trump?
Look at what he is doing to his own country, eroding people’s rights, denying people freedom of expression, locking up people because they hold different views to him.
I am disappointed and disgusted that no government minister would meet with Francesca Albanese. Is the truth that scary?
We cannot continue to ignore the plight of the people of Palestine.
Our Government has to act, show the way for the rest of the world.
If we do nothing then we are responsible for this genocide. We all know what’s happening.
Twelve girls had limbs amputated without anaesthesia yesterday.
I would like our politicians to imagine themselves in the shoes of the people of Gaza.
When I see photographs of babies, I always think, what if that was my daughter?
It is heartbreaking and unnecessary.
It’s time to stand up to the big bullies or we will be next. Wake up and stop being played. Do the right thing.
Regina O’Dea, Carron, Co Clare
Shameful
Taoiseach Micheál Martin is reported as remarking that enacting the Occupied Territories Bill would have no immediate impact on the ongoing murderous Israeli assault on Gaza (Taoiseach condemns Israeli attacks, Irish Examiner, March 21).
It is unclear why he felt driven to say this. Who ever claimed it would?
The Occupied Territories Bill relates primarily to Israel’s illegal settlements in the West Bank and, if passed, would align Ireland with the International Court of Justice advisory opinion of July 2024. Indeed, this imperative is specifically referred to in the published Programme for Government.
It would have an additional effect in that it would be the first purposeful sanction enacted by Ireland against the rogue state of Israel since the slaughter in Gaza began in October 2023.
We are nearing 50,000 people dead, with many thousands more missing, and Israel still acts with impunity.
The Occupied Territories Bill would be a useful beginning and would encourage others to bring in similar legislation.
However, Mr Martin seems to be taking every opportunity to criticise, snipe at, and undermine the bill.
It is obvious the intention is to water it down by excluding services.
Has any legal measure ever been “progressed” with less enthusiasm?
It is shameful and deeply disappointing behaviour.
Fintan Lane, Lucan, Co Dublin
